Tiger Stadium ( Detroit ) Tiger Stadium ( formerly known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium ) was a stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit , Michigan . It hosted the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team from 1912 to 1999 , as well as the National Football League ' s Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974 . It was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989 . The stadium was nickname d " The Corner " for its location on Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Avenue . In the decade after the Tigers baseball team vacated the stadium , several rejected redevelopment and preservation efforts finally gave way to demolition . The stadium ' s demolition was completed on September 21 , 2009 , video footage of which was featured in Eminem ' s music video for his song " Beautiful " . There are currently no plans for redevelopment at the site . However , Tiger Stadium ' s actual playing field remains at the corner where the stadium once stood . Since the spring of 2010 , a volunteer group known as the Navin Field Grounds Crew - - composed of Tiger Stadium fans , preservationists , and Corktown residents - - has restored and maintained the field . History . Early origins . In 1895 , Detroit Tigers owner George Vanderbeck had a new ballpark built at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull avenues . That stadium was called Bennett Park and featured a wooden grandstand with a wooden peaked roof in the outfield and bleachers surrounding the infield . At the time , some places in the outfield were only marked off with rope . The 20th century . In 1911 , new Tigers owner Frank Navin ordered a new steel - and - concrete baseball park on the same site that would seat 23 , 000 to accommodate the growing numbers of fans . On April 20 , 1912 , Navin Field was opened , the same day as the Boston Red Sox ' s Fenway Park . The intimate configurations of both stadiums , both conducive to high - scoring games featuring home run s , prompted baseball writers to refer to them as " bandboxes " or " cigar boxes " ( a reference to the similarly intimate Baker Bowl ) . Over the years , expansion continued to accommodate more people . In 1935 , following the death of Frank Navin , new owner Walter Briggs oversaw the expansion of Navin Field to a capacity of 36 , 000 by extending the upper deck to the foul poles and across right field . By 1938 , the city had agreed to move Cherry Street , allowing left field to be double - decked , and the now - renamed Briggs Stadium had a capacity of 53 , 000 . Also in 1938 , the NFL ' s Detroit Lions began a relationship that allowed them to host their home games at Briggs Stadium . They would play there through the 1974 season , before moving to the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac . In 1961 , new owner John Fetzer took control of the stadium and gave it its final name : Tiger Stadium . Under this name , the stadium witnessed World Series championship seasons in 1968 and 1984 . In mid 1968 , area sports enthusiasts were excited at the prospects that professional sports teams , the Detroit Lions and the Tigers , were actively investigating the possibilities of a new major sports facility . The excitement was generated by the fact that the city of Pontiac and its community leaders made a presentation to the Metropolitan Stadium Committee of a site on the city ' s east side at the intersection of M - 59 and I - 75 . The Metropolitan Stadium Committee voted unanimously for the Pontiac site . The city commission later appointed a Stadium Authority which spent the greater part of 1969 completing the necessary economic feasibility studies in constructing such a stadium . The city made the professional sports franchises aware that a stadium could be built and financed in Pontiac . Initially , a dual stadium complex was planned that included a moving roof that was later scrapped due to high costs and the lack of a commitment from the Detroit Tigers baseball franchise . In 1973 , ground was broken for a stadium to exclusively house the Detroit Lions . The stadium gained a reputation in the 1970s and 1980s for its aging facilities and obstructed views , but was beloved by local baseball fans for its historic feel . Box and most reserved seats were close to the action . In 1977 , the Tigers sold the stadium to the city of Detroit , which then leased it back to the Tigers . As part of this transfer , the green wooden seats were replaced with blue and orange plastic ones and the stadium ' s interior , which was green , was painted blue to match . In 1992 , new owner Mike Ilitch began many cosmetic improvements to the ballpark , primarily with the addition of the Tiger Den and Tiger Plaza . The Tiger Den was an area in the lower deck between first and third base that had padded seats and section waiters . The Tiger Plaza was constructed in the old players parking lot and consisted of many concessionaires and a gift