Burns Park (Detroit)

Burns Park was a baseball park located just outside of Detroit, Michigan, in Springwells Township. The stadium served as the Sunday home of the Detroit Tigers baseball club in the American League starting in 1900, as baseball games were not permitted on Sundays within Detroit city limits. The last game at Burns Park was played some time between 1902[1][2] and 1909.[3]

History

Burns Park was built in response to blue laws, which prevented Sunday games from being played at Bennett Park, the team's primary baseball park. The park was named for the Tigers' then-owner, James D. Burns, who built the ballpark on his own property.[4]

Though the general location of the park is agreed upon, sources vary on the precise location of the ballpark. It was beyond the Detroit city limits, due to the blue laws, and it was in the vicinity of Livernois Avenue, Vernor Highway, Dix Street, Waterman Street, and railroad tracks.[3][4] However, no known maps of the area exist showing the park, and the descriptions of the park's location are contradictory.[1]

The April 25, 1900, Detroit Free Press report stated that park was to have covered seating for 1,200 and open bleachers for about another 2,300. The only known references to the park are text; no photographs or diagrams of the park are known to exist.[5] The stadium was built quickly, and in 1901 strong wind blew the roof off of the grandstand.[1]

The American League of 1900 was a minor league, previously called the Western League. The first game at the park was held on May 6, 1900, with the Tigers losing to the Indianapolis Hoosiers 11–5.[6] Besides the Tigers' games, an International League game between the Chatham Reds and Port Huron Tunnelites occurred at Burns Park that year.[7]

The American League declared itself a major league in 1901 and broke relations with the National League. On April 28, 1901, the first major league game was played at the ballpark[3] in which the Tigers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 12–11.[8]

With peace between the leagues for 1903, the Tigers were advised to abandon Burns Park as being in an unsavory part of town, by which time Burns had sold the club anyway, so Burns Park ceased being a host to professional baseball.[1]

The last attested Tigers game at Burns Park was played on September 7, 1902, with an 11–6 win over the Baltimore Orioles.[2] In subsequent years the Tigers played a handful of Sunday "home" games in other cities, until the city of Detroit relaxed their blue laws to permit Sunday ball at Bennett Park in 1907.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Selter, Ronald M. (November 22, 2011). Ballparks of the Deadball Era: A Comprehensive Study of Their Dimensions, Configurations and Effects on Batting, 1901-1919. McFarland. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0-7864-6625-2. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Burns Park Lasts". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Benson, Michael (1989). Ballparks of North America: a comprehensive historical reference baseball grounds, yards and stadiums, 1845 to present. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 133. ISBN 0-89950-367-5.
  4. ^ a b "Detroit Tigers : Ballpark : Past Detroit Tigers Venues". MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  5. ^ Detroit Free Press. April 25, 1900. p. 6. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Detroit Free Press. May 7, 1900. p. 8. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ "Sporting News: Chatham Plays in Detroit". Windsor, Ontario: The Evening Record. p. 4. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  8. ^ "Burns Park Firsts". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 6, 2025.

42°18′57″N 83°6′59″W / 42.31583°N 83.11639°W / 42.31583; -83.11639

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