DETROIT
-- The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has raised $369,000
as of July 29. The Detroit City Council has given the organization
until March 1 to raise $15.6 million. If the conservancy can raise
the funds, a portion of the ballpark and the field will indeed be
saved. The plan is to convert the stadium into a public park for
recreational programs focused at youth and amateur baseball.
A
second plan calls for demolishing the entire stadium and then creating
a museum for legendary broadcaster Ernie Harwell. Preservationists
have until Nov. 1 to present the plans and means of payment to the
Detroit City Council. The council delayed a vote on the stadium
so that more details could be worked out.
The
centerfield scoreboard was recently demolished. More seats from
the bleachers were also torn down. In addition, orange upper deck
box seats were removed and hauled away in trucks. Even more sections
of the building still have to come down.
"Fundraising
is not gonna be a problem," said Peter Riley, founder of Michigan
& Trumbull, LLC. "We have had tremendous support from the
grassroots campaign that we started a little over six weeks ago.
More importantly, we got a lot of support from the business community
and others who are significant such as Senator Levin who is helping
with the federal earmark money specifically for the preservation
of the stadium. As well as the state of Michigan who is working
with the conservancy on historical tax credit money."
Large
sections of the building were being town down along the third base
line on Monday afternoon.
"The
demolition has been going on for six weeks too," said Riley.
"They've now covered the leftfield and centerfield areas predominantly.
They shouldn't go any further down along the third base line. They're
at in effect where Navin Field was at that time in 1923 so what
we're hoping for is what we're expecting is a like on the first
base line and also in right field. Now the object is to the limit
the damage and utilize for the good of the city and the community
as much as we can."
If the conservancy
isn't able to reach the $15.6 million mark, the stadium will be
completely torn down. That is something that will give Tiger fans
a sour stomach.
"I
think it's sad, but necessary," said Joyce Fenech of Dearborn,
speaking about the stadium's demolition. "It's seen it's day.
It was structurally unsound but the memories are cool. I can still
remember seeing Darryl Evans hit a home run. I took a lot of pictures.
I can remember coming down on ladies day and taking the bus down.
We'd sit in the snow for opening day. I hope Ernie gets to keep
the infield."
A lot of
Tigers fans came to Tiger Stadium to take some pictures before seeing
a game at Comerica Park. They came to watch as the ballpark was
being town down before their very own eyes.
"I
don't like to see it, I have a lot of memories," said Dale
Bauer of Warren. "It was kinda exciting to me when they were
auctioning things off to see what all is left in there. I don't
like seeing all those seats in a pile. There's a lot of seats in
there yet. I was here a number of times as a kid. I played Lutheran
Little League. We were here for that. I got to go on the field as
a kid with my uniform on with my team. That was always exciting.
I hope they save part of it. That would be nice as a memorial for
a remembrance. It's not gonna be what it was but it will be something."
It has been
confirmed that certain areas of the ballpark will remain. Those
areas include the flagpole in centerfield, the foul poles, the field
and the broadcast booths. The field from first base to third base
could also be saved if enough money is raised.
"I
actually don't mind too much the stadium being torn down,"
said Marty Kaye of Farmington Hills. "They should have done
it right from the beginning. It still is very sad. I certainly didn't
need to see them keep the stadium up forever. I was here for the
game in the '84 World Series when they won the fifth game and when
Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run that was a moment you'll never
forget in your life. I got to come to the last game too which was
unforgettable. Given that the moved, I didn't think there was a
need to keep the stadium here another six or seven years."
To make
a donation and help preserve Tiger Stadium and create a museum for
Ernie Harwell, visit www.savetigerstadium.org.
To download the future plans for the site, click
here. [PDF]