shop . After the 1994 strike , plans began to construct a new park , but many campaigned to save the old stadium . Plans to modify and maintain Tiger Stadium as the home of the Tigers , known as the Cochrane Plan , were supported by many in the community , but were never seriously considered by the Tigers . Ground was broken for the new Comerica Park during the 1997 season . The final game . On September 27 , 1999 , the final Detroit Tigers game was held at Tiger Stadium ; an 8 - 2 victory over the Kansas City Royals , capped by a late grand slam by Robert Fick . Fick ' s 8th inning grand slam hit the right field roof and fell back onto the playing field , where it was retrieved by Tigers personnel . Fick ' s blast was the final hit , home run , and RBI in Tiger Stadium ' s history . The whereabouts of the ball are currently unknown . Following the game , an emotional ceremony with past and present Tigers greats was held to mark the occasion . The Detroit Tigers moved to the newly constructed Comerica Park for their 2000 season leaving Tiger Stadium largely unused . The 21st century . From the departure of the Detroit Tigers in 1999 through early 2006 , the city of Detroit spent nearly US $ 4 million maintaining Tiger Stadium . In the summer of 2000 , the HBO movie " 61 * " was filmed in Tiger Stadium . The film dramatized the efforts of New York Yankees teammates Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris during the 1961 season to break fellow Yankee Babe Ruth ' s single - season home run record of 60 . Maris actually accomplished the feat . The process of converting Tiger Stadium to Yankee Stadium began with painting seats , columns , walls , stairs , facades and anything that was visible to the distinctive pale light green color of Yankee Stadium before the park underwent a massive renovation in the mid - 1970s . In the DVD documentary about the making of the film , production designer Rusty Smith revealed that he believed no accurate representation of the exact shade of green existed until someone in the Yankees organization said that director Billy Crystal , a diehard New York Yankees fan who idolized Mickey Mantle , had a wooden seat from the old stadium . While it was mostly painted blue , there was a large chip that revealed the green paint underneath . However , old Yankee Stadium had three tiers whereas Tiger Stadium had only two . In post - production , the uppermost tier was cloned and pasted on top . Filligrees and other distinctive elements of old Yankee Stadium as well as vistas of The Bronx beyond the walls of the park were also added via CG . Signage completed the illusion . In the ending credits , Tiger Stadium is credited as playing Yankee Stadium . Rusty Smith recounted that when Billy Crystal saw Tiger Stadium dressed as the Yankee Stadium he remembered from his youth , he became very emotional . Coincidently , Roger Maris hit his first home run of the 1961 season at Tiger Stadium . During the very last days in which part of Tiger Stadium was still standing , scenes for the film , " Kill the Irishman " depicting the old Cleveland baseball stadium were shot at the stadium , extending for a day ( demolition continued the day after the single day shoot at the stadium on June 5 , 2009 ) the life of Tiger Stadium . Upon completion of filming of the Yankee Stadium scenes , the seats and ballpark were repainted to their Tiger Stadium colors and appearance . On July 24 , 2001 , the day Detroit celebrated its 300th birthday , a Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Game between the Motor City Marauders and the Lake Erie Monarchs was played at Tiger Stadium . It was in an effort by a local sports management company that is seeking to bring a minor - league franchise to Detroit in the Frontier League . In July 2002 , the Tigers sponsored a fantasy camp with instructors Jason Thompson and Milt Wilcox . For many , this was the final time that Tiger Stadium was opened to the public for a baseball - related purpose . Since then , The Corner has been used periodically to videotape special segments , such as the appearance of Denny McLain on Fox Sports Net ' s " Beyond the Glory " and a pregame piece for the 2005 Major League Baseball All - Star Game featuring Ernie Harwell . On Saturday , February 4 and Sunday , February 5 , 2006 , a tent on Tiger Stadium ' s field played host to Anheuser - Busch ' s Bud Bowl 2006 . Among performers at the nightclub - style event was Snoop Dogg . After several years out of the public eye , the Bud Bowl event led the " Detroit Free Press " to make the interior of the stadium the feature of a photo series on February 1 , 2006 . These photos showed the stadium ' s deteriorating condition , which included trees and other vegetation growing in the stands . Anheuser - Busch promoted the advertising event as Tiger Stadium ' s Last Call . In early 2006 , the feature - length documentary " Stranded at the Corner " was released . Funded by local businessman and ardent stadium supporter