Why Tigers? This is why…

May 18, 2015

So here it is! My first ever Tigers fan blog.

I could write about all the usual stuff most bloggers write about – stats, how this player is doing, why this player needs to do this or that. I will admit that I’m pretty die-hard when it comes to the Tigers. But I will also admit that I don’t know EVERYTHING about the game.

What I do know is how great the Tigers are for me and how much I love watching them play. I also know how opinionated their fans can be – myself included. For me, it is because I love the team that much. Like anything you love, you feel passionate about it, right?

There have been times when I have been so angry with Leyland’s decisions (seriously, did we have to have THAT many heart attacks every time he put Papa Grande in during a play off game?) Don’t even get me started on Ausmus’s decisions either (ok, Coke? Nathan? I see a theme here regarding the bullpen…). But overall, I wouldn’t trade the fun the Tigers give me for anything! Going to the games are the highlight of my summer/fall, year after year. The friends I’ve made at the ball park, some who I will never see again but we share this special connection at the game.

Tonight is the ESPN game with the Cardinals. Not going to well for the Tigers (down 2-1 as I write this), relaxing on a holiday weekend. This is what summer is all about.

Back in the early 80’s my dad took me to my first Tigers game at the old Tigers stadium on the corner of Michigan & Trumbull. I would be lying if I said that I had this moment of clarity while I was there and I remember it like it was yesterday. I actually don’t. I was really young and my dad is a huge sports fan and took us to many sporting events growing up.

What I do remember is 1984…the World Series. October 14, 1984. Two days before my mom’s birthday. Tigers were playing the Padres. I don’t remember all the details but enough to know that it was a moment for all Detroit fans never to be forgotten. We owned a restaurant back then and my dad had a little office in the back of the kitchen. In the little office was a little television – maybe 3-4″ big – not kidding. A very tiny black and white TV where he was running back and forth to cook orders and watch the game. Back and forth, back and forth. I was sitting in the office watching the game in it entirety. And then it was the final inning – suddenly there were about 20-25 people packed in that little office, in front of that little TV watching the final out. No one was cooking in the kitchen, the customers were aware that something BIG was happening in the little office. The game was over – the Tigers were WORLD SERIES Champions! Everyone erupted into cheers, hugs and tears. No word of a lie, many people in that office were crying tears of joy. I remember jumping up and down and for the first time feeling that adrenalin rush of what it’s like when your team wins a championship (I got to experience this years later with the Detroit Pistons too!)

Memories like that day in my dad’s little office – you can’t explain it. It’s been with me forever. I was 8 years old when that happened.

Since then I’ve had many more memories, with my dad, my family and my friends. “My Tiger” has changed from Chet Lemon, to most recently Magglio Ordnonez and now Miggy!

There are more memories to be had. 2015 is going to be one for the memory bank – I can feel it.

Written by fannie Posted in Baseball, MLB Tagged with Baseball, Detroit, Detroit Tigers, MLB, MLB Blog, Tigers