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Fans pack Comerica Park to watch Tigers

Vaseline October 10, 2024

Anticipation is building in the Motor City as the Detroit Tigers inch closer to a berth in the American League Division Series for a chance to win the American League pennant.

Standing in their way is Game 4 against the Cleveland Guardians, at 6:08 PM at Comerica Park. If the Tigers win, they’re in. If not, the series moves to a do-or-die Game 5 in Cleveland on Saturday.

More: Detroit Tigers’ Jason Benetti explains the ‘Gritty Tigs’ nickname

Tigers fans came out in full force for Game 3 on Wednesday, setting a Comerica Park record for postseason attendance (44,885). If that’s any indication, Game 4 will be raucous and downtown will be buzzing.

We’re following all the fan action in downtown Detroit for Game 4.

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Shawn Hillard, 48, of Livonia, wanted tickets to Game 3. But he waited too long. By the time he searched for the best available seats for Game 4 for three, they were in Section 345, Row 20 – Upper Level, Last Row, Farthest Corner; that far up and far away in Comerica Park you can go down the third base line.

Hillard’s wife made other plans with friends, so he and his 13-year-old son, Brennan, accompanied Hillard’s college friend, Neil Cassabon, 47, of Utica.

The action on the pitch was well below them, but the quality of the view from there could surprise fans.

“It’s all about the experience, not necessarily how close you are,” Shawn Hillard said.

“The only thing is, you can’t see the giant scoreboard from here.”

–Keith Matheny

Mark Wise, 61, of Westlake, Ohio, is a season ticket holder for the Guardians.

He is a salesman for golf ball maker Titleist and was working in Toledo when he decided to drive to Detroit for the game on a lark.

“When I got to the gate, I pulled up the MLB app and found a standing room ticket,” he said. “I made it all the way through, but I don’t need my credit card because I’m not from Michigan.”

He asked a supervisor for help.

“He says, ‘come with me’ and he took me to a scalper,” he recalled. “I gave the guy $150 and he walked me to the gate, scanned the thing and I walked right in. It was cheaper than the app.”

He said Detroit fans have been friendly despite his loyalty, and he would definitely return.

He expects a Game 5 in Cleveland.

–John Wisely

Kyle and Erin Flood, both 39, of Mason, are Red Wings season ticket holders.

With the Red Wings season opener tonight at Little Caesars Arena, they had plans for pucks.

“But then my coworker had tickets to the Tigers’ playoff game tonight and couldn’t go,” she said.

“We couldn’t turn that down,” Kyle said.

With the Wings moving their start time to 8 p.m., the couple hopes to pull off a Tigers-Red Wings double-dip.

But if they have to choose?

“I’m a Red Wings diehard, but this has to be it,” Kyle said, pointing to the Comerica Park field.

“We’re not leaving until this is done.”

–Keith Matheny

Scott Brozowski, 53, who lives in Warren and is originally from Imlay City, started going to Tigers games in 1978 as a seven-year-old.

“In my first game, Ron LeFlore hit a walk-off single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning to beat the White Sox,” he said. “I was hooked for life.”

Somewhere along the way, Brozowski combined his love for the Tigers and love for the color orange.

“The time came when I said, ‘I’m going to the ballpark all orange, baby. I don’t even care what people think,'” he said. “But people loved it.”

This is how Tigers superfan Orange Flair was born.

Decked out in an orange suit with orange hat, orange tinted glasses, an orange bow tie and, well, orange everything, Brozowski is getting a lot of love from his fellow fans.

“I’m an introvert in real life,” he said. “But this will be my alter ego.”

During the Sept. 27 game, when the Tigers clinched a playoff berth by beating the Chicago White Sox, Brozowski estimates at least 40 fans at Comerica took photos with him.

“These are memories I would never have had otherwise,” he said.

— Keith Matheny