Comerica Park
Encyclopedia
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark
located in downtown
Detroit, Michigan
. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers
of Major League Baseball
's American League
, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000.
The park is named after a corporate sponsor, Comerica Bank
, which was based in Detroit at the time the park opened, and which paid for the naming rights
. Comerica's headquarters have since been moved to Dallas, Texas
, but the bank still retains a large presence in Detroit. The stadium's seating capacity is 41,255.
for a new ballpark to replace Tiger Stadium for the Detroit Tigers was held on October 29, 1997 and the new stadium was opened to the public in 2000. Comerica Park sits on the original site of the Detroit College of Law. At the time of construction, the scoreboard in left field was the largest in Major League Baseball
. The first game was held on April 11, 2000, against the Seattle Mariners
. The new stadium is part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city of Detroit, which included the construction of Ford Field
, adjacent to the park. In December 1998, Comerica Bank agreed to pay $66 million over 30 years for the naming rights for the new ballpark. Upon its opening, there was some effort to try to find a nickname for the park, with the abbreviation CoPa suggested by many. It is often referred to simply as Comerica. The first playoff game at Comerica was played on October 6, 2006 against the New York Yankees
. It hosted its first World Series later that month.
In contrast to Tiger Stadium, which had long been considered one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball, Comerica Park is considered to be extremely friendly to pitchers. Except for dead center—420 feet (128 m) versus Tiger Stadium's 440 feet (134.1 m)—the outfield dimensions were more expansive than those at Tiger Stadium. This led to complaints from players and fans alike, and engendered the sarcastic nickname Comerica National Park.
Although a few public figures—notably radio announcer Ernie Harwell
—supported the dimensions, most agreed that the left-field wall, in particular, needed to be brought closer to home plate. Before the 2003 MLB season
the club did so, moving the distance from left-center field from 395 to 370 ft (120.4 to 112.8 m). This also removed the flagpole from the field of play, originally incorporated as an homage to Tiger Stadium. Two years later, the bullpens were moved from right field to an empty area in left field created when the fence was moved in. In place of the old bullpen
s in right field, 950 seats were added for a new capacity of 41,070.
The stadium also includes many baseball-themed features, including a "Monument Park" (similar to that of Yankee Stadium
) in the deep center field stands, complete with statues of former Tigers Ty Cobb
, Hal Newhouser
, Charlie Gehringer
, Hank Greenberg
, Al Kaline
, and Willie Horton
.
, as in the final game at Tiger Stadium, was Brian Moehler
.
Original plans called for an F-16 flyover from nearby Selfridge Air National Guard Base and a parachutist carrying the first pitch ball and the rosin bag. Unfortunately, the weather caused a scratch of both occurrences. Nonetheless, there was a passing of the flag to the flagpole in center in reverse order as there was to take it down from Tiger Stadium. Elden Auker
, who had received the flag at Tiger Stadium and given it to Brad Ausmus
, passed the flag along a line of players to the flagpole in center. The unfurled 150x300 American flag is the largest in the nation, for the singing of the national anthem.
Entrance to the ballpark is located across from the Fox Theatre and between two historic downtown churches, St. John Episcopal Church
and Central United Methodist Church
.
Outside of the main entrance to the stadium there is a tiger statue that is approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) in height. There are eight other heroic-sized tiger statues throughout the park, including two prowling on top of the scoreboard in left field. These tigers' eyes light up after a Tigers home run or a victory and the sound of a growling tiger plays as well. The tigers were fabricated by ShowMotion Inc. in Norwalk, CT. Along the brick walls outside of the park are thirty-three tiger heads with lighted baseballs in their mouths.
At the left-center field concourse there are statues of all of the players whose numbers have been retired by the Tigers (with the exception of Jackie Robinson
, whose number was retired in every MLB park in 1997). They include Al Kaline
, Charlie Gehringer
, Hal Newhouser
, Willie Horton, Hank Greenberg
. A statue of Ty Cobb
is also there, but he does not have a number, as he played baseball before players began to wear numbers on their uniforms. These players' names, along with the names of Hall of Fame
players who spent a significant part of their career with the Tigers, are also on a wall in left center field, and to them is added Ernie Harwell
, the team's long-time radio announcer. Harwell has a statue just inside the stadium on the first base side.
The field itself features a distinctive dirt strip between home plate and the pitcher's mound. This strip, sometimes known as the "keyhole", was common in early ballparks, yet very rare in modern facilities (the only other current major league stadium to feature this being Chase Field
in Phoenix
.)
