The city of Detroit recently went bankrupt. So I was really keen to visit it and see what it looks like. Detroit is a 6-hour train ride from Chicago, and home to the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
The Tigers had a great season last year, winning the American League, but they lost to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. So far this year, they have been playing well, leading their division by a few games.
Outside the main gate of Comerica Park, there are Tigers everywhere!
Comerica Park was built in the late nineties, the first game was played there on 11 April 2000, against the Seattle Mariners. The Stadium only cost an estimated $300 million to built. From what I saw, I think that was money well spent. The city of Detroit has been going backwards for the last few decades, and real estate prices have naturally suffered.
One of the exhibitions depicting a decade in the Tigers history
So as part of an effort to help rejuvenate the Downtown of the city in the late 1990s’, Comerica Park and Ford Field was constructed in the heart of Detroit. Ford Field is an indoor American Football field, right across the street form Comerica Park, and is the home of Detroit Lions.
Comerica Park, was well designed, and is extremely spectator and specifically kid friendly. There is a host of off field activities to keep the entire family occupied. The game we went to turned into a real classic.
Sun setting on the scoreboard, its was a perfect afternoon for baseball
The Tigers went into the lead very early, but then lost momentum when one of their players was ejected from the game. This allowed the Kansas City Royals to come back into the game. The game was all tied in the middle of the 9th innings.
Then up stepped Miguel Cabrera, one of the Star players in the Tigers team. The crowd was getting really tense. But the All-Star did not disappoint and hit the ball out of the park very close to our seat in the right field. Everybody went crazy!
Panorame from our right field seats at Comerica park
It was a perfect night for baseball! After the game, there was an entertaining fireworks display. The sold out Comerica Park had a fantastic atmosphere! The Tigers colours have a lot of orange in them, which reminded me of the Free State Cheetahs.
All in all it was just about a perfect summers Saturday at Comerica Park, with great weather, a capacity crowd, and a tense but victorious game for the home team. I am sure the locals would be forgiven for forgetting about the cities problems on such a picture perfect occasion.
Fireworks display with the scoreboard in the background at Comerica Park