Famous people's places / Detroit – Corktown
Tiger Stadium
Closed – archive entry · 1999
Detroit Tigers ballpark at Michigan and Trumbull, open from 1912 to 1999, where Marvin Gaye sang the anthem in 1968 and Tom Selleck took batting practice in 1986; demolished in 2008–2009.
01 / The story of this place
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The ballpark at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull opened in 1912 as Navin Field, was renamed Briggs Stadium in 1938 after owner Walter Briggs, and became Tiger Stadium in 1961 under new owner John Fetzer; it also hosted the NFL's Detroit Lions from 1938 to 1974. Singer Marvin Gaye performed the national anthem here before Game 4 of the 1968 World Series, a Tigers championship season still celebrated in city memory. Actor Tom Selleck, a lifelong baseball fan, took batting practice with the Tigers on the field in 1986 during a publicity visit reported nationally by wire services. The Tigers played their last game at the stadium on September 27, 1999, before moving downtown to Comerica Park, and after nearly a decade of preservation battles the empty ballpark was demolished between June 2008 and September 2009. The playing field itself survived and reopened in 2018 as the Corner Ballpark, a youth sports complex run by the Detroit Police Athletic League that still uses the stadium's original flagpole and field footprint.
- Opened in 1912 as Navin Field; became Briggs Stadium (1938) then Tiger Stadium (1961)
- Also home of the NFL's Detroit Lions, 1938–1974
- Marvin Gaye sang the anthem here at the 1968 World Series
- Tom Selleck took batting practice with the Tigers in 1986
- Demolished 2008–2009 after the Tigers left in 1999
- Field survives today as the Corner Ballpark
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 70
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Marvin Gaye 1939–1984 · singer, songwriter, producer
Performed here
He sang the national anthem here before Game 4 of the 1968 World Series. The stadium was demolished in 2008–2009; the field is now The Corner Ballpark.
- Tom Selleck born 1945 · actor, producer
Related place
At Michigan and Trumbull, Selleck took batting practice with the Tigers in 1986. The ballpark was demolished in 2009; the field survives as The Corner Ballpark, home of the Detroit Police Athletic League.
- Ty Cobb 1886–1961 · baseball player, center fielder, player-manager
Played here
Cobb's home field for his first seasons; he lived nearby in Woodbridge and walked his dogs here before games.
- Glenn Davis 1934–2009 · track and field athlete, hurdler, sprinter, football player
Played here
The Lions' home field during Davis's brief stint with the team; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Jim Bunning 1931–2017 · baseball pitcher, later U.S. Senator
Played here
His home mound for nine seasons, including his 1958 no-hitter; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Alex Karras 1935–2012 · professional football player, actor
Played here
Where Karras anchored the Lions' defensive line for twelve seasons; the Lions left in 1974, and the ballpark was demolished in 2008–2009.
- Hank Greenberg 1911–1986 · baseball first baseman, team executive
Played here
His home ballpark for his entire Tigers career, including the 39 home runs he hit there in 1938; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Billy Martin 1928–1989 · baseball manager, former second baseman
Worked here
Where he played briefly in 1958 and managed the Tigers to the 1972 division title; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Al Kaline 1934–2020 · baseball player, right fielder, television announcer
Played here
His home field for his entire playing career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Tom Monaghan born 1937 · entrepreneur, founder of Domino's Pizza, former Detroit Tigers owner
Related place
The Tigers' home while he owned the team, including the 1984 title run; demolished in 2008–2009, the site is now a youth ballpark.
- Clyde Scott 1924–2018 · American football player and Olympic hurdler
Played here
The Lions' home field during his three Detroit seasons, including the 1952 championship; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Erma Franklin 1938–2002 · singer
Performed here
She performed at Nelson Mandela's rally here on June 28, 1990. The stadium was demolished in 2009.