Peter Comstock Riley , and directed by Gary Glaser , it earned solid reviews and won three Telly awards and two Emmy awards for the film ' s writer and co - producer , Richard Bak ( a local journalist and the author of two books about the stadium ) . It was also shown at the inaugural National Baseball Hall of Fame Film Festival , held in Cooperstown , New York , November 2006 . During the summer of 2010 , a group known on Facebook as " The spirit of Tiger Stadium " began maintaining the playing field and hosting informal baseball games at the site . Their activities are not condoned by the city and the group ' s members risk trespassing charges because of their efforts . Demolition . Many private parties , non - profit organizations and financiers expressed interest in saving the ballpark after its closure . These included multiple proposals to convert the stadium into mixed - use condominiums and residential lofts overlooking the existing playing field . One of the more ambitious plans involved recruiting and housing a minor league baseball team in a reconfigured , Navin Field - era park ( with its original size and layout ) . This redevelopment would also encompass a museum , shops , and conference space . By 2006 , demolition appeared inevitable when then - Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced the stadium would be razed the following year , making many of the prior plans seem contradictory or speculative . On December 18 , 2006 , the " Detroit Economic Growth Corporation " ( DEGC ) hosted a walk - through for potential bidders on a project to remove assets from Tiger Stadium that qualified as " memorabilia " and to sell these items in an online auction hosted by Schnieder Industries . Once the stadium was stripped of seating , signage , and other items classified as non - structural ( i . e . support columns ) which would yield income for the City of Detroit at auction , demolition would commence . According to individuals familiar with the meeting between potential bidders and the DEGC , all items except the foul poles , the center field flagpole , the auxiliary scoreboards along the first and third base lines , and the neon " TIGER STADIUM " lettering would be available . The DEGC made their proposal official in June , 2007 , following an initial delay of the demolition decision by the city in March , 2007 . Initially , this announcement from DEGC seemed to settle the longstanding matter of what would happen to the old and abandoned stadium . On July 27 , 2007 , the Detroit City Council approved a plan to demolish Tiger Stadium before September 2008 . However , they did not vote to give control of the project to the DEGC . Removal of the neon " TIGER STADIUM " lettering on the structure , as well as some seating , commenced but were not auctioned ; instead these were reportedly donated to the " Detroit Historical Society " . By November 2007 , with the neon lettering and much of the seating already removed , the DEGC issued a request for proposals from companies interested in a " partial demolition " of the site . Preliminary plans included in the DEGC ' s request showed that the lower deck of the stadium would remain from dugout to dugout ( also including the elevator tower at the corner of Michigan Ave . & Cochrane , as well as the broadcast booth ) . The upper deck in that section , along with the remainder of the structure , would be demolished . The plan called for any seating removed from the saved area to be replaced at a later date . The DEGC awarded the demolition contract on April 22 , 2008 , with the stipulation that demolition revenue would come from the sale of scrap metal , and not from the City of Detroit . Wrecking crews commenced operations on June 30 , in the wall behind the old bleacher section facing I - 75 near the intersection of Trumbull Avenue . The demolition of the left field stands opened up the stadium ' s interior to view for the first time in decades on July 9 , 2008 ( the ballpark had been double - decked since the late 1930s ) . Plans to keep the dugout - to - dugout portion of the stadium were contingent upon the " Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy " being able to : This partial demolition was completed in September 2008 , at which time a March 1 , 2009 deadline was set for the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy to raise $ 15 . 5 million for preservation and construction of the museum , educational space and working ballfield . The conservancy raised $ 150 , 000 the following month ( the first of two proposed payments to the city towards purchase ) , but faced a deadline three days later to provide another $ 69 , 000 , as well as an additional payment in December to offset costs for site and architectural plans . Over the ensuing months , the conservancy asked for extensions in order to secure funding and delay demolition of the remaining structure . A $ 3 . 