Good-bye, Tiger Stadium

September 30, 1999

In 1912, Detroit's ballpark opened at "the Corner" of Michigan and Trumbull Streets. Since then, some of the greatest names in baseball have called it home: Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Al Kaline, Denny McLain, and manager Sparky Anderson.

Now known as Tiger Stadium, it saw its last major-league game Monday. The Tigers are moving to a modern park nearby. In Boston, too, Fenway Park is headed for demolition, which would leave Chicago's Wrigley Field as the lone old, active park.

Thus America's history disappears one building at a time. It doesn't have to happen. Officials in Detroit and Boston should be more creative in finding alternative uses for buildings that hold so many memories. Here's hoping they don't drop the ball.