A Moment in Time Revisited
View allAll Photos Tagged DetroitTigers
2019-07-06 3485-CR2-L1T1
Today is opening day for the Detroit Tigers, spring is officially here. This is a B&W version of a photo I have previously posted.
For decades I’ve been wanting to see the Piano Man in concert. Long story short, mission accomplished! Originally he was slated to perform at Comerica two year ago, and most of you remember what had happened before the ink was dry, the outbreak! But two years later, Mr. William Martin Joel came through for Detroit! I don’t have time to embellish on the entire concert, but let’s just say he rocked the house! We was not disappointed despite my wife and I sitting in the nosebleed section (this panoramic I took was a blessing in disguise, actually)! He performed most of his hits from the ‘70s to the early ‘90s, even performing a 30-minute encore, he even performed some old Motown hits! You had to be there to see it! And as a bonus, he featured Joe Elliott from Def Leppard and they sang that 80s hit “Pour Some Sugar On Me”! And the “pop” from the crowd was literally deafening (if you’re a pro wrestling fan like I am, you know what a pop is)! For those of you who may not know, a “pop” is a reaction from a live audience when their favourite entertainer/athlete enters the venue. Best three hours I’ve ever spent! I’m gonna tell on myself just a little bit, all these years I’ve been driving past Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers), this was my first time actually inside the stadium! I’ve been to a few hole-in-wall joints in the building, but never the actual stadium until that night! And I’m gonna say this, this was worth going into debt for. Again, you had to be there to see it to believe it!
Detroit, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 2024
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (often simply called "The Henry Ford") is a vast historical attraction that celebrates the creativity, innovation, and ingenuity of American culture and technology.
Location and Scope: The museum is part of the 235-acre The Henry Ford complex (formerly Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village), located in Dearborn, just outside Detroit.
Unique Collection: The museum is renowned for its collection of monumental artifacts representing key moments in U.S. history. Famous pieces include:
The actual rear seat where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
Rosa Parks' bus, where her act of civil disobedience took place in Montgomery.
The Allegheny Steam Locomotive, one of the largest steam locomotives ever built.
Various milestones in automotive, industrial, and aviation history.
Purpose: The museum opened in 1929 (originally as the Edison Institute) and its mission is to inspire personal innovation by exploring the achievements of other pioneers.
51 Years Ago!!!
My Grandpa & I attended our very first major league ball game in 1972, it was the Tigers vs the Kansas City Royals & it was the same kind of summertime day...sunny & hot!!!
This was the only food we could find on our way as we literally ran to catch the opening pitch. (see the full story below)
Jim Northrup would save the day by catching a sure home run, well it actually was as it hit the right field upper deck facade & dropped down into his glove! He & Aurelio Rodriguez would hit solo home runs to propel our heroes to a 2-0 victory over the KC Royals.
Thanks to my wife Sue for cooking this up once again for me.
I'm sure Grandpa would be more than amused!
Tigers v Blue Jays. Florida Complex League. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. June 9, 2023. (©Tom Hagerty) 20230609M1395TH
Antonio Gomez. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 22, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Connor Hinchcliffe. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 10, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Josue Briceno. Detroit Tigers. Spring Training. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Feb. 17, 2026. (© Tom Hagerty)
50 Years Ago!!!
My Grandpa & I attended our very first major league ball game in 1972, 50 years ago today in Detroit, it was the Tigers vs the Kansas City Royals & it was the same kind of summertime day...sunny & hot!!!
www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET197207160.shtml
For whatever reason we were running late getting to Briggs Stadium "At the corner of Michigan & Trumbull" as Ernie Harwell would say.
We were on foot & getting very hungry when we came across a Coney Island restaurant. All they had left was ground hamburger on a hot dog bun with mustard, SOLD!!!
In memory of him & that special day, I eat this simple "special meal" prepared by my wife Sue each year as I reminisce about that mid summer's day from so very long ago now.
Oh...getting back to the story...we arrived just in time for the first pitch! I will never forget walking up the tunnel to our box seats on the first base line between first & the bullpen, the grass was so green!
Fans surrounding us had portable radios & b&w televisions listening to & watching the spectacle which was now about to play out before us.
Our Detroit Tigers won the game 2-0 on 2 rocket home runs off the bats of two of our heroes, Norm Cash in the 2nd inning, the other by Aurelio Rodriguez in the 6th.
Of course my Grandpa passed many years ago now. I'm sure he would be more than amused that I observe this! lol
One of my most favourite memories of him.
Funny enough they are played the same team, the Kansas City Royals earlier this week...God I miss that man & those golden days with a heavy heart always this time of year!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd_bZtngU7M
We would go onto beat these same Royals in 1984 to win the American League Pennant 1-0 on our way to a World Series Championship, the likes of which we had never seen.
My Grandpa was too sick at the time to fully appreciate it but I knew in his heart he was cheering for our Tigers as hard as I was cheering for him to get well again which sadly never occurred.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ADWwwMzvw
I AM FOREVER A TIGER FAN!
Carlos Mendoza. Detroit Tigers v Toronto Blue Jays. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. March 28, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)
Daryll
Could it be 49 Years Ago Today?
In 1972 I saw my first major league baseball game in Detroit.
It was the Tigers vs the Kansas City Royals at the famed Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan & Trumbull.
My Grandpa took me however we were delayed getting there & actually ran down the streets of the city trying to get to the game on time...I can't remember why, I was 12 years old!
