Tiger Nation invades Wrigleyville
I wrote plenty about it in my game story, but I can't emphasize enough how odd it was to see this many Tigers fans here. It was noticeable when I was waiting for the train to the ballpark and saw how many people at the station were wearing Tigers stuff, and we're talking about a 9:30 am CT train. It seemed like there was a huge section of Detroit fans in the upper deck along the LF line, but I think there were more of them scattered all over.
Justin Verlander theorized that maybe they had temporarily converted some Cubs fans who know that Tigers wins are bad news for the White Sox. He might have a point on some of them, but there were too many cheering all afternoon for Sox hatred to be such a big factor. Between a summer weekend, students out of school, a historic ballpark and a short drive, there's a Detroit migration this weekend, and it's nothing like I've seen in five years covering this team. Really, I haven't experienced anything like this since the days when Indians fans would flock to Detroit because they couldn't get tickets to Jacobs Field. It's a fascinating change, and the players really fed off it.
Wish I could have been there. I just moved out of Chicago, where I attended many Detroit events (Tigers, Lions, Red Wings), and Tiger support in Chicago was always rare. I remember in 2001, the Cubs visited Comerica, and my brother and I took the drive (he's a Cubs fan). The stadium was packed with Cubs fans. Besides opening day, it was the only game up to that point that had been sold out all year. It's great to see a reversal of fortune.
Also, it must be nice to hear "Let's go Tigers" at Tigers games rather than "Let's go Red Wings" when we're losing, as so often happened.
Report any abuse or spam
I was at the game yesterday and also have tickets to the rest of the series. It was great to see and hear so many Tigers fans, but not a total surprise. There are many Michigan transplants living in Chicago, so it wasn't just fans making the trip out from Michigan (although I'm sure there were a lot of them too, since it's a weekend series).
Support for Detroit sports, as well as U-M and MSU, is pretty strong here, since it's so close to Michigan. I always try to get out to games when Detroit teams are in town. At the one White Sox-Tigers game last week I went to, there was a pretty big contingent of Tigers fans there too.
Report any abuse or spam
I've been wondering whats going to happen to Dmitri Young and will the tigers let him go after his legal matters are settled.
Report any abuse or spam
I was at the game on Saturday. It was fantastic. The stands were about 50% filled with Tigers faithful. I have been following the Tigers since the early 1960s and I do not recall anything like the level of enthusiasm I experienced at Wrigley this weekend since the Sparky Anderson era of the early and mid 1980s. This is a truly magical season and a great time to be a fan of the Tigers. There is a huge Tigers Nation throughout this country that has been slumbering for a decade and just waiting for a reason to get out their jerseys, hats, banners, and flags again. That time is here, now in 2006.
Report any abuse or spam
I made the weekend trip to Chicago from Detroit with a few friends, and went to Saturday's game. Despite the extreme heat, it was a total blast. I was getting heckled from Cubs fans for front running and band wagoning. I'm sure there are alot of new fans due to the winning season, but I'm pretty sure that (like me) most Tiger fans that were at Wrigley this weekend purchased their tickets early on in the season, not knowing how much the Tigers had improved. Because of that, it was that much more impressive to see the ridiculous Tiger turn out. We got to the game early enough to be in the front row of the bleechers, and Todd Jones was out in right field playing catch with all the Tiger fans around us. I'm guessing he was just trying to keep in our good graces, but either way it was pretty cool, and watching the Tigers at Wrigley was unforgettable!
Report any abuse or spam
Funny thing, I was watching the games on WGN and turned to my roommate (I live in Columbus, OH) and said, "Huh, lots of Tiger fans in the stands. Everytime they cut to the stands, there is a jersey, or hat..." Glad it wasnt just a TV illusion... Go Tigers
Report any abuse or spam