8 million earmark was included in a proposed spending bill sent to Congress by U . S . Senator Carl Levin [ MI ] , which would help aid the process . This bill was passed by the House . Citing the numerous delays brought about by the conservancy ' s requests , and alleging the conservancy ultimately could not raise the remainder of the money , the " Detroit Economic Development Corp . " , led by chairman George Jackson , voted to demolish the remainder of the ballpark on June 7 , 2009 . The conservancy subsequently requested a restraining order barring demolition ; however , when the court reconvened on June 8 , the order was not extended , with the judge citing that the conservancy had not met the DEGC ' s demands . The razing of the park ' s remains was to commence almost immediately after the higher court ' s ruling . Just prior to this ruling , Tiger Stadium was the site of a scene filmed for the upcoming independent movie " Kill the Irishman " , starring Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken . In the same way the ballpark was featured as Yankee Stadium in the movie " 61 * " , " Kill the Irishman " features Tiger Stadium portraying Cleveland ' s old Municipal Stadium . In spite of the final demolition issue , Senator Levin stated on June 10 that $ 3 . 8 million in federal earmarks were still available for preservation of the field : " . . . preservation and redevelopment of a public park and related business activities . " The pilot of the HBO series " Hung " featured the stadium ' s demolition in its opening scene . The last remaining part of the structure fell at approximately 9 : 24 am , Monday , September 21 , 2009 . Features . Tiger Stadium had a 125 - foot ( 38 m ) tall flagpole in fair play , to the left of dead center field near the 440 - foot ( 134 m ) mark . The same flag pole was originally to be brought to Comerica Park , but this never took place . A new flagpole in the spirit of Tiger Stadium ' s pole was positioned in fair play at Comerica Park until the left field fence was moved in closer prior to the 2003 season . When the stadium closed , it was tied with Fenway Park as the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball the way the dates are normally reckoned . The two stadiums opened on exactly the same date in 1912 . Taking predecessor Bennett Field into account , this was the oldest " site " in use in 1999 . The right - field upper deck overhung the field by 10 feet ( 3 m ) , prompting the installation of spotlights above the warning track . For a time after it was constructed , the right field upper deck had a " 315 " marker at the foul pole ( later painted over ) , with a " 325 " marker below it on the lower deck fence ( which was retained ) . Supposedly due to then - owner Walter Briggs ' dislike of night baseball , lights were not installed at the stadium until 1948 . The first night game at the stadium was held on June 15 , 1948 . Among major league parks whose construction predated the advent of night games , only Chicago ' s Wrigley Field went longer without lights ( 1988 ) . Unlike Comerica Park and many other modern stadiums , Tiger Stadium featured an " upper deck " bleacher section that was separated from the rest of the stadium . Chain link fence separated the bleachers from the reserved sections and was the only section of seating not covered by at least part of the roof . The bleachers had their own entrance , concession stands , and restrooms . Tiger Stadium saw exactly 11 , 111 home run s , the last a right field , rooftop grand slam by Detroit ' s Robert Fick as the last hit in the last game played there . There were over 30 home runs hit onto the right field roof over the years . It was a relatively soft touch compared to left field , with a foul line and with a roof that was in line with the front of the lower deck . In left field , it was farther down the line , and the roof was set back some distance . Only four of the game ' s most powerful right - handed sluggers ( Harmon Killebrew , Frank Howard , Cecil Fielder and Mark McGwire ) reached the left field rooftop . In his career , Norm Cash hit four home runs over the Tiger Stadium roof in right field and is the all - time leader . Like other older baseball stadiums such as Wrigley Field , Tiger Stadium offered " obstructed view " seats , some of which were directly behind a steel support beam ; while others in the lower deck had sight lines obstructed by the low - hanging upper deck . By making it possible for the upper deck to stand directly above the lower deck , the support beams allowed the average fan to sit closer to the field than at any other major league baseball park , creating what many consider to be some of the finest upper deck views of the field in baseball . Stadium usage . Baseball . At the Corner on July 13 , 1934 , Babe Ruth hit his 700th career home run . As noted in Bill Jenkinson ' s " The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs " , the ball sailed over the street behind the then - single deck bleachers in right field , and is estimated to have traveled over on the fly . Ruth also had a good day in Detroit earlier in his career , on July 18 , 1921 , when he hit what is believed to be the verifiably longest home run in the history of major league baseball . It went to straightaway center , as many of Ruth ' s longest homers did , easily clearing the then - single deck bleacher and wall , landing almost on the far side of the street intersection . The distance of this blow has been estimated at between 575 and on the fly . On May 2 , 1939 , an ailing New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig voluntarily benched himself at Briggs Stadium , ending a streak of 2 , 130 consecutive games . Due to the progression of the disease named after him , it proved to be the final game in his career . The stadium hosted the 1941 , 1951 , and 1971 MLB All - Star Games . All three games featured home runs . Ted Williams won the 1941 game with an upper deck shot . The ball was also carrying well in the 1951 and 1971 games . Of the many homers in those games , the most often replayed is Reggie Jackson ' s literally towering drive to right field that hit so high up in the light tower that the TV camera lost sight of it , until it dropped to the field below . Jackson dropped his bat and watched it sail , seemingly astonished at his own power display . On April 7 , 1986 , Dwight Evans hit a home run on the first pitch of the Opening Day game , for the earliest possible home run in an MLB season ( in terms of innings and at bats , not dates ) . After the Tigers moved , Michigan & Trumbull , LLC . rented the stadium for four separate baseball games ( Collegiate Wood Bat League games , vintage base ball games , and a women ' s baseball game ; the women ' s game was played between the [ Detroit Danger Women ' s Baseball Club and the Toronto All - Stars and was hosted by the WBL ( Women ' s Baseball League , Inc . ) on August 11 , 2001 . The Danger beat the All - Stars , 3 - 2 . The women ' s baseball game became the first - ever all - women ' s baseball game played at Tiger Stadium in its entire history ) . Professional football . Tiger Stadium was home to the Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974 when they dropped their final Tiger Stadium game to the Denver Broncos on Thanksgiving Day . The football field ran mostly in the outfield from the right field line to left center field parallel with the third base line . The benches for both the Lions and their opponents were on the outfield side of the field . ( A " possession " symbol , with its light bulbs , for football games could still be seen many years later on the left field auxiliary scoreboard . ) Films . The stadium was depicted in Disney ' s award - winning " Tiger Town " , a 1983 made - for - television baseball film written & directed by Detroit native , Alan Shapiro , starring Roy Scheider , Sparky Anderson , Ernie Harwell , and Mary Wilson , and ( as Briggs Stadium ) in the 1980 feature film " Raging Bull " where the stadium was the site of two of Jake LaMotta ' s championship boxing matches . Tiger Stadium was also seen in the film " Hardball " starring Keanu Reeves , " Renaissance Man " with Danny DeVito and in the aforementioned film " 61 * " , where it " played " the part of Yankee Stadium as well as itself . In the film " 61 * " , Tiger Stadium is shown painted blue , with blue and orange seats , but that was its appearance after a renovation in the late 1970s . In the year 1961 , the stadium and the seats were painted dark green . During the very last days in which part of Tiger Stadium was still standing , scenes for the film , " Kill the Irishman " , depicting the old Cleveland baseball stadium were shot at the stadium , extending for a day ( demolition continued the day after the single day shoot at the stadium on June 5 , 2009 ) the life of Tiger Stadium . Other events . On June 28 , 1996 , hard rock band Kiss performed their first show for their Reunion tour at Tiger Stadium in front of 39 , 867 fans , with Alice in Chains and Sponge as the opening acts . It had been postulated by numerous residents that the stadium could have been used and converted into a soccer arena , allowing for a potential MLS franchise , but lack of support by government officials has essentially killed this idea . Northern Irish professional soccer club Glentoran called the stadium home for two months in 1967 . The Glens , as the team from Belfast are known played under the name Detroit Cougars as one of several Europe an teams invited to the States during their off / close season to play in the United Soccer Association . In February 2006 , Tiger Stadium ' s field was used for the 2006 Anheuser - Busch Bud Bowl advertising event , part of the unofficial Super Bowl XL festivities . The Detroit Police Department has been to known to use the stadium as a practice sniper range . Clips of this were aired on the show " Detroit SWAT " . Seating Capacity . The seating capacity went as followed for baseball : The seating capacity went as followed for football :