In the northeastern corner of the stadium behind the stands from the third base line is a Ferris wheel with twelve cars designed like baseballs. In the northwestern corner of the stadium behind the stands from the first base line is a carousel where guests ride on tigers instead of horses. The flagpole located between center and left fields was originally in play, as was the flag pole in Tiger Stadium. However, the left field wall was moved in front of the pole before the 2003 season. A ball that hits the pole is now ruled a home run. The right field of the stadium features the Pepsi
Porch that has been graced by home runs from only the best lefty batters. This area also features "Kaline's Corner", a seating area in honor of Hall of Fame right fielder Al Kaline.
An LED scoreboard was added to the right-center field wall, and the upper deck fascia for the 2007 season
.
A giant fountain behind center field is set off whenever the Tigers score, and also between innings, with bursts of water also referred to as Liquid Fireworks. The water show is also played pregame and postgame, and can be set to music. General Motors
sponsored the fountain and held the naming rights from 2000-2008. Two GM vehicles were placed atop the fountain during that time. For the 2009 season, the fountain sponsorship was dropped by GM, due to their financial trouble. The Tigers decided to keep the General Motors logo on the fountain however, and also added the logos of Chrysler and Ford, with the statement "The Detroit Tigers Support Our Automakers". In 2010, GM again sponsored the fountain, renaming it the Chevrolet Fountain.
Other features include:
.
In 2005
, Comerica Park hosted the 76th MLB All-Star Game
, the first to be played in Detroit since 1971. In the Home Run Derby
, held the day before, Bobby Abreu
slammed 24 home runs in the first round, breaking the previous record of 15. Abreu won the Derby over Tiger Iván Rodríguez
and hit a record 41 homers during the event. In the All-Star Game, the American League won 7–5 with Miguel Tejada
winning the game's MVP
award.
On October 21, 2006, Comerica Park hosted the first World Series
game in the history of the ballpark (Game 1 of the 2006 World Series
).
On June 12, 2007, the first no hitter was thrown at Comerica Park by Justin Verlander
. The Tigers won the game 4–0 against the Milwaukee Brewers
. It was also the first no hitter thrown by a Tiger in the city of Detroit since Virgil Trucks
accomplished the feat in 1952.
On May 24, 2008, the Tiger statue at the main entrance to the ballpark was dressed with a Detroit Red Wings
jersey as the Red Wings were playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins
in the Stanley Cup Finals during that time. Detroit defeated Pittsburgh in 6 games for the Stanley Cup
. The jersey is usually worn by the Spirit of Detroit, but was undergoing restoration during that time. On April 29, 2009 in a game between the Tigers and New York Yankees
a fire alarm went off in the eighth inning. The scoreboard told fans to evacuate the ballpark without using the elevators. Players were about to be called off the field but home plate umpire Brian Runge
checked with Tigers' manager Jim Leyland
, who called the field security to confirm it was a false alarm. Fans returned to their seats. Yankees reliever Phil Coke
, who had retired Curtis Granderson
to start the inning, retired the side with no runs allowed. The Tigers then rallied for 5 runs in the ninth but the Yankees hung on to win 8-6.
(2005), The Rolling Stones
(2005), Bruce Springsteen
and the E Street Band
(2003), Bon Jovi
(2003) and Paul McCartney
(2011). The first act to play the venue was the Dave Matthews Band
in the summer of 2000. In full-stage shows, the stage is to the back of the center field grass with fan seating on the grass up to, but not on, the infield diamond. No seating is allowed on the infield diamond. The center field grass has been covered by special tiles during concerts. Tiger players and former manager Alan Trammell
complained about the quality of the playing outfield in 2005 after successive concerts by Eminem and The Rolling Stones; however, concerts at the venue are popular for Detroiters since Comerica is one of the only outdoor concert venues in the city of Detroit, along with Chene Park and the DTE Energy Music Theatre
in Clarkston, Michigan
, approximately 40 miles (64.4 km) north of Detroit. On July 27, 2007, Comerica hosted a stop of the 2007 Vans Warped Tour. Since then, Comerica become the annual stop of Detroit for The Warped Tour. Bands perform in the parking lot while merchandise and food vendors set up in the park itself. Comerica hosts the festival Kid Rock with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Robert Randolph and the Family Band performed at Comerica July 17, 2009. Kid Rock added a second night show for the 18th that featured Alice in Chains
and Cypress Hill as opening acts. On August 15, 2003, a concert co-headlined
by Kiss
and Aerosmith
and featuring local favorite Ted Nugent
and Saliva
had been planned for Comerica Park, but was postponed due to the Northeast Blackout of 2003
the day before; the rescheduled concert took place on September 7. Eminem
and Jay-Z
performed at Comerica Park on September 2, 2010, and a second show on September 3, 2010. On July 24, 2011 the stadium hosted a concert featuring Paul McCartney
on his On the Run Tour
.
