metro
Opening
Day,
Tiger
Stadium,
1994
Opening Day
TRADER JOE
For Detroiters, it's the official
"first real day of spring."
I
Mike Smith
JN Foundation Archivist
call in with a sudden illness — "I can't
make it in today, boss. I've, ahh, I've
got the plague. Yeah, I came down with
llegedly, March 20 was first
it last night" — only to experience a
day of spring 2015. But, in
remarkable recovery the next day.
Detroit, we know better,
And, if we are not among the privi-
don't we? And, we have a citywide hol-
leged fans who actually have tickets to
iday to prove it — Opening Day for the the game, well, we have our radios or
Detroit Tigers, the first home baseball
we stream the game through our com-
game of the season.
puters while we are at work. Or maybe,
Many baseball fans in Detroit no
just maybe, we sneak out for a long,
longer believe that spring is based on
long break at a restaurant that just
some theory about where Earth is in
happens to have the game on TV.
The first Opening Day in Detroit
its orbit around the sun. What do sci-
entists know, anyway?
was on April 25, 1901, and was also
Since 1901, usually in mid-April
the debut for the Detroit Tigers in the
(according to the Baseball Almanac,
American League. The game was actu-
there have been three opening days
ally scheduled for April 24, but the
in March and one in May), Opening
weather was so bad it had to be played
Day for the Tigers is the "real" first
the next day.
day of spring in Detroit. This year, the
With a standing-room-only crowd of
umpire will cry "Play ball" at Comerica 10,000, the tradition of sell-outs began.
Park on April 6.
The game itself was a beauty. Trailing
But, the particular day for the first
the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of
game — a different day each year as
13-4, the Tigers rallied in the bottom
of the ninth and won 14-13 with Frank
ordained by the mysterious baseball-
scheduling gods — doesn't really mat-
"Pop" Dillon's two-run double saving
ter. Opening Day in Detroit is the first
the day.
day of spring and, perhaps, the fore-
Opening Day in Detroit is also a
most civic holiday of the urban year.
great melting pot. Doesn't matter one's
No matter the weather, we'll have a
religion or ethnic background, we are
full house at Comerica Park,
all Tigers fans together.
just as we always filled its
Jewish fans in Detroit, how-
predecessor and local base-
ever, have had the privilege
ball shrine, Tiger Stadium
of watching the best Jewish
(and its predecessor, Briggs
player to ever put the bat to a
Stadium ... and before
baseball: Hall of Famer Hank
Briggs, its predecessor, Navin
Greenberg. This year will be
(
Field ... and before that,
the second Opening Day on
Hank
Bennett Park).
which their first Jewish manag-
Greenbe rg
We, the loyal fans of the
er, Brad Ausmus, who was also
Detroit Tigers, after a long,
manager of the Israeli National
cold Michigan winter, are eager for
Baseball Team, will lead the Tigers.
the first game of baseball, our first
So, forget all that stuff about the
stadium hot dog and, yes, our first
sun crossing the celestial equator and
overpriced beer. And we are prepared
the March equinox indicating it's the
to brave cold temperatures, gale force
first day of spring. You'll know it's
winds, driving rain and, in April in
spring around 1 p.m. on April 6 when
Michigan, the possibility of snow.
the sun passes over Comerica Park, the
No sacrifice is too great to be at the
Tigers starting pitcher throws his first
game. We may take a vacation day, we
ball and, for about three hours, all is
may skip school or we may just have to right in the world.
A
Igi
❑
18
April 2 • 2015
At The Ballpark
Enjoy a Tigers game the healthy way.
Vince McKinnon
Special to the Jewish News
M
any families will be head-
ing to Comerica Park to
watch the Detroit Tigers
on Opening Day. Going to a baseball
game is especially a treat with a variety
of salty and sweet food options. With
so many goodies to choose from, it's
important to keep your family's health
in mind while at the game.
Going to a game and indulging can
be a treat for many but, as you consume
the traditional favorites, keep in mind
that nachos alone can contain more
than 1,000 calories. Now add in a hot
dog, a soda, a large bag of peanuts and
a bag of cotton candy, that's more than
2,800 calories. Think about it, you've
easily topped the daily recommended
calorie intake before you even made it
to the seventh-inning stretch.
Here are some tips to enjoy the game
and keep the experience healthy for you
and your family.
Prepare Before You Go
You can do many things to keep a trip
to the ballgame a healthy one:
• Do not go to the game hungry. Feed
your family a sensible and well-bal-
anced meal before you head out.
• Drink plenty of water. Many times we
eat due to thirst, rather than hunger.
• Plan ahead. If you know your family
is going to eat at the game, make sure
you eat well beforehand and get in
exercise earlier in the day.
• Get active. Take the family on a couple
laps around the venue before you
settle in into your seat.
• Watch your portions. One of the
biggest causes of weight gain is due
to out-of-control serving sizes. For
example, 1/4 cup of peanuts is 1 serv-
ing; therefore, the bag of peanuts that
you purchase should be shared among
at least four people. The same thing
goes for popcorn. A single serving of
popcorn is three cups popped.
• A typical ballpark hot dog has just
under 300 calories after you add
ketchup, mustard and relish. This
is the equivalent of about 3 miles of
walking or running. Some choices
with fewer calories could be a slice
of cheese pizza, veggie pizza or a soft
pretzel. Typically, even a plain ham-
burger has fewer calories than a hot
dog.
• Stay away from fried food such as
French fries, onion rings and funnel
cakes. They are loaded with calories
and fat.
Comerica Park does have some
healthier options with fewer calo-
ries and some good nutrients.
Try a chicken fajita wrap, chicken
stir fry, veggie stir fry, soft tacos, grilled
chicken sandwich/wrap, gyros with
grilled vegetables or a salad with light
or fat-free dressing.
To help kids stay healthy during the
spring season, Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Michigan is calling all Michigan kids
to lace up their cleats and train like an
all-star. Michigan kids, ages 5-14, have
a chance to win an on-field experience
at the Detroit Tigers Kids' Opening Day
on Sunday, April 19, by completing
weekly wellness challenges. For more
information, visit AHealthierMichigan.
org/mikidscan .
❑
Make Healthy Decisions
Here are some things to consider when
you are choosing what to feed your
family while at the ballpark:
Vince McKinnon is wellness and engage-
ment center operations manager at Blue
Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.