Entrance door to the Tigers Den, Comerica Park 2009.

Yes, the teeth are different colors. :)

Ryan Kreidler. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 14, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)

Frank Veliz. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 10, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

The Tiger Den bar.

Jimmy Mojica. Tigers v Phillies. Fall Instructional League. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Sept. 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Library of Congress

Cobb/Geo. T. Stovall/James Austin

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Tigers West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 24, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Riley Greene. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 18, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)

Gleyber Torres. Detroit Tigers. Spring Training. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Feb. 17, 2026. (© Tom Hagerty)

Jimmy Kerr. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 30, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

The sign outside Joker Marchant.

William Frederick Hoeft (b: May 17, 1932 – d: March 16, 2010 at age 77) was a pitcher in MLB whose career spanned 15 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants.

On June 24, 1955, Hoeft surrendered the first home run in the career of Harmon Killebrew, who would eventually hit 573 home runs in his career. He was chosen to be part of the American League All-Star squad in 1955 (in his only baseball all-star selection).

His best season came in 1956, when he won 20 games and pitched 18 complete games. He also showed occasional potential as a power hitter, once tying an American League record for consecutive home runs by a pitcher with two to begin a game.

Career statistics:

Win-Loss Record 97–101

ERA - 3.94

Strikeouts - 1,140

Saves - 33

Link to all of his issued baseball cards - www.tradingcarddb.com/Person.cfm/pid/2656/col/1/yea/0/Bil...

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 8, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Ted Stuka. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins

Comerica Park

Detroit, Michigan

Riley Greene. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 18, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)

Pedro Hurtado. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 12, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Jordan Pearce. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Tigers West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 24, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 6, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Casey James, Pedro Hurtado, Edgar MadeGulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Carlos Irigoyen. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 27, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Carlos Irigoyen. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 20, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Roberto Francisco. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 31, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Joseph Salazar. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 22, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

John Thomas Groth (b. July 23, 1926) is a former professional baseball outfielder. He was signed by the Tigers in 1946 as an amateur free agent. He was lauded by the Tigers as "the next DiMaggio" when he arrived on the major league scene in 1946 at age 20.

In 1949, Groth hit .293 with a .407 on base percentage, a .451 slugging percentage and 73 RBI in only 103 games. In 1950, he hit .306 with career-highs in home runs (12), RBI (85), hits (173), and runs scored (95). At one point during the 1950 season, he had eight consecutive hits.

Groth played 10 more seasons, but never equaled his 1950 totals. In all, he spent 11 of 15 M.L. seasons with Detroit. On December 4, 1952, the Tigers traded Virgil Trucks‚ who tossed two no-hitters during the year‚ along with Hal White and Groth‚ to the Browns in exchange for Owen Friend‚ Bob Nieman‚ and Jay Porter.

Over the course of his career, Groth played in 1,248 games, 964 as a center fielder, 121 as a left fielder, and 83 as a right fielder.

MLB debut - September 5, 1946, for the Detroit Tigers

Last MLB appearance - July 28, 1960, for the Detroit Tigers

MLB statistics:

Batting average - .279

Hits - 1,064

Home runs - 60

Doubles - 197

RBI - 486

Teams:

Detroit Tigers (1946–1952)

St. Louis Browns (1953)

Chicago White Sox (1954–1955)

Washington Senators (1955)

Kansas City Athletics (1956–1957)

Detroit Tigers (1957–1960)

Link to all of his issued baseball cards - www.tradingcarddb.com/Person.cfm/pid/2275/col/1/yea/0/Joh...

Jovani Reynoso. Tigers v Phillies. Florida Complex League. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. June 11, 2026. (©Tom Hagerty) 20260611M2820TH

Martin Olivas. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 20, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 8, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 20, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Jake Rogers. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 12, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)

Library of Congress:

Ty Cobb, Detroit, and Joe Jackson, Cleveland, standing alongside each other, each holding bats

LC-USZ62-97880 (b&w film copy neg.)

Matt Vierling. Detroit Tigers v Toronto Blue Jays. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Fla. March 20, 2023. (© Tom Hagerty)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Tigers West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 24, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Pedro Hurtado. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

D'Vaughn Knowles. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 6, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 27, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Edgardo Villegas. Tigers v Blue Jays. Florida Complex League. Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Lakeland, Fla. June 25, 2026. (©Tom Hagerty) 20260625M2856TH

Casey Mize. Tigertown. Lakeland, Florida. Feb. 13, 2025. (© Tom Hagerty)

Edward Paredes. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Yankees West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 27, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Pedro Martinez Jr. Gulf Coast League Tigers East v Gulf Coast League Tigers West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 24, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Ted Stuka. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Tigers v Phillies. Florida Complex League. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. June 11, 2026. (©Tom Hagerty) 20260611M2820TH

Guarner Dipre. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 30, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Jimmy Kerr. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 30, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

John Murrian. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies West. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. July 19, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Ryan Goodman. Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Phillies East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 15, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)

Gulf Coast League Tigers West v Gulf Coast League Yankees East. Tigertown. Lakeland, Fla. Aug. 2, 2019. (Photo by Tom Hagerty.)