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
located in downtown
Downtown Detroit
Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a residential area of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Downtown is bordered by the Lodge Freeway to the west, the Fisher Freeway to the north, Interstate 375 to the east, and the Detroit River to the south.Downtown contains much historic...
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000.
The park is named after a corporate sponsor, Comerica Bank
Comerica
Comerica Incorporated is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA. It has retail banking operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas; and select business operations in several other U.S...
, which was based in Detroit at the time the park opened, and which paid for the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
. Comerica's headquarters have since been moved to Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, but the bank still retains a large presence in Detroit. The stadium's seating capacity is 41,255.
Construction
GroundbreakingGroundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
for a new ballpark to replace Tiger Stadium for the Detroit Tigers was held on October 29, 1997 and the new stadium was opened to the public in 2000. Comerica Park sits on the original site of the Detroit College of Law. At the time of construction, the scoreboard in left field was the largest in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. The first game was held on April 11, 2000, against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. The new stadium is part of a downtown revitalization plan for the city of Detroit, which included the construction of Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
, adjacent to the park. In December 1998, Comerica Bank agreed to pay $66 million over 30 years for the naming rights for the new ballpark. Upon its opening, there was some effort to try to find a nickname for the park, with the abbreviation CoPa suggested by many. It is often referred to simply as Comerica. The first playoff game at Comerica was played on October 6, 2006 against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. It hosted its first World Series later that month.
Although a few public figures—notably radio announcer Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
—supported the dimensions, most agreed that the left-field wall, in particular, needed to be brought closer to home plate. Before the 2003 MLB season
2003 Major League Baseball season
*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S...
the club did so, moving the distance from left-center field from 395 to 370 ft (120.4 to 112.8 m). This also removed the flagpole from the field of play, originally incorporated as an homage to Tiger Stadium. Two years later, the bullpens were moved from right field to an empty area in left field created when the fence was moved in. In place of the old bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
s in right field, 950 seats were added for a new capacity of 41,070.
The stadium also includes many baseball-themed features, including a "Monument Park" (similar to that of Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
) in the deep center field stands, complete with statues of former Tigers Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, Hal Newhouser
Hal Newhouser
Harold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was an American pitcher for Major League Baseball who played 17 seasons from 1939 to 1955, mostly with the Detroit Tigers of the American League...
, Charlie Gehringer
Charlie Gehringer
Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
, Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
, Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, and Willie Horton
Willie Horton (baseball player)
Willie Wattison Horton is a former left fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for six American League teams, primarily the Detroit Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times, and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired...
.
First game
The first game at Comerica Park was held on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 with 39,168 spectators attending, on a cold snowy afternoon. Grounds crew had to clear snow off the field from the night before. The Tigers defeated the Seattle Mariners 5–2. The winning pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, as in the final game at Tiger Stadium, was Brian Moehler
Brian Moehler
Brian Merritt Moehler is a starting pitcher, who is currently a free agent.Moehler pitched for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round of the draft, who assigned him to the Niagara Falls Rapids...
.
Original plans called for an F-16 flyover from nearby Selfridge Air National Guard Base and a parachutist carrying the first pitch ball and the rosin bag. Unfortunately, the weather caused a scratch of both occurrences. Nonetheless, there was a passing of the flag to the flagpole in center in reverse order as there was to take it down from Tiger Stadium. Elden Auker
Elden Auker
Elden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style....
, who had received the flag at Tiger Stadium and given it to Brad Ausmus
Brad Ausmus
Bradley David "Brad" Ausmus is a former All Star catcher in Major League Baseball, and currently a special assistant for the San Diego Padres....
, passed the flag along a line of players to the flagpole in center. The unfurled 150x300 American flag is the largest in the nation, for the singing of the national anthem.
Features
St. John's Episcopal Church (Detroit, Michigan)
St. John's Episcopal Church is located at 2326 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan . However, the business address is 50 E Fisher Fwy, Detroit, MI. It is the oldest church still standing on Woodward...
and Central United Methodist Church
Central United Methodist Church (Detroit, Michigan)
The Central United Methodist Church is located at 23 E Adams in Detroit, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1977 listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982....
.
