Today the ball field where Tiger Stadium once stood is being taken care of by some very dedicated fans who truly appreciate the historical significance of this hallowed ground — even if city officials and many community leaders don’t.
It’s no wonder folks like to play pickup games or just play catch on the site where nine World Series (1907, 1908, 1909, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1945, 1968, 1984) three Major League All-Star Games (1941, 1951, 1971) and two NFL world championships were played, both won by the Detroit Lions.(1953, 1957).
It is where Babe Ruth hit his 700th home run and Lou Gehrig ended his famous consecutive games-played streak.
And remarkably, it is also the site, whether it was as Bennett Park, Navin Field, Briggs Stadium, or Tiger Stadium, where 204 Baseball Hall of Famers played in either a regular season game, a World Series, or an All-Star Game.
For the record, here is the list of those Hall of Famers:
Hank Aaron, Roberto Alomar, Luis Aparacio, Luke Appling, Richie Ashburn, Earl Averill, Frank Baker, Johnny Bench, Chief Bender, Yogi Berra, Bert Blyleven, Wade Boggs, Jim Bottomley, Lou Boudreau, George Brett, Lou Brock, Mordecai Brown, Jim Bunning, Jesse Burkett, Roy Campanella, Rod Carew, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Frank Chance, Jack Chesboro, Roberto Clemente, Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane,Eddie Collins, Jimmy Collins, Earle Combs, Stan Covelski, Sam Crawford, Joe Cronin, George Davis, Andre Dawson, Dizzy Dean, Ed Delahanty, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Larry Doby, Bobby Doerr, Hugh Duffy, Leo Durocher, Dennis Eckersley, Johnny Evers, Red Faber, Bob Feller, Rick Ferrell, Rollie Fingers, Carlton Fisk, Elmer Flick, Whitey Ford, Nellie Fox, Jimmie Foxx, Frankie Frisch, Lou Gehrig, Charlie Gehringer, Bob Gibson, Lefty Gomez, Joe Gordon, Goose Goslin, Goose Gossage, Hank Greenberg, Clark Griffith, Lefty Grove, Tony Gwynn, Bucky Harris, Gabby Hartnett, Harry Heilmann, Rickey Henderson, Billy Herman, Whitey Herzog, Harry Hooper, Rogers Hornsby, Waite Hoyt, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Fergie Jenkins, Hughie Jennings, Walter Johnson, Addie Joss, Al Kaline, Willie Keeler, George Kell, Joe Kelley, Harmon Killebrew, Ralph Kiner, Chuck Klein, Nap Lajoie, Tommy Lasorda, Bob Lemon, Freddie Lindstrom, Al Lopez, Ted Lyons, Mickey Mantle, Heinie Manush, Juan Marichal, Eddie Matthews, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Joe McGinnity, Bill McKechnie, Joe Medwick, Johnny Mize, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial, Hal Newhouser, Phil Niekro, Mel Ott, Satchel Paige, Herb Pennock, Tony Perez, Gaylord Perry, Eddie Plank, Kirby Puckett, Pee Wee Reese, Jim Rice, Cal Ripken Jr., Phil Rizzuto, Robin Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jackie Robinson, Wilbert Robinson, Red Ruffing, Babe Ruth, Nolan Ryan, Ray Schalk, Red Schoendienist, Tom Seaver, Joe Sewell, Al Simmons, George Sisler, Enos Slaughter, Duke Snider, Billy Southworth, Tris Speaker, Willie Stargell, Don Sutton, Sam Thompson, Joe Tinker, Dazzy Vance, Arky Vaughn, Rube Waddell, Honus Wagner, Bobby Wallace, Ed Walsh, Zack Wheat, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Williams, Dick Williams, Ted Williams, Vic Willis, Dave Winfield, Early Wynn, Carl Yastrzemski, Cy Young, Robin Yount.
Caveat: This list does not include Negro League Hall of Fame players who may have played at Navin Field or Briggs Stadium, or Hall of Fame managers such as Casey Stengel and Sparky Anderson who appeared at Michigan and Trumbull but never as players. Although Sparky did play there in an American Legion game in 1951. Also this list includes managers such as Whitey Herzog and Dick Williams who were inducted but who also played there.
Slappy Slopnik
You left off one of the most famous names, John J. McGraw, who played 3B at Bennett Park as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
Dan S
I wonder by how much more this list has grown since it was originally published in 2011.