A Place for Summer: a Narrative History of Tiger Stadium

Great Lakes Books Series

by Richard Bak

On April 28, 1896, baseball fans traveled in horse-drawn buggies to watch the Detroit Tigers play their first baseball game at the site on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. Starting out as Bennett Park, a wooden facility with trees growing in the outfield, Tiger Stadium has played a central role in the lives of millions of Detroiters and their families for more than a century.

During the last century, millions of fans have come to Michigan and Trumbull to watch the Tigers' 7,800 home games, as well as to attend numerous other sporting, social, and civic events, including high school, collegiate, and professional football games, prep and Negro league baseball contests, political rallies, concerts, and boxing and soccer matches.

A companion to the narrative history, almost two hundred rare photographs capture the spirit of 140 years of baseball in Detroit. A Place for Summer furnishes a sense of the relationship between the community, its teams, and the various fields, parks, and stadiums that have served as common ground for generations of Detroiters.

Genres: Baseball

512 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1998

About the author

RICHARD BAK is a Detroit-based journalist and the author of twenty-five books, including 'Henry and Edsel: The Creation of the Ford Empire' and 'Peach: Ty Cobb in His Time and Ours.' He has received three ForeWord magazine Book-of-the-Year awards, the Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Prize for Literature, and two Emmys for his work as writer and coproducer of "Stranded at the Corner," a feature-length documentary about the fight to save Detroit's Tiger Stadium.

Reviews

[Mike Barat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Bac is a true scribe of Detroit of sports, who brings the meaning of what Tiger Stadium meant to the people of Detroit through the generation. So many historical events happened at Tiger Stadium, including Babe Ruth 700Th home run, fans throwing fruit at St. Louis Carinal outfielder Joe Medwich ( not sure of spelling of last name. ) during the 1934 world series, Ted Williams hitting a home to win the all star game for the American league in the 1941 all star game, Knuckle pitcher Wilbur wood career ended at Tiger Stadium when Ron Lefore line drive hit Wilbur Wood in his knee cap, ( and I was at that game) and Nelson Mandela giving a speech there, Lou Gehrig played the last game of his career at Tiger Stadium. If your an old stadium fan this book is for you.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid read for any Detroit sports fan. Although I grew up with Comerica Park as the home of the Tigers, this book gave me an appreciation for the old Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. Great history of baseball and the city of Detroit throughout, with some good Lions history thrown in as well since they played on the field for a number of years.

[Kevin Barkume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about early Detroit baseball through this book. I had also forgotten how depressing the 1990's were. Great stories, photographs and quotes to reinforce the memories of a great ballpark.

[Roger Piasecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lifelong fan of the Tigers , I loved this book.
I wish I could have been to more games.

[Calvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good history of the stadium. Much better than Queen of Diamonds.