Outside of the main entrance to the stadium there is a tiger statue that is approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) in height. There are eight other heroic-sized tiger statues throughout the park, including two prowling on top of the scoreboard in left field. These tigers' eyes light up after a Tigers home run or a victory and the sound of a growling tiger plays as well. The tigers were fabricated by ShowMotion Inc. in Norwalk, CT. Along the brick walls outside of the park are thirty-three tiger heads with lighted baseballs in their mouths.
At the left-center field concourse there are statues of all of the players whose numbers have been retired by the Tigers (with the exception of Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
, whose number was retired in every MLB park in 1997). They include Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, Charlie Gehringer
Charlie Gehringer
Charles Leonard Gehringer , nicknamed “The Mechanical Man,” was a German-American Major League Baseball second baseman who played 19 seasons for the Detroit Tigers...
, Hal Newhouser
Hal Newhouser
Harold "Prince Hal" Newhouser was an American pitcher for Major League Baseball who played 17 seasons from 1939 to 1955, mostly with the Detroit Tigers of the American League...
, Willie Horton, Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
. A statue of Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
is also there, but he does not have a number, as he played baseball before players began to wear numbers on their uniforms. These players' names, along with the names of Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
players who spent a significant part of their career with the Tigers, are also on a wall in left center field, and to them is added Ernie Harwell
Ernie Harwell
William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
, the team's long-time radio announcer. Harwell has a statue just inside the stadium on the first base side.
The field itself features a distinctive dirt strip between home plate and the pitcher's mound. This strip, sometimes known as the "keyhole", was common in early ballparks, yet very rare in modern facilities (the only other current major league stadium to feature this being Chase Field
Chase Field
Chase Field is a baseball stadium located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. It opened in , just in time for the Diamondbacks' first game as an expansion team...
in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.)
In the northeastern corner of the stadium behind the stands from the third base line is a Ferris wheel with twelve cars designed like baseballs. In the northwestern corner of the stadium behind the stands from the first base line is a carousel where guests ride on tigers instead of horses. The flagpole located between center and left fields was originally in play, as was the flag pole in Tiger Stadium. However, the left field wall was moved in front of the pole before the 2003 season. A ball that hits the pole is now ruled a home run. The right field of the stadium features the Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
Porch that has been graced by home runs from only the best lefty batters. This area also features "Kaline's Corner", a seating area in honor of Hall of Fame right fielder Al Kaline.
An LED scoreboard was added to the right-center field wall, and the upper deck fascia for the 2007 season
2007 Major League Baseball season
The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1...
.
A giant fountain behind center field is set off whenever the Tigers score, and also between innings, with bursts of water also referred to as Liquid Fireworks. The water show is also played pregame and postgame, and can be set to music. General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
sponsored the fountain and held the naming rights from 2000-2008. Two GM vehicles were placed atop the fountain during that time. For the 2009 season, the fountain sponsorship was dropped by GM, due to their financial trouble. The Tigers decided to keep the General Motors logo on the fountain however, and also added the logos of Chrysler and Ford, with the statement "The Detroit Tigers Support Our Automakers". In 2010, GM again sponsored the fountain, renaming it the Chevrolet Fountain.
Other features include:
- After Friday and Saturday games, there is an on-field fireworks display for the fans to enjoy.
- Whenever the Tigers score a run, the sound of a tiger growling is played through the public address system.
- In total, there are 3,039 club seats and 102 luxury suites at the ballpark.
Baseball
Comerica Park primarily serves as the home ballpark for the Detroit Tigers, who moved to the venue from Tiger Stadium in 20002000 Major League Baseball season
The 2000 Major League Baseball season ended with the New York Yankees defeating the New York Mets in Game 5 of the World Series, known as the Subway Series because fans could take the Subway to and from every game of the Series. An all-time record 5,693 home runs were hit during the regular season...
.
In 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, Comerica Park hosted the 76th MLB All-Star Game
2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 76th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 12, 2005 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan,...
, the first to be played in Detroit since 1971. In the Home Run Derby
Home Run Derby
The Home Run Derby is an event played prior to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It is a contest among the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball to determine who can hit the most home runs. The event is currently sponsored by State Farm Insurance...
, held the day before, Bobby Abreu
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
slammed 24 home runs in the first round, breaking the previous record of 15. Abreu won the Derby over Tiger Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
and hit a record 41 homers during the event. In the All-Star Game, the American League won 7–5 with Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
winning the game's MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award.
On October 21, 2006, Comerica Park hosted the first World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
game in the history of the ballpark (Game 1 of the 2006 World Series
2006 World Series
The 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
).
On June 12, 2007, the first no hitter was thrown at Comerica Park by Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander
Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....
