Playoff Baseball Returns to Detroit: The History of Comerica Park

Postseason baseball returns to Detroit for the first time since 2014 and the city is fired up! No doubt, Comerica Park will be rowdy as it gets ready to host the Tigers and the Guardians in a pivotal game 3 matchup.

Fans who have not seen a playoff game in 10 years now are getting ready to show the world how passionate we are as a fanbase. Without a doubt, Comerica Park will be ready to shine, and give fans a look at the rich baseball culture of Detroit, with a history that dates back to the 1880s.

Baseball in Detroit started with the Detroit Wolverines, who played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 right in the city, or at least what was the start of the city. In total they were a few games below .500, finishing with a combined record of 426 wins and 437 losses. In 1887 though they were kings of the league, winning their only pennant and in doing so winning the pre-modern World Series.

The Detroit Tigers were officially established as a franchise in 1894. They started in the Western League before rolled into the newly formed American League in 1901. This inclusion in the American League solidified their status as a major league team, alongside other original teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Americans, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Blues, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Athletics, and the Washington Senators.

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To facilitate the growing crowds coming out to see America’s pastime in the Motor City, The Tigers owner George Vanderbeck built Bennett Field, a modest stadium with a capacity of 8,500, smaller than almost every other stadium in the league at the time. This wooden ballpark was located at the now infamous corner of Michigan and Trumbull roads in “Corktown,” because of the predominance of Irish immigrants living there. The park was named after Charlie Bennett, a popular Detroit catcher who played on Detroit’s pennant-winning team and was one of only two players (the other being Ned Hanlon) to play all eight seasons that the Detroit Wolverines were in existence. Immensely popular in Detroit, Bennett’s career was cut short when he lost both of his legs in a terrible train accident in 1894.

The legendary Ty Cobb made his debut in Bennett Field in 1905, hitting an RBI double in his first at-bat. The park also saw the Tigers win their first AL pennant in 1907.

Bennett Park eventually became Navin Field in 1912. The new stadium was built on the same site, but with the diamond rotated 90° so that home plate was located in what had been left field at Bennett Parkand. The field was named after then-Tigers owner Frank Navin. Navin instructed the stadium to be built to accommodate 23,000 fans, who marveled at the larger modernized stadium. Navin Field opened on the same day in 1912 as Fenway Park in Boston. While constructed on the same site as Bennett Park,

Navin Field became the stage for Ty Cobb's dominance, and later for other greats like Hank Greenberg and Charlie Gehringer. It was also where the Tigers won their first World Series in 1935. Over the years, the park grew to accommodate larger crowds, as baseball became even more popular in the city. By the 1930s, it was one of the most recognizable parks in the league.

In 1938, after Frank Navin’s death, new Tigers owner Walter Briggs expanded the park significantly to accommodate more than 50,000 fans, and renamed it Briggs Stadium. During the Briggs Stadium era, the Tigers had several very strong teams, winning the World Series again in 1945. The stadium was large enough at the time to also play host to the Detroit Lions for many seasons.

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In 1961 the stadium that was home to the Detroit Tigers was finally given its fitting name: Tiger Stadium. This cemented it’s iconic status as a beloved ballpark and landmark for both Detroit fans as well as baseball fans across the country. 

Tiger Stadium witnessed some of the greatest moments in Tigers history, including the 1968 World Series championship, led by Denny McLain, Mickey Lolich, and Al Kaline, and the 1984 World Series championship with Kirk Gibson’s iconic home run. That team was lead by some of the most iconic names in Tiger history, including Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish, and Chet Lemon.

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Known for its intimate feel, Tiger Stadium had a reputation for being a great place to watch a game, with its overhanging upper decks in right field and a playing field deeply etched into the fabric of Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood.

Despite widespread love for Tiger Stadium, by the late 1990s it was becoming apparent that a new facility was needed. Comerica Park was opened in 2000, symbolizing a new chapter for both the Tigers and Detroit. Comerica Park is a modern ballpark with many fan-friendly amenities, combining a retro-classic design with modern conveniences. It features a Ferris wheel, a carousel, and massive statues of Tigers, celebrating both the franchise’s history and the city’s love for baseball.

Since opening, Comerica Park has played host to several postseason runs, including the Tigers’ World Series appearances in 2006—which featured Magglio Ordonez’s unforgettable ALCS solo home run that ultimately propelled the Tigs to the World Series—and 2012, teams that were helmed by the Hall-of-Fame bound skipper Jim Leyland. 

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It’s also been the site for incredible individual achievements, like Miguel Cabrera’s Triple Crown season in 2012.

Comerica Park is part of the revitalization of downtown Detroit. Situated now across the street from Ford Field, and just a short walk from the iconic Fox Theater, it is the anchor in a booming arts and cultural center at the heart of Detroit’s revival.

Detroit’s baseball stadium history is rooted in evolution and adaptation. From the wooden bleachers of Bennett Park to the state-of-the-art Comerica Park, every stadium in our city has brought unforgettable memories, and sports moments that have solidified Detroit as one of the greatest sports towns in the U.S.A. And as the 2024 ALDS comes back to Comerica Park today, the Tigers will continue to honor their rich history while creating new memories for future generations.

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