Detroit Tigers Opening Day 2009 - Comerica Park
Friday was home opener for the Tigers. In Detroit, Opening Day is like a combination of all the holidays with a little baseball thrown in - or, as I call it, a blast!
People all over the place were having fun, bars were packet with lines outside. Tailgating was in full swing, and someone even invited the dreaded bagpipers!
Miller Lite? I knew it!!
Bobblehead guy posed for a photo
The Elwood Bar. Look at the line!
Jazz band at one of the ballpark entrances.
The Big Glove!
Pre-game scoreboard welcoming us there. It felt great being there - the weather was nice - not too warm but certainly not freezing. I've heard tales of snow on opening day - not today!
The Texas Rangers (the other team that was there - apparently there was a game involving another team!) were first to get introduced, followed by the entire Tigers team and staff.
4 F-15C's flew by straight after the national anthem - took us by surprise as they came from over left field. Very cool and very loud!
With the Auto industry in tatters, GM had to pull its sponsorship. However, Mike Ilitch, instead of removing GM entirely from the home run fountain, chose to accompany GM with Ford and Chrysler signs. Nice gesture - after all it's a lot of those who rely on these companies to survive (direclty or indirectly)who buy tickets to come see games like this one.
Reinforcing the support of the Big 3, instead of having a celebrity throw the first ball, a representative worker from each of Chrysler, Ford and GM each threw out 1st balls.
Warm-up was underway...
More welcomes and a crowd anticipating a fun season. Well, at least one better than last year!
And The 2009 Detroit Tigers take the field!!!!!!!! GO TIGERS!!!!!!
Through the 1st inning there were the normal outfield beach balls tossed around through the crowd, attracting the attention of security, who managed to catch and kill said balls. Then, from somewhere above us descended what you see below!!!
It was tossed around with great amusement. Apparently Mike sucks, if you believe what was written on the side of it.
Anyway, security managed to get a good hold on it, and kill it.
Meanwhile there was a baseball game in progress.
The crowd waited in anticipation...
A few runs were score, bases loaded..... then......
Miguel Cabrera hits a Grand Slam!!!
Celebrations! Happy People Everywhere!
Believe this. Someone actually bought a beer!
In fairness, there were more drunk people at the game than I've ever seen there before. It was Opening Day! Amateur day!
One thing I'd not seen before, not even during the playoffs (remember that?), what the staff not allowing people to return to their seats while a batter was up - Red Wings game style. Not a bad idea - it's annoying when people keep walking in front of you during play.
Anyway, the game went great, Galarraga pitched his heart out for 7 innings, giving up just a run, Perry relieved nicely, and Bonine closed but gave up a more-or-less meaningless run. Final score: Tigers 15, Rangers 2. Fantastic!!!!
Happy Tigers!!! Let's keep on winning!!!
In case we didn't know, the Tigers won/...
So, it was a slow walk out... nobody seemed in a big rush.
Above and below... joviality at its best outside the park. Nice to see the guarding tiger without his Carhart coat on - Spring, welcome to Detroit!!!
Now, we needed another beer - look at the line into Hockeytown!! We chose to avoid.
A great day, great fun, great weather, great result. Couldn't be better!!!!
From there, we wandered past a few bars with big lines, seen a kid who drank too much want to fight the world, and eventually made it to the not-too-crowded Foran's Bar!
"royal oak"