. The Tigers won the game 4–0 against the Milwaukee Brewers
2006 Milwaukee Brewers season
The Milwaukee Brewers 2006 season involved the Brewers' finishing 4th in the National League Central with a record of 75 wins and 87 losses.-Offseason:...
. It was also the first no hitter thrown by a Tiger in the city of Detroit since Virgil Trucks
Virgil Trucks
Virgil Oliver Trucks is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1941 through 1958, Trucks played for the Detroit Tigers , St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox , Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed...
accomplished the feat in 1952.
On May 24, 2008, the Tiger statue at the main entrance to the ballpark was dressed with a Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
jersey as the Red Wings were playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in the Stanley Cup Finals during that time. Detroit defeated Pittsburgh in 6 games for the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
. The jersey is usually worn by the Spirit of Detroit, but was undergoing restoration during that time. On April 29, 2009 in a game between the Tigers and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
a fire alarm went off in the eighth inning. The scoreboard told fans to evacuate the ballpark without using the elevators. Players were about to be called off the field but home plate umpire Brian Runge
Brian Runge
Brian Edward Runge is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League in 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He wears uniform number 18. He has worked in the 2004 and 2007 American League Division Series...
checked with Tigers' manager Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, who called the field security to confirm it was a false alarm. Fans returned to their seats. Yankees reliever Phil Coke
Phil Coke
Phillip "Phil" Douglas Coke is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. Coke was born in Sonora, California-College:Coke attended San Joaquin Delta College...
, who had retired Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
to start the inning, retired the side with no runs allowed. The Tigers then rallied for 5 runs in the ninth but the Yankees hung on to win 8-6.
Concerts
Comerica Park has played host to major recording acts in concert such as EminemEminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
(2005), The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
(2005), Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
and the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
(2003), Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
(2003) and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
(2011). The first act to play the venue was the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
in the summer of 2000. In full-stage shows, the stage is to the back of the center field grass with fan seating on the grass up to, but not on, the infield diamond. No seating is allowed on the infield diamond. The center field grass has been covered by special tiles during concerts. Tiger players and former manager Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
complained about the quality of the playing outfield in 2005 after successive concerts by Eminem and The Rolling Stones; however, concerts at the venue are popular for Detroiters since Comerica is one of the only outdoor concert venues in the city of Detroit, along with Chene Park and the DTE Energy Music Theatre
DTE Energy Music Theatre
Originally built by the Nederlander Organization in the early 1970s, the DTE Energy Music Theatre is a 15,274-seat amphitheater located in Clarkston, Michigan. It was originally known as the Pine Knob Music Theatre, due to its proximity to the nearby Pine Knob ski area and golf course...
in Clarkston, Michigan
Clarkston, Michigan
Clarkston, known officially by the name City of the Village of Clarkston, is a small city located within Independence Charter Township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 882 at the 2010 census.-Overview:...
, approximately 40 miles (64.4 km) north of Detroit. On July 27, 2007, Comerica hosted a stop of the 2007 Vans Warped Tour. Since then, Comerica become the annual stop of Detroit for The Warped Tour. Bands perform in the parking lot while merchandise and food vendors set up in the park itself. Comerica hosts the festival Kid Rock with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Robert Randolph and the Family Band performed at Comerica July 17, 2009. Kid Rock added a second night show for the 18th that featured Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
and Cypress Hill as opening acts. On August 15, 2003, a concert co-headlined
Rocksimus Maximus Tour
The Rocksimus Maximus Tour/World Domination Tour was a North American concert tour co-headlined by Aerosmith and Kiss. The tour was referred to as the "World Domination Tour" by Kiss and was called the Rocksimus Maximus Tour by Aerosmith. It is sometimes referred to informally as the "AeroKiss...
by Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
and Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
and featuring local favorite Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
and Saliva
Saliva (band)
Saliva is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in September 1996 and currently under Island Records. Saliva released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, under Rocking Chair Records....
had been planned for Comerica Park, but was postponed due to the Northeast Blackout of 2003
Northeast Blackout of 2003
The Northeast blackout of 2003 was a widespread power outage that occurred throughout parts of the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Ontario, Canada on Thursday, August 14, 2003, just before 4:10 p.m....
the day before; the rescheduled concert took place on September 7. Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
performed at Comerica Park on September 2, 2010, and a second show on September 3, 2010. On July 24, 2011 the stadium hosted a concert featuring Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
on his On the Run Tour
On the Run Tour
The On the Run Tour is a concert tour by Paul McCartney. The tour began on July 15, 2011, with McCartney's first two concerts at Yankee Stadium in New York City....
.