- Jack Morris born 1955 · baseball pitcher
Played here
His home mound for fourteen seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Kirk Gibson born 1957 · baseball outfielder, manager, broadcaster
Played here
Scene of his two home runs in the 1984 World Series clincher; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Sparky Anderson 1934–2010 · baseball manager
Worked here
Where his Legion team won a national title in 1951 and where he managed the Tigers for seventeen seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Mickey Cochrane 1903–1962 · baseball catcher and manager
Played here
Home field of his pennant winners and site of the 1935 World Series clincher; demolished in 2008–2009.
- George Kell 1922–2009 · baseball player, television announcer
Played here
His home field as a player and his broadcast booth for decades; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Sam Crawford 1880–1968 · baseball player, outfielder
Played here
The Tigers' first home at Michigan and Trumbull, torn down after 1911 to make way for Navin Field.
- Charlie Gehringer 1903–1993 · baseball player, second baseman
Played here
Where he tried out in 1923 and played his entire career; demolished in 2008–2009, the field is now The Corner Ballpark.
- Harry Heilmann 1894–1951 · baseball player, radio announcer
Played here
His home field as a player and later his broadcast booth; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Dick "Night Train" Lane 1928–2002 · American football cornerback, youth-sports director
Played here
The Lions' home during his Detroit career; demolished in 2008–2009. Fittingly, the Police Athletic League he once led now has its headquarters and ballpark on the site.
- Hal Newhouser 1921–1998 · baseball pitcher
Played here
His hometown ballpark, where he reported after morning classes as a teenager; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Sam Thompson 1860–1922 · baseball player, right fielder
Played here
Where he made his brief 1906 comeback with the Tigers.
- Alan Trammell born 1958 · baseball shortstop, manager
Played here
His home field for twenty seasons, where he took his final at-bat in 1996; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Bill Freehan 1941–2021 · baseball catcher
Played here
His home park for his whole career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Goose Goslin 1900–1971 · baseball player, left fielder
Played here
Where his single won Game 6 of the 1935 World Series; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Willie Hernández 1954–2023 · baseball relief pitcher
Played here
Where he closed out the 1984 World Series; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Hughie Jennings 1869–1928 · baseball manager, former shortstop
Worked here
Where his pennant-winning teams of 1907–1909 played.
- Joe Schmidt 1932–2024 · American football linebacker and coach
Played here
The Lions' home throughout his playing and coaching years; demolished in 2008–2009.
- William Woodbridge 1780–1861 · territorial secretary, governor of Michigan, U.S. senator
Lived here
His farm at Michigan and Trumbull later became the Tigers' ballpark; Tiger Stadium was demolished in 2008–2009, and the field is now the Willie Horton Field at The Corner.
- Cecil Fielder born 1963 · baseball first baseman, designated hitter
Played here
His home park, whose left-field roof only he among Tigers ever cleared; demolished in 2008–2009.
- William Clay Ford Sr. 1925–2014 · owner of the Detroit Lions, Ford Motor Company executive
Related place
The Lions played at the Corner until 1974; the stadium was demolished in 2008–2009.
- Norm Cash 1933–1986 · baseball player, first baseman
Played here
His home park, whose right-field roof he cleared first in 1961; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Jack Christiansen 1928–1986 · American football safety and return specialist
Played here
Where he returned two punts for touchdowns in each of two 1951 games; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Bobby Layne 1926–1986 · American football quarterback
Played here
The Lions' home in his years; he won the 1953 championship game here. Demolished in 2008–2009; the site is now The Corner Ballpark.
- Lance Parrish born 1956 · baseball catcher
Played here
His home park for ten seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Billy Pierce 1927–2015 · baseball pitcher
Played here
Where he pitched in schoolboy all-star games and then for the Tigers; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Doak Walker 1927–1998 · American football halfback and kicker
Played here
The Lions' home, where Doak Walker Day was held in December 1955; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Lou Creekmur 1927–2009 · American football offensive tackle
Played here
The Lions' home throughout his career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Ernie Harwell 1918–2010 · baseball broadcaster
Worked here
His broadcast booth for four decades; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Willie Horton born 1942 · baseball player, left fielder
Memorial · Played here
The Detroit Police Athletic League's youth ballpark on the old Tiger Stadium site; its field is named for Horton.
