The Un-Greening of Detroit: Artificial turf, limited public access on deck for site of historic Tiger Stadium (Part 2 of 3)

LONG GONE? This 9-acre green space and quasi-public park on the site of Detroit's historic Tiger Stadium could soon be replaced with artificial turf. (Tony Leja) 

2015 was an eventful year in the debate over the future of Navin Field, site of Detroit's historic Tiger Stadium. In Part 1 of our three-part series, we explored the recent land transfer of Navin Field to the Detroit Economic Development Corporation.

With the Detroit Police Athletic League set to take over Navin Field later this year, the NFGC is thrilled to see children get the chance to continue playing baseball on this historic site. But the debate continues over the definition of "public access" and the controversial plan to tear out Navin Field's natural grass and replace it with artificial turf.

As we've noted here before, that is not exactly a popular move.

While some in the mainstream media are finally paying attention to this critical moment in Detroit's resurgence, too many others are simply skimming the surface. 

In the second installment of our three-part series, we take a closer look at the controversy surrounding public access to Navin Field and the prospect of plastic grass replacing a venerable and viable green space in the heart of Detroit's historic Corktown district.

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Feb. 4, 2016

Federal money earmarked for preservation could instead fund demolition of Detroit's historic Navin Field 

Artificial turf set to replace green space at site of old Tiger Stadium

When Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey appeared before the city's Planning & Development committee, he pledged to retain the authenticity of the site.

"We're very excited about this opportunity to redevelop what we know is an iconic location in the city of Detroit," he said. 

And it is indeed exciting that children will continue to play ball there. But Detroit PAL's proposal, in fact, retains very little authenticity of the site. Today, the only remnants of historic Tiger Stadium are the flagpole in center field and the natural grass that has graced the corner of Michigan and Trumbull since 1896. 

That grass, voluntarily maintained since 2010 by a local mailman named Tom Derry and the volunteers of the Navin Field Grounds Crew, has hosted dozens of youth baseball games for six magical summers. 

And it is magic because it is authentic.  

But soon the grass could be torn out and replaced with artificial turf. 

Since 2010, Navin Field has been widely hailed as a natural, national treasure. But if PAL proceeds to tear out the grass, it effectively obliterates a viable and venerable green space in the heart of historic Corktown — and it ruins its reputation as a bonafide tourist attraction. 

A misuse of federal funds?

Senator Carl Levin's 2009 $3.8 million federal earmark, which is set to expire on October 1, calls for the preservation and redevelopment of a public park on the site of Tiger Stadium.  

But in fact there is little preservation in Detroit PAL's proposal to redevelop the site.

In response to pleas from Corktown residents and other local activists, Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey has agreed to allow some public access to Navin Field.

"We will offer at least 15 hours per week of free access to the public," he told City Council. 

But how appealing will that access be if Navin Field becomes a sea of plastic?

"I think there's a huge case to be made to keep this natural grass," said City Councilman Gabe Leland. "You can't put a value on that field."

City Councilman Gabe Leland

"I think there's a huge case to be made to keep this natural grass." 

—Detroit City Councilman Gabe Leland

Despite those concerns, however, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy voted this week, 7-2, to transfer the remainder of Senator Levin's federal earmark (approximately $3 million) to Detroit PAL. 

'We have decided to choose a synthetic turf surface' 

PAL's insistence on artificial turf for historic Navin Field stems from its plan to heavily program the site, with 10-14 hours of daily activity, including football, soccer, lacrosse, and baseball.

"Our intention has always been to program this site heavily," Richey says. "We want to maximize the usage of the site." 

And with such heavy usage of the historic field, Richey contends that natural grass simply can't withstand that amount of activity, that grass simply isn't as durable as artificial turf.

But to support his claim, Richey cited a typo-riddled 2010 Cal-Berkeley study that focuses mainly on the safety of crumb rubber infill. 

"These fields result in little, if any, exposure to toxic substances," the report reads.

The study contains little primary research, however, and was sponsored by a consulting group that represents artificial turf manufacturers. 

But with the more recent reports of soccer players battling cancer, Congress is calling for an independent study on the safety of crumb rubber. 

Still, Richey pledged not to use the controversial infill at the Tiger Stadium site.

"We do know that there is quite a bit of community concern and national concern around the use of the rubber pellet infill," Richey said. ​"That rubber pellet is what's caused a lot of the concern around the synthetic surface as it relates to potential cancer risk.​

​"The safety of the children is of the utmost concern for us. It always has been; it always will be. I'm happy to say — and can say definitively today — that we will seek out the very best infill for the surface, and that the rubber pellets will not be included in the surface at old Tiger Stadium."

Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey

"Rubber pellets will not be included in the surface at old Tiger Stadium."

