I have an idea. Hey, don't be so surprised. I was at Greenfield Village this weekend and I was wondering why the Detroit community doesn't consider donating Tiger Stadium to the Village? While space would be an issue at Greenfield Village's Dearborn home, I'm sure there is a way those who run the Village could incorporate the historic site into their layout.
Even if there was simply no way the folks at Greenfield Village could house Tiger Stadium on their grounds, why couldn't they maintain it where it is and keep it as part of their attractions? The Henry Ford, as the joint operation of the Village and Henry Ford Museum are now called, could run shuttle buses down right down Michigan Avenue to The Corner. They already operate buses to their tour of the Ford Rouge Plant. Wouldn't running another set of buses downtown just be a natural extension?
Seriously, I know we live in the Motor City, but what would you rather visit-an old auto production facility or the ground Ty Cobb played his home games? If you were a tourist, which do think you would prefer? I'm not advocating keeping one over the other, both should be maintained from an historic perspective, but I'd like to think that just as many people would be interesting in touring the old ballpark as the old assembly plant.
I'd also like to think that a fair number of people would pay to get into Tiger Stadium, thus adding to The Henry Ford's revenue streams. How could that be a bad thing?
The Henry Ford could take over Tiger Stadium, build a baseball museum and library inside, play their old time baseball games at The Corner and allow fans to get onto the field Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gerhinger and Al Kaline called home.
My idea is simple, yet seems like a perfect solution for everyone. The Henry Ford gains a new attraction and, presumably, added revenue. The city gets someone to maintain the old place (assuming the stadium cannot be moved to Dearborn) and keep a part of it's history alive. Fans from around the world get a chance to visit the place where not only Cobb applied his trade, but where Lou Gerhig's career ended and where Reggie Jackson hit the light tower.
Yes, I know. The devil is in the details. I'm sure I am missing an obvious stumbling block to my plan. The city, the Tigers, the Henry Ford or someone else would probably oppose this idea for one reason or another. However, isn't it worth looking into? I'd rather see Tiger Stadium moved to Greenfield Village then get hit with a wrecking ball. Wouldn't you?
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