Additional information
by Michael Betzold (Editor), John Davids (Editor), Bill Dow (Editor)
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.
Front Jacket
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.
Author Biography
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.