Starving, we stopped at a deserted Coney Island on the way & ordered a hamburger. All they had was hamburger on a hot dog bun & all there was left was mustard to put on it so an annual tradition was born, sadly after my Grandpa's death in the mid 80's.
I know he would be amused I even remembered but I do, dearly! :0)
We choked them down & went on to arrive at the stadium just in time for the first pitch seated in our box seats along the first base line just a couple of rows from field level, what a treat!!!
The grass was so green!!!
We were surrounded with fans with radios & even mini B&W tv's with the play by play.
Our heroes prevailed in a 2-0 win over the Royals that memorable sunny afternoon in the Motor City...fond memories to this day!
Third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez & first baseman Norm Cash blasted solo homers to seal the deal!!!
It would be 1984 before we would witness another World Series Championship, they last won it in 1968. But by then Grandpa was visibly too sick to fully appreciate it but I think he was smiling on the inside...I think of him daily...always quite an emotional day.
Detroit Tigers v Philadelphia Phillies. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 22, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)
Adam Duvall. Opening Day. Detroit Tigers v Boston Red Sox. Comerica Park. Detroit. April 6, 2023. (© Tom Hagerty)
Jared Mang. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 15, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
In 1972 I saw my first major league baseball game in Detroit.
It was the Tigers vs the Kansas City Royals at the famed Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan & Trumbull.
My Grandpa took me however we were delayed getting there & actually ran down the streets of the city trying to get to the game on time...I can't remember why, I was 12 years old!
Starving, we stopped at a deserted Coney Island on the way & ordered a hamburger. All they had was hamburger on a hot dog bun & all there was left was mustard to put on it so an annual tradition was born, sadly after my Grandpa's death in the mid 80's.
I know he would be amused I even remembered but I do, dearly! :0)
We choked them down & went on to arrive at the stadium just in time for the first pitch seated in our box seats along the first base line just a couple of rows from field level, what a treat!!!
The grass was so green!!!
We were surrounded with fans with radio & even mini B&W tv's with the play by play.
Our heroes prevailed in a 2-0 win over the Royals that memorable sunny afternoon in the Motor City...fond memories to this day!
Third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez & first baseman Norm Cash blasted solo homers to seal the deal!!!
It would be 1984 before we would witness another World Series Championship, they last won it in 1968. But by then Grandpa was visibly too sick to fully appreciate it but I think he was smiling on the inside...I think of him daily...always quite an emotional day.
Geoffrey Lawhorn. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 10, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Eric Haase, Robbie Grossman. Detroit Tigers v New York Yankees. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Fla. March 28, 2022. (© Tom Hagerty)
RJ Schreck. Detroit Tigers v Toronto Blue Jays. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. March 28, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)
Connor Perry. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 27, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 15, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Derek Holland. Detroit Tigers vs Pittsburgh Pirates. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Fla. March 10, 2020. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Victor Reyes. Detroit Tigers vs Houston Astros. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Fla. Feb. 24, 2020. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)
Carlos Felipe Peña (b. May 17, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals.
Although he was born in Santo Domingo and his family is from San Francisco de Macorís, he spent a significant portion of his childhood in the United States. He is portrayed in the film Moneyball by actor Adrian Bellani.
In 1998, Peña was selected in the first round (tenth overall) by the Texas Rangers in the Major League Baseball draft. Following the 2001 minor league season, the Rangers called him up to the big leagues during September, when rosters expanded.
On January 14, 2002, along with Mike Venafro, Peña was traded to the Oakland Athletics by the Rangers for Jason Hart, Gerald Laird, Ryan Ludwick, and Mario Ramos. In 40 games with the A's, Peña hit .218 with 7 home runs and 16 RBI.
Peña was involved in a three team deal on July 6, 2002. The Athletics sent Peña, a player to be named later (later named as Jeremy Bonderman), and Franklyn Germán to the Detroit Tigers. The New York Yankees sent Ted Lilly, John-Ford Griffin, and Jason Arnold to the Athletics. The Tigers sent Jeff Weaver to the Yankees and cash to the Athletics.
On May 27, 2004, against the Kansas City Royals, Peña matched a Tigers' nine-inning, single-game record with a career-high six hits. He became the fifth player in franchise history to do so and the first since Damion Easley on August 8, 2001, against the Texas Rangers. He batted in the eighth spot in the batting order and his six hits were the most from the eighth spot since Wilbert Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles collected seven hits on June 10, 1892 against St. Louis.
Peña signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on February 1, 2007 with an invitation to spring training. Peña would go on to have the best season of his career in 2007 and set numerous career highs. He finished the season with a .282 batting average, 46 home runs and 121 RBI.
MLB statistics:
Batting average - .232
Home runs - 286
RBI - 818
Teams:
Texas Rangers (2001)
Oakland Athletics (2002)
Detroit Tigers (2002–2005)
Boston Red Sox (2006)
Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays (2007–2010)
Chicago Cubs (2011)
Tampa Bay Rays (2012)
Houston Astros (2013)
Kansas City Royals (2013)
Texas Rangers (2014)
Career highlights and awards:
All-Star (2009)
Gold Glove Award (2008)
Silver Slugger Award (2007)
AL Comeback Player of the Year (2007)
AL home run leader (2009)
Link to all of his issued baseball cards - www.tradingcarddb.com/Person.cfm/pid/4543/col/1/yea/0/Car...