Tiger Stadium - (McFarland Historic Ballparks) by Michael Betzold & John Davids & Bill Dow (Paperback)

About the Book

"Drawing on the perspectives of historians, architects, fans and players, the author describes how Tiger Stadium grew, adapted and thrived, and how it was demolished in 2008--a casualty of racism and corporate welfare. Chronological diagrams illustrate the evolution of the playing field"--

Book Synopsis

Built in 1912, Detroit's Tiger Stadium provided unmatched access for generations of baseball fans. Based on a classic grandstand design, its development through the 20th century reflected the booming industrial city around it. Emphasizing utility over adornment and offering more fans affordable seats near the field than any other venue in sports, it was in every sense a working-class ballpark that made the game the central focus.

Drawing on the perspectives of historians, architects, fans and players, the authors describe how Tiger Stadium grew and adapted and then, despite the efforts of fans, was abandoned and destroyed. It is a story of corporate welfare, politics and indifference to history pitted against an enduring love of place. Chronological diagrams illustrate the evolution of the playing field.

Review Quotes

"The editors of this text do an excellent job of tracing the nearly 100-year history of Tiger Stadium... The book's chief strength is the stories and memories from countless Detroit Tiger fans, workers, announcers, and players.... a richly informative and entertaining resource...recommended"-Choice; "an extremely well-researched and thorough presentation of both the history of the park and the place of Tiger Stadium in the larger history of Detroit...an incredible literary journey"-The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter); "sure to be a winner...edited by five renowned baseball historians...will prove a feast for the soul for Tigers fans, full of memories, anecdotes, perspectives, photos, architectural diagrams, and forgotten history. This is Detroit's must-have baseball book...a book to savor, sip by delicious sip, like an ice-cold beer, with enough stories and essays to last you through the long, hot summer. All the editors and writers did a wonderful job, adding another volume to what has been a great series by McFarland."-Detroit Athletic; "Tiger fans who remember Tiger Stadium with great affection will love this book...a thorough history of the ballfield.... The book doesn't miss a single significant moment in the park's history. This fine book is the equal of a no-hitter in the seventh game of the world series. It is memorable, full of fascinating details, and darn near perfect."-Michigan in Books.

"The editors of this text do an excellent job of tracing the nearly 100-year history of Tiger Stadium... The book's chief strength is the stories and memories from countless Detroit Tiger fans, workers, announcers, and players.... a richly informative and entertaining resource...recommended"--Choice; "an extremely well-researched and thorough presentation of both the history of the park and the place of Tiger Stadium in the larger history of Detroit...an incredible literary journey"--The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter); "sure to be a winner...edited by five renowned baseball historians...will prove a feast for the soul for Tigers fans, full of memories, anecdotes, perspectives, photos, architectural diagrams, and forgotten history. This is Detroit's must-have baseball book...a book to savor, sip by delicious sip, like an ice-cold beer, with enough stories and essays to last you through the long, hot summer. All the editors and writers did a wonderful job, adding another volume to what has been a great series by McFarland."--Detroit Athletic; "Tiger fans who remember Tiger Stadium with great affection will love this book...a thorough history of the ballfield.... The book doesn't miss a single significant moment in the park's history. This fine book is the equal of a no-hitter in the seventh game of the world series. It is memorable, full of fascinating details, and darn near perfect."--Michigan in Books.

About the Author

Michael Betzold is a former reporter, columnist, and copyeditor for the Detroit Free Press. He lives in Detroit. John Davids, an architect at Kingscott Associates, produced The Cochrane Plan for renovating Tiger Stadium. He lives in Royal Oak, Michigan. Bill Dow has written about Detroit sports history for the Detroit Free Press and Baseball Digest. He lives in Birmingham, Michigan. John Pastier is a San Jose-based architecture writer with a specialty in ballpark history and design. Lifelong Detroiter Frank Rashid of Marygrove College, writes about Detroit literature, culture, and politics.