—Detroit PAL CEO Tim Richey

"Programming more than 20 hours a week is going to cause damage to the [grass]." Richey told City Council, "I think the studies will show that the safety of the turf, as it relates to injuries, is equal if not better [than] the natural grass."

But according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, injury rates for ACL sprains and ankle sprains for NFL games played on FieldTurf were higher than rates for those injuries in games played on real grass — and the differences were statistically significant.

Richey says the long-term maintenance and cost will be reduced with the use of synthetic turf.

"Over the course of 10 years," he says, "it's much more expensive to manage."

But plenty of well-known, reputable studies effectively debunk that myth.

According to Texas Multi-Chem, a prominent national sports field contractor, maintenance costs over a 10-year period (a generous estimate for an artificial turf lifespan) come to $558,909 for natural grass, and nearly $1.4 million for artificial turf.

10-YEAR MAINTENANCE PERIOD: 

GRASS                                ARTIFICIAL TURF 

$558,909                              $1.4 million

And that doesn't take into account the very real possibility of buyer's remorse.

On top of all that, PAL CEO Tim Richey has repeatedly cited Michigan State University turf expert Dr. John Rogers to support PAL's position that artificial turf is what's best for the Tiger Stadium site.

But Rogers, no fan of artificial turf, has expressed serious reservations about PAL's plan for the field.

As for the historic flagpole, the only actual remnant left of Tiger Stadium, Richey says that PAL intends to keep it.

"We're gonna [shine] up that flagpole," he told City Council. "We're gonna make it a beacon for those of us who remember Tiger Stadium."

City Councilman Scott Benson

Councilman Scott Benson then raised an intriguing question:

"Is there an opportunity," he asked, "to remove that sod and place it at another baseball field in the city of Detroit?"

"I think that's a very creative idea," said Matt Walters, of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's office. "We will certainly work with PAL and the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy to explore that option."

Benson further suggested reaching out to the Detroit Tigers to see if they'd be willing to preserve some of the old Tiger Stadium sod at Comerica Park. 

"I'm happy to look at how the field can be reused," said PAL CEO Tim Richey. "The only concern I would have is the expense of lifting the field and moving it." 

And so the debate continues over the future of historic Navin Field.
For now, at least, the grass remains the same.

Celebrate Willie Horton Day with the Navin Field Grounds Crew

Willie Horton, Tiger Stadium, 1969 (photo via Detroit Athletic Company)

Former Tiger Willie Horton is a legend in this town — and for good reason.

Raised on the city's west side the youngest of 21 children, Horton signed with his hometown Detroit Tigers as a teenager out of Northwestern High and wore the Old English D for 15 seasons.

The stocky left fielder hit 325 career home runs, and helped lead the Tigers to victory in the 1968 World Series.

In 2004, Governor Jennifer Granholm declared October 18 Willie Horton Day throughout the state of Michigan, in honor of Horton's outstanding career, both on and off the playing field.

This year, on his 72nd birthday, the Navin Field Grounds Crew will celebrate the 11th annual Willie Horton Day with a baseball game at Horton's old stomping grounds, Navin Field (site of old Tiger Stadium), on Saturday, October 18, at 2 p.m. 

Nate Moore and the Men's Senior Baseball League will play nine innings of hardball, and afterward, the MSBL and the Navin Field Grounds Crew will celebrate Horton's life and legacy with a birthday cake in left field.

Left field is where Horton made his famous throw in Game 5 of the 1968 World Series to cut down St. Louis's Lou Brock in the pivotal play of the game. That momentous play changed not only the course of the game, but the face of the Series itself, as the Tigers rallied from behind to beat the Cardinals in seven games.

Last fall, the NFGC honored Horton by re-creating his famous throw at Navin Field, which Lindsay Berra wrote about for MLB.com.

Please join us in Corktown Saturday afternoon as we celebrate the birth of one of America's greatest living ballplayers, Detroit's own Willie Horton.

Baseball's sacred ground

Front row: Left to right- Kaitlyn and Tyler Fuchs. Back row: Jon and Michele Fuchs, Philip and Diane Langford, Leah, Linda, and Matthew Guarnieri. The Guarnieris reside in Shelby Township, Michigan. The Fuchs traveled from Schenectady, New York. The Langfords live in Columbus, Mississippi.

 

In Detroit, the corner of Michigan and Trumbull is a holy site for baseball fans.  

Paul Guarnieri loved his Detroit Tigers. And he loved Tiger Stadium. 

Paul passed away recently at the age of 78. And although he's no longer with us, his spirit lives on. Paul's final wish was to have his ashes scattered at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. 

Last week, Paul's family traveled to Detroit and honored that request.

RIP, Mr. Guarnieri. 

Rising from the rubble

Volunteers helping shape the future of Detroit's historic Navin Field.

With an assist from the Men's Senior Baseball League, Navin Field Grounds Crew members erect a Little League
backstop last week on the site of old Tiger Stadium, near Cochrane and the I-75 service drive in Corktown.

