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Bennett Park was built in 1896 at Michigan and Trumbull in Detroit, Michigan. It was named after Charlie Bennett, a catcher for the Detroit NL teams of the 1880s and early 1890s. Bennett lost his legs in a train accident in 1893. He was a Detroit baseball fixture, throwing out the first pitch of the season for the Tigers from 1901 until his death in 1927.
Outfield Dimensions
LeftField 308, later moved to 285
Left-Center Corner 420
Straight-away Center 390
Right Field 326
Right Field Line 315
Below is a drawing of how Bennett Park looked. That is a groundskeeper's shed in center, and it was in play.
Trivia: Bennett Park is the only place that the Chicago Cubs have celebrated a World Series victory, defeating the Tigers here both in 1907 and 1908.
Jimmy Slagle popping up to shortstop Charley O'Leary on the first pitch in Detroit World Series history on Friday, October 11, 1907. Wild Bill Donovan threw the pitch, but Orval Overall of the Cubs would defeat the Tigers and Donovan 6-1 in Game 4 of the Series. Boss Schmidt is the catcher. Check out the odd "mitt" on Schmidt's hand.
Bennett Park during World Series Game 5 on Saturday, October 12, 1907. The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series Championship 2-0 behind Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown's 7 hit shutout. George Mullin was the losing pitcher for the Tigers. You can see the groundskeeper's shed in the far left.
Bennett Park during World Series Game 3 on October 11, 1909. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 8-6 behind Honus Wagner's 3-5, 2 RBI day. Nick Maddox was the winner for the Pirates, Ed Summers the loser for the Tigers.
Ty Cobb sliding in home at Bennett Park. I'm sure his spikes were high.
This is a view from the Left Field Corner of Bennett Park. When Tiger Stadium was built on the same site, home plate was placed in this Left Field corner and Tiger Stadium ws oriented around the new configuration.
Between the 1911 and 1912 seasons, the Tigers acquired the rest of the block, demolished both the wildcat bleachers and Bennett Park, and built Navin Field (later known as Tiger Stadium) on the same site, though the new stadium was shifted by 90 degrees, with home plate where the left field corner had formerly been.
Outfield Dimensions
LeftField 308, later moved to 285
Left-Center Corner 420
Straight-away Center 390
Right Field 326
Right Field Line 315
Below is a drawing of how Bennett Park looked. That is a groundskeeper's shed in center, and it was in play.
Trivia: Bennett Park is the only place that the Chicago Cubs have celebrated a World Series victory, defeating the Tigers here both in 1907 and 1908.
Jimmy Slagle popping up to shortstop Charley O'Leary on the first pitch in Detroit World Series history on Friday, October 11, 1907. Wild Bill Donovan threw the pitch, but Orval Overall of the Cubs would defeat the Tigers and Donovan 6-1 in Game 4 of the Series. Boss Schmidt is the catcher. Check out the odd "mitt" on Schmidt's hand.
Bennett Park during World Series Game 5 on Saturday, October 12, 1907. The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series Championship 2-0 behind Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown's 7 hit shutout. George Mullin was the losing pitcher for the Tigers. You can see the groundskeeper's shed in the far left.
Bennett Park during World Series Game 3 on October 11, 1909. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 8-6 behind Honus Wagner's 3-5, 2 RBI day. Nick Maddox was the winner for the Pirates, Ed Summers the loser for the Tigers.
Ty Cobb sliding in home at Bennett Park. I'm sure his spikes were high.
This is a view from the Left Field Corner of Bennett Park. When Tiger Stadium was built on the same site, home plate was placed in this Left Field corner and Tiger Stadium ws oriented around the new configuration.
Between the 1911 and 1912 seasons, the Tigers acquired the rest of the block, demolished both the wildcat bleachers and Bennett Park, and built Navin Field (later known as Tiger Stadium) on the same site, though the new stadium was shifted by 90 degrees, with home plate where the left field corner had formerly been.