For the Home Team

Root, Root, Root for the Home Team By Donald L. Dereadt Image of Detroit’s Briggs Stadium in 1942, by photographer John Vachon for the Office of War Information. uring the summer of 1954, my dad came home professional baseball game—my first. from work with a surprise. “What is it?” I anxiously The Tigers hadn’t fared well against the Yankees that asked. season. In mid-May, they’d lost all three home games to He pulled an envelope out of his pocket, opened it, and the Bronx Bombers by two runs each. But it didn’t matter hesitated a moment for dramatic effect. Then, in a voice to me; I knew we had a team that was just as good, if not loud enough for my mother to hear in the basement, better. where she was doing laundry, he said, “I have two tickets The next day—June 22—was the biggest day of my life to the Detroit Tigers’ game tomorrow. They’re playing the to that point, and I took in everything that was going on Yankees, and we are going.” around me. I reveled at the stadium vendors, the souvenir I can remember the delight I felt when he showed me salesmen, and the fans singing, “Take Me Out to the Ball the tickets. I must have studied them, front and back, for Game.” My senses were at their height, and the smell of five minutes, or at least it seemed that long. “Dad, where peanuts, popcorn, and hot dogs smothered in mustard and did you get them?” I asked. He replied, “It doesn’t matter. relish tantalized me even more. I was in heaven. What’s important is that we are going.” The game started at 2:30 p.m. with a blue sky dotted He was right. I tried not to worry about it, even though with white, billowing clouds. It was a perfect day for the I had overheard my parents talking about Dad not clearing more than 9,000 fans attending the game. I sat on the edge much money at his employer: the Packard plant. When of my seat wearing my baseball glove, eagerly hoping to he did save a little extra money, he took me to places he catch a foul ball. could afford: like the corner soda fountain for a malted The first couple innings were exciting, but uneventful. milkshake (strawberry being my favorite). However, this Both sides were hitting, but no one was scoring. Then, time he outdid himself. This time, he was taking me to a in the bottom of the third, things began to click for us. I 12 | MICHIGAN HISTORY remember the time | didn’t have a scorecard, but I knew every player by his jersey players walked off the field, the crowd rose to their feet number and from my baseball cards. First, Red Wilson cheering and applauding for the home team. I wasn’t tall singled to the shortstop; this was followed by a Yankee balk, enough to see above the adults, but that didn’t stop me which moved him to second base. Next, Steve Gromek kept from cheering along with them. As people rushed out of things rolling with a successful bunt, putting him on first their seats to leave, I asked my father if any players were and Wilson on third. The crowd was getting noisy, and so available to sign autographs. Unfortunately, none were. But I got over it. I watched my Tigers win a home game against the Yankees, and for me that atoned for the home games they had lost in May. I went to bed that night and placed my baseball glove on my bedroom dresser as I always did. Only this night was special. My glove, embossed with the words “Genuine Cowhide, Pro Model,” seemed to glow as the moonlight came through my bedroom window. I couldn’t wait until morning to grab my glove and run down to the nearest park to practice and play my next game. I never had an opportunity to attend another Tigers’ game in my youth. The best I could do was to collect their trading cards and swap for better ones as the careers of my heroes skyrocketed. As time went on, not getting Above: Briggs Stadium postcard, courtesy of CardCow.com. Below: The an autograph faded from my memory because I had author with Tiger great Al Kaline in 2008. something just as good. I had the ticket stub from the game in a scrapbook, sitting on my dresser as testimony that I was I. Then, Frank Bolling singled and Wilson scored, with was there the day the Tigers beat the Yankees. Gromek moving to second. The Yankees pitcher balked Both the ticket stub and my scrapbook are long gone. again, advancing Gromek to third. Ray Boone came to bat But my childhood dream of getting an autograph was By Donald L. Dereadt and singled to right field, driving Gromek in for another fulfilled when Al Kaline came to an auto dealership in run. By the