It’s that time of the year! The Detroit Tigers Home Opener is always a big deal in the D. Tens of thousands of people hanging on the weather report to see if one of Detroit’s biggest parties of the year is a go. This Friday, April 5th, is cloudy and a high of 43 degrees. We’ll take it.
In celebration of the Detroit Tigers Home Opener, we give you some Tigers’ history and give you a bit of background on our favorite official/unofficial mascot, Tiger Man. Look for Tiger Man on the streets of Detroit this Friday.
7 Apr 1998: The Detroit Tigers Home Opener: Tigers defeated the Devil Rays 3-1. Credit: Elsa Hasch /Allsport
Detroit Tigers Home Opener Facts
MLB.com tells us that the very first Detroit Tigers Home Opener was scheduled for April 24, 1901. Shocker: the game was delayed a day due to weather. April 25th, 1901 saw their first official American League game at Bennett Park. Initially, games were not allowed on Sundays in Detroit by city ordinance since Sunday was a day of rest.
Navin Field was the beginning of Tiger Stadium. The home opener at Navin field was scheduled for April 10th, but two days of rain pushed the opening to April 12th, 1912. It was the same day that Boston opened Fenway Park.
After Navin passed away, new owner, Walter Briggs continued the up-grades to what was now called Briggs Stadium. In 1948, the stadium became the last in the American League to install lights.
The Tigers home became Tiger Stadium in 1961.
September 27th, 1999 was the final Tigers game at Tiger Stadium. It was a sold-out crowd. The Tigers won 8-2. A banner hung in the upper deck reading “Today, there is crying in baseball. Goodbye old friend.”
It may feel like the Detroit Tigers Home Opener gets a rain-out more often than not, but it’s not the fact. From the Tigers’ first season at Comerica Park in 2000, the first home opener weather delay did not occur until 2018 according to the Detroit Free Press.
Tiger Man Facts
Unconfirmed Origin: Born at The Detroit Zoo? jumped the moat at an early age? Fact Checked: found years ago by WCSX Promotions staff in a Kroger parking lot, rescued and relocated to The Elwood for Opening Day.
Age: unknown, but Tiger Man is obviously very immature.
Favorite Food: Hot Dogs, Pretzels, Peanuts, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Orioles, and Beer!
Favorite Songs: “Eye of The Tiger”- Survivor, “Cat Scratch Fever” -Ted Nugent, “Bungle In The Jungle”- Jethro Tull
All Time Favorite Tigers: Ernie Harwell, Robert Fick, Curtis Granderson, Paws and Tony The Tiger.
Tiger Man actually wears Ted Nugent’s old discarded sunglasses! Ted left them behind in the studio years ago, and Tiger Man pounced on them!
Tiger Man does have a Michigan Driver’s license, but he’s REALLY expensive to insure! Last seen driving a Dodge Hellcat down Woodward Avenue.
Natural Habitats: The Elwood, The Brakeman, and Comerica Park
Favorite spots to sit and watch the game at Comerica Park: On the Tigers’ dugout bench, on top of the left tiger that stands on top of the scoreboard, and in one of the Corvettes inside the GM Fountain in centerfield
To further celebrate the Tigers Home Opener, WCSX is giving away tickets to Friday’s Home Opener on Wednesday. Listen for Alice Cooper’s “Eighteen” and be caller 18 to score a pair of tickets to Friday’s game! Scroll down to check out some of our favorite City of The Week Tiger Man moments and more.
Tiger Man and WCSX Out for the Detroit Tigers Home Opener