- Yale Lary 1930–2017 · American football safety, punter and return specialist
Played here
The Lions' home throughout his career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Mickey Lolich 1940–2026 · baseball pitcher
Played here
His home ballpark for thirteen seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Denny McLain born 1944 · baseball pitcher
Played here
Scene of his 30th win in September 1968; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Charlie Sanders 1946–2015 · American football tight end, broadcaster, scout
Played here
The Lions' home in his first seven seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Lou Whitaker born 1957 · baseball second baseman
Played here
Where fans greeted him with the long "Lou" chant for nineteen seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Alex Wojciechowicz 1915–1992 · American football center and linebacker
Played here
The Lions' home for most of his Detroit career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Lem Barney born 1945 · American football cornerback and return specialist
Played here
The Lions' home for most of his career (the team moved to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1975); demolished in 2008–2009.
- Charlie Bennett 1854–1927 · baseball catcher
Memorial
The Tigers' first ballpark, named in his honor; replaced by Navin Field (later Tiger Stadium) on the same corner.
- Tommy Bridges 1906–1968 · baseball pitcher
Played here
His home mound for seventeen seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Chuck Hughes 1943–1971 · American football wide receiver
Related place
Where he collapsed and died during the Lions–Bears game of October 24, 1971; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Dick LeBeau born 1937 · American football cornerback and coach
Played here
The Lions' home throughout his career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Buddy Parker 1913–1982 · American football coach and former player
Worked here
Home of his championship teams; site of the 1953 title win over Cleveland. Demolished in 2008–2009.
- Gates Brown 1939–2013 · baseball player, pinch hitter, coach
Played here
Its short right-field porch drew him to Detroit; he played and coached here. Demolished in 2008–2009.
- Paul Carey 1928–2016 · radio broadcaster
Worked here
He called his last Tigers game here in 1991; demolished in 2008–2009.
- John Hiller born 1943 · baseball relief pitcher
Played here
His home mound for his entire big-league career, including his historic 1973 comeback season; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Ron LeFlore born 1948 · baseball player, center fielder
Played here
Site of his 1973 tryout and his Tigers career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Hank Aguirre 1931–1994 · baseball pitcher, businessman
Played here
His home park for ten seasons; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Walter O. Briggs 1877–1952 · auto-body manufacturer, owner of the Detroit Tigers
Related place
He enlarged the ballpark, which carried his name from 1938 to 1960; demolished in 2008–2009, the site is now a youth ballpark.
- Mel Farr 1944–2015 · American football running back, car dealer
Played here
The Lions' home throughout his playing career; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Mark Fidrych 1954–2009 · baseball pitcher
Played here
Where his 1976 starts drew sellout crowds; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Frank Tanana born 1953 · baseball pitcher
Played here
Where he clinched the 1987 division title with a 1–0 shutout; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Andy Farkas 1916–2001 · American football fullback
Played here
The Lions' home field in 1945, at Michigan and Trumbull; demolished in 2009, the site now holds a youth ballpark and the Detroit PAL headquarters.
- Van Patrick 1916–1974 · sportscaster
Worked here
Home of both the Tigers and the Lions during his years at the microphone; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Schoolboy Rowe 1910–1961 · baseball pitcher
Played here
His home ballpark in Detroit; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Mayo Smith 1915–1977 · baseball manager
Worked here
Home of his 1968 champions; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Vinnie Dombroski born 1962 · singer, songwriter
Performed here
The Tigers' old ballpark at Michigan and Trumbull, where Sponge opened for Kiss on June 28, 1996. It was demolished in 2008–2009; the field survives as a youth ballpark.
- Joe Falls 1928–2004 · sportswriter, columnist
Worked here
The press box where he covered the Tigers for decades; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Jim Northrup 1939–2011 · baseball player, outfielder
Played here
The ballpark he visited as a boy and later played in; demolished in 2008–2009.
- Ty Tyson 1888–1968 · radio sports announcer
Worked here
Tyson broadcast Tigers games from the ballpark's press box from 1927; the stadium was demolished in 2008–2009.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
We have no published upcoming events linked to this place yet. That does not mean the venue has no events; check its official calendar too.
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