Sports
ally!
Bacb,
F o;e
Woe
arei
rtttp../IVVV,
cyber corn
loshcane
mart dello
01
n
te3 In Iowa-
to oive to .loilsb char:os?
CK.1 ot.,1
i
.net
te■
Tiger Stadium continues to be
a un6ing force for many.
rv;20
0 '1 es
watta vonyvtor
0 No
qive other,in e
(-) wou,drit
Family Memories
Abound
296
Pr.l.ans tottonse btn,
www.detroittiewts
www.detrertjewishnew
vvvvvv.detroitewishnewsxo
www,detroitiewishnewsocom
ww.detroitiewishnews.corn
i
s
Ga e a
[www.detrottiewishnewsxom
[www.detroitiewashnews.comj
r www.detroitjewishnews.com ]
[www.detroitiewishnews.coni
troitiewishnews,corn]
ws.corn]
11/5
1999
110
Detroit Jewish News
camped underneath, pound-
here is a differ-
ed my glove ready to make
ence between
the play.
house and home.
"Don't worry, son; I'll get it
A house is a place
for you," Dad said, jumping
to live, but it might not be
to his feet. The ball came
home.
down, right toward his out-
For me, home is place of
stretched hands. He was tall
warmth, of family bonds
and could reach higher than
and personal moments.
anyone. He dropped it.
Thus, many places can be
I remember this not
home — even those where
because he missed the ball —
E RIC
we never lived.
hey, Kaline dropped a few,
BEND EROFF
Recently, I returned to
too — but because it was the
Spec ial to
one of those special places
only
time I was ever disap-
the Jew ish News
— for the last time.
pointed in my dad.
I've lived in Chicago my
His error was forgiven a few
adult life, but I was raised in subur-
moments later when be bought me a
ban Detroit. My family still lives there
hot dog and an official American league
and I probably don't go back as often
baseball. We played catch with it the
as I should.
next day. Throughout his life, he always
I went to say goodbye to Tiger
knew how to make things better.
Stadium, where generations of fami-
My mother was with me in
lies have created special memories.
September at the last game at Tiger
Much has been written about the
Stadium. We didn't sit together for the
passing of this treasured ballpark. But
game (fittingly, she had the good seats),
sitting in the sunshine with eyes that
but we sat together and reminisced dur-
wandered across the impossibly green
ing the parade of former and present
grass, I recalled how important this
Tiger players. We talked about the play-
decaying stadium was for so many
ers of the '30s and '40s — she went to
families, mine included.
those games with her dad.
That's why it felt like going home.
She tells me that when I was 4, and
The memories of games past and
the Tigers were playing in the 1968
the people I went with filled the after-
World Series, she took me to each
noon. I thought of my dad, who often
home game. I don't remember, but
took me to games. When we had bad
I'm certain my passion for the ball-
park was planted then.
seats, he always tipped the ushers to
move us into the best seats.
My mom and I attended nearly every
It is at Tiger Stadium where I have
opening day throughout my childhood.
She said it was okay to miss school for
my most vivid childhood memory of
the start of the baseball season.
Dad. I was about 8 and brought my
Al Kaline signature glove. We were
She sat with me during the 1972
sitting 10 rows behind the visitors'
playoffs against the Oakland A's when
dugout. A foul ball came our way. I
the great Tiger pinch hitter Gates
Brown hit a long fly ball, caught in
deep center field, to end my first
Eric Benderoff is the real estate editor
meaningful baseball season.
for the Chicago Sun Times. He is the
We saw Kirk Gibson's first major
son of Beverly Benderoff and the late
league
hit together. We watched Mark
Larry Benderoff and a graduate of
"The
Bird"
Fidrych pat the pitcher's
Southfield-Lathrup High School and
mound and talk to the ball together,
Michigan State University. The ultimate
While I can't remember if the
fate of Tiger Stadium, now owned by
Tigers won or lost most of those
the city of Detroit, has not been decided.