DETROIT – A greatly enhanced fan experience was in store for the capacity crowd at Comerica Park on Opening Day 2024, presented by Rocket Mortgage, on April 5 against the Oakland Athletics. Fans felt the energy of the new videoboard and state-of-the-art upgrades to the sound system and new HD televisions throughout the ballpark.

Tigers fans showed their excitement and anticipation for the 2024 Tigers season, with a crowded stadium, winning 5-4.

One of the memorable traditions on Opening Day was the individual introductions of the Tigers players, manager, coaches and support staff.

Grace West, a Canton, Michigan native who earned a spot in the finale of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2023, performed the National Anthem on Opening Day, capping off an unforgettable pregame ceremony. West’s performance was followed by a flyover featuring an A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” aircraft from the 107th Fighter Squadron, and part of the 127th Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Fans in attendance and watching on Bally Sports Detroit were excited to see the ceremonial first pitch, with Detroit Lions’ offensive tackle Penei Sewell helping the Tigers open the home season in style. Fans also enjoyed hearing the infamous “Play Ball!” call from a special guest.

“Detroit’s Biggest Party” started early with the 2024 Tigers Opening Day Tailgate Party, hosted by Miller Lite and Bally Sports Detroit, at Grand Circus Park. During the free tailgate from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., fans enjoyed beer, DJ’s, food trucks, photo opportunities, giveaways, baseball-themed games and activities and a live stream of the Tigers game.

The Tigers are currently in second place at 6-3, trailing behind the Cleveland Gardians.

By Dr. John Telford

SUN COLUMNIST

As the outdoor track & field season of 2024 commences in this month of April all across the Western Hemisphere, my thoughts return nostalgically to my record-breaking track days throughout the 1950s at Detroit Northwestern and Denby high schools, later as an NCAA and NAAU All-American sprinter on an athletic scholarship at WSU when I outran the reigning Olympic 400-meter champion three times at the challengingly tough quarter-mile distance, and when I was undefeated at 200 and 400 meters on the United States track team racing during sultry European summer evenings against some extremely swift HOMBRES who were the champions of their countries. One of the swiftest was the promising young Italian champion Giovanni Scavo (see our post-race photo taken with Scavo and my U.S. teammate Lang Stanley of San Jose State and the Southern California Striders). i wrote the following poem--'Ode to Giovanni Scavo'--about that very hard and close race:

In late June of 1988, many years after that race, I was vacationing in Cancun with my wife and daughter, and we were seated at a dinner floor show with an Italian gentleman younger than me and his wife and daughters. He had been in the 1957 crowd when I raced against Scavo, and he had kept a scrapbook on him. When I showed him my identification (driver's license), he insisted on paying for our drinks and our dinners. Back in early August of 1957 in Detroit when I had arrived home from the European track tour, I read in the newspaper of the great Giovanni Scavo's death. In September of 1957, the mailman delivered Gio's late-coming letter to me: it was like getting a letter from a ghost.

Pronunciation - *RAY-YOU-nee-OH-nay EEN-tair-NATCH-ee-oh-NAH-lay (**400 meters) ***ain-FON-tay EEL-tair-EE-blay ****COMM-pay-OH-nay

Dr. John Telford teaches his poetry in--and is a former superintendent of--the Detroit Public Schools. Read his monthly 'Poet's Corner' column in the 'Dpwntown Monitor.'

Telford Telescope: Remembering Giovanni Scavo

Tigers nibble on Oakland Athletics

to carve out opening day win