aka Briggs Stadium
Year opened: 1912
Capacity: 52,416
Names:
Navin Field, 1912-37
Briggs Stadium, 1938-60
Tiger Stadium, 1960-2008
Pro football tenants:
Detroit Tigers (APFA), 1921
Detroit Tigers/Panthers (NFL), 1925-26
Detroit Lions (NFL), 1938-74
Postseason games hosted:
NFL National Conf. playoff, Lions 31 Rams 21, Dec. 21, 1952
NFL Championship, Lions 17 Browns 16, Dec. 27, 1953
NFL Championship, Lions 59 Browns 14, Dec. 29, 1957
Other tenants of note:
Detroit Tigers (MLB – AL), 1912-99
Detroit Cougars (NPSL/NASL), 1967-68
Notes: Lions split home games between Briggs Stadium and Univ. of Detroit’s Titan Stadium in 1938 and ’39. Hosted one home game of NFL Cleveland Bulldogs in 1927. Hosted Little League baseball games, 2002. Stadium replaced an earlier ballpark, Bennett Field, which had stood on the same spot but was significantly smaller. Originally named for Frank Navin, long-time president of the Tigers, and was renamed for owner Walter O. Briggs after he gained a controlling interest in the franchise.
Fate: Demolished in 2008-09 after efforts to preserve the structure failed.
