Fish
Blaspheming Bog Rat
Fishin' Michigan!
Posts: 49
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Post by Fish on Jun 2, 2009 20:48:51 GMT -5
It was announced today that after a 2 year attempt to save a portion of the old Tiger Stadium (the portion from 1st base to 3rd base - all that is currently standing) that the remaining portion will also be torn down. The attempt to save the remaining section of the stadium was led by the Tigers' former (Hall of Fame) broadcaster, Ernie Harwell. Those efforts came close to succeeding, but ultimately failed, likely due to the hard economic times that Detroit finds itself in at present. I went to my first ball game in Tiger Stadium when I was 7 yrs old. I was fortunate enough to watch the likes of Al Kaline, Mark Fidrych (RIP, Bird), Reggie Jackson and Nolan Ryan (he owned the Tigers that day) through the years in that park. The Tigers that had won the '68 World Series is the same team that made me love baseball. To me, they're as much a part of that stadium as the rusted and weary i-beams that hold up what is left of its past glory and faded (if not still cherished) memories. It opened the same week that the Titanic sank yet, ironically, it's the Titanic that still endures. I know that the stadium needs to come down. Detroit has enough old and dilapidated buildings that need a date with the wrecking ball. Still, this one is special/different. For many, it'll be like watching part of their own history - their own story - vanishing in a cloud of dust. GM yesterday (my father, a GM retiree, is probably rolling over in his urn) and Tiger Stadium today. Detroit needs a break. |
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Post by Man in Black on Jun 2, 2009 21:53:33 GMT -5
I feel for you Fish, Detroit has had a tough run lately. I hate what they are doing with all the old ball parks recently. I'm like you I realize that cities and teams need to upgrade, but sometimes it seems like they are taking too lightly the sentimental value of these venues.
And then to top it all off they go and let some corporate sponsors name the new place some really boring name after their product.
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Post by Jason on Jun 11, 2009 22:32:48 GMT -5
It's interesting, though. The Lions go 0-16. The first time ever in NFL history, and in the same year, the Red Wings are playing for their second straight Stanley Cup!
Also, Minnesota is tearing down the Metro Dome. Every home game this year for the twins, the baseballs used in the game will have a special Metro Dome stamp on them. Some lucky Twins fans are gonna have a nice souvenir.
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Fish
Blaspheming Bog Rat
Fishin' Michigan!
Posts: 49
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Post by Fish on Jun 13, 2009 6:15:12 GMT -5
It's interesting, though. The Lions go 0-16. The first time ever in NFL history, and in the same year, the Red Wings are playing for their second straight Stanley Cup! Also, Minnesota is tearing down the Metro Dome. Every home game this year for the twins, the baseballs used in the game will have a special Metro Dome stamp on them. Some lucky Twins fans are gonna have a nice souvenir. Unfortunately the Red Wings were unable to pull off a Stanley Cup victory this year. Last night's game was a crusher for Detroiters. This town is so VERY much behind it's sports team. And the Red Wings? Well, let's just say there's a reason they call it Hockeytown. A Wings win would have gone a long a long way in raising the spirits of our region. With all of the auto industry troubles that this state has seen any bright spot will do, but the Wings taking the Stanley Cup for a second straight year would have been too sweet. I've never been much of a football fan so I have no real emotional involvement with the Lions. Sure I would love to see them do well. Both the team and it's fans deserve that. Being a punchline gets old and Detroit has had more than it's share of that over the past 4+ decades. If the Lions were to ever make it to the Superbowl (stop laughing) this town would come to life like never before. You'd be surprised by how much fan support the team has in spite of it's failures. Yes the fans get angry and vocal, but they remain loyal. They just want a team to believe in. Someday... Back to the subject of Tiger Stadium, there was an attempt by the aforementioned conservancy to stop the demolition, but it failed in court. The wrecking balls that had already been moved into place began swinging the following day. It's a shame that something couldn't have been done with it, but with money being what it is around here these days, it was just too little too late. It would have been nice if they'd sold pieces of the stadium to the public. I'd love to have at least one of the bricks from it. Maybe the table that Ernie made his broadcasts from for all those years. |
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Post by Man in Black on Jun 17, 2009 10:03:46 GMT -5
You can't sneak in there and get one of those bricks? I used to do stuff like that all the time. I've got rocks and bricks and sticks from all kinds of places hehehe.
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Fish
Blaspheming Bog Rat
Fishin' Michigan!
Posts: 49
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Post by Fish on Jun 21, 2009 6:29:29 GMT -5
I wish it were that easy, MIB. They have the entire area fenced off and watched by security for just this reason. When the demolition started last year there were numerous arrests of people trying to collect souvenirs. And that was in spite of the fence and security.
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Post by Man in Black on Jun 21, 2009 19:14:20 GMT -5
Ah well, maybe you can wait until somebody is getting arrested then use that as a distraction ;D Just kidding... they will probably wait a while then try to sell parts of it for thousands of dollars.
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