By Tom Derry

The Navin Field Grounds Crew has realized for years how important youth baseball is to the future of The Corner. Since 2010, we've been voluntarily maintaining Detroit's historic field of dreams. It's a labor of love for us, and although the stadium is gone, we believe we've helped preserve the field for posterity.

We also firmly believe that the dimensions of this historic field, home to Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg, to Willie Horton and Willie Hernandez, must be preserved in its entirety.

Fortunately for us, much like they have in New York on the site of old Yankee Stadium, we have room here in Detroit for both the historic playing field, as well as a new diamond for Little League baseball. That's why the NFGC has started building a youth baseball field in the northwest corner of Navin Field, near Cochrane Street and the Fisher service drive.

Far from the hustle and bustle of Michigan Avenue, our Little League diamond is in the perfect spot. And with so many people now interested in scheduling games at the site of old Tiger Stadium, we should soon be able to accommodate everyone who wants to play on this hallowed ground.

While the location for a second diamond was a no-brainer, building it was no small task. Parts of the land in that corner were filled with giant hunks of concrete, rebar, and other building material, all left behind from the demolition of Tiger Stadium.

The Navin Field Grounds Crew has spent more than four years removing the rubble.

Some of the work was too tough for our crew because we didn't have the necessary tools to remove the larger pieces of concrete. So we turned to our friend Aaron Smith and the good folks of the Motor City Grounds Crew.

The MCGC quickly answered the call and came to the rescue with jackhammers, air compressors, and other heavy-duty machinery. They were able to remove the debris from the ground so that we could move forward with our new field.

But we had another problem: The lay of the land was uneven, and we had giant holes that needed filling.

That's where NFGC member John Bushta stepped in.

Last week, thanks to John and the generous folks at Jackie's Transport, we received nearly 50 tons of dirt to help level the playing field.

We've made tremendous progress over the last four years, but we're not done yet. We'll probably need more dirt, and we still have to map out our Little League infield and baselines. But we're determined to finish what we've started.

The Detroit Tigers left The Corner after the 1999 season. But the game of baseball lives on at Michigan and Trumbull. And the NFGC will do its best to make sure that tradition continues for years to come.

So whether you're a seasoned vintage ballplayer or an up-and-coming Little Leaguer, bring your bat and ball, and come on down to Navin Field. We've got a diamond just for you.

Sweet Lou returns to Navin Field

Former Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker reunites with 1984 teammate Dave Rozema at the site of old Tiger Stadium.

By Tom Derry

On Monday morning, the members of the Navin Field Grounds Crew were busy fixing up the historic baseball diamond at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. The crew always prepares the field for baseball games and tourists throughout the summer. 

But on this day, they were also grooming the field in anticipation of a visit from some of the 1984 Tigers, Detroit's last World Series champions.

Around 10:30 a.m., two familiar-looking figures walked through an open gate on Michigan Avenue and headed out toward the playing field. 

"Looks like Lou Whitaker and Dave Rozema are here," somebody said.
And sure enough, there they were.

We met up with Lou and Dave near the first baseline, and welcomed them back home.

Everyone introduced themselves to Whitaker. Rozema was already familiar with us, as he recently pitched on Navin Field's historic mound a month earlier, as part of a wedding event.

I asked Lou if he wanted to go out to second base. He started to walk toward first base, deliberately stepping on the grass, to avoid our freshly swept and chalked baseline.

"It's O.K.," I told him. "You can walk on the base path."

When Lou got to first base, he turned toward second base and picked up steam. 

"Do you want to see me slide into second?" he asked. 

Lou didn't slide, but he stood atop the base that he anchored for 19 seasons in Detroit. Sweet Lou was back home, where he played for years alongside his longtime double-play partner, shortstop Alan Trammell.

Lou was happy to pose for pictures with everyone, signed autographs, and reminisced about Tiger Stadium. He said this wasn't his first time visiting the field since the historic structure was demolished in 2009. 

Lou occasionally visits the old grounds when he's in town. Then he likes to get a bite to eat at Nemo's Bar or O'Blivions Cafe on Michigan Avenue.

As Lou stood in the infield Monday morning, he gazed out onto Trumbull Avenue, where he launched most of his 146 home runs at Tiger Stadium. Only Al Kaline, Norm Cash, and Hank Greenberg hit more.

Lou was amazed by the vast expanse of grass on the lot. 

"It must take you guys three days to cut all this," he said.

He was impressed with the efforts of our grounds crew, as was his old teammate Rozema.

We hope Lou and Dave will come back and visit our field again one day. Perhaps next time, they'll bring more of the 1984 team with them.

"If You Restore It, They Will Come."

Tom Derry is the founder of the Navin Field Grounds Crew, as well as Detroit's original Babe Ruth Birthday Party.