Tiger Stadium (Part 1)

Photograph of Tiger Stadium from the inside by KC Jacoby.

What follows resulted from a professional development session today. One of our teachers led our staff in a Thinking Maps review. Our final assignment was to create a circle map of a favorite place, turn it into a tree map, and finally write about it based on both the circle map and tree map. It is in rough form and far from complete. As we embark on a special baseball season in Detroit, I think I will continue this piece.

I remember going to Tiger Stadium regularly in the '80s. The smells, sights, and sounds provide great memories. The prizes and ultimate glory provide even more.

Walking into the park was always challenging because parking was limited around Tiger Stadium. Once inside, though, one was never far from the fun. Sure, the long walk down the corridors and finally the tunnel to the field took time, but it was worth it.

You started to smell the fresh Ballpark Franks as soon as you hit the tunnel. They were carefully steamed in salty water, thrown into carts, and wheeled throughout the park. I'll never forget the first time I saw an old, tired vendor who was too hot and worn out by the 90 degree August heat drip gallons of sweat right into the dog cart. Hey, it was part of the experience, right?

The freshly mowed, bright green grass — you can only describe it if you've been there. It cannot be replicated anywhere. It's a deep, warm, grassy smell. You could always tell that the lawn crew cared about its product!

Tiger Stadium is a huge spectacle in Detroit. The light towers can be seen from miles away. I still get excited whenever I see the park. It brings up great memories from the '80s and '90s. It's hard to believe the Tigers moved out of their wonderful home in 1999.

Information from Jacoby regarding picture above: Almost exactly 8 years ago Tiger Stadium on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull was closed down. Last Friday, I was one of the lucky 20 people that were able to get into old Tiger Stadium. We roamed around the stadium taking pictures of whatever we could find.