Eric Adelson bemoans the fact that there isn't any monument to Tiger Stadium:
Tiger Stadium opened on the same day as Fenway Park – April 20, 1912. It
was 100 years ago this weekend. Ty Cobb scored the first run by
stealing home. From that day until 1999, this very spot rumbled with din
and greatness. Pretty much every legend that played in Fenway in the
20th century also played here. Lou Gehrig sat himself down for the first
time in 2,130 games here, ending his incredible ironman streak. Babe
Ruth hit his 700th home run here. Reggie Jackson hit one into the right
field light tower here during the '71 All-Star game. The Tigers won
World Series titles here in 1968 and again in 1984, with Kirk Gibson
launching a late-inning home run off Goose Gossage that no Tigers fan
alive to see it will ever forget. Fair to say this was the most exciting
place in the history of Michigan.
And now there's hardly a trace. Fans committed to honoring the old
stadium in some form maintain a home plate, a pitcher's mound, two chalk
lines for base paths and two benches where the dugouts used to be. The
125-foot flagpole from the old center field is still standing.
That's it. Across the street, there's a Coney Island restaurant, a bar, a
Chinese takeout place, and a Faygo sign. There's a large gate from the
old stadium, and you can push open a door and take the field, but you
have to know where it is. In fact, you have to know the history of "The
Corner" to know where this cathedral once stood. The only acknowledgment
of the old ball yard is a small plastic sign across the street
featuring photos of Mickey Cochrane and Babe Ruth in the stadium and a
blurb about plans for development of the area.
Crosley Field would also be 100 this month. There isn't any monument there. Actually, last year I drove by both of those former sites, just to see what was there. Not much. At least in Detroit there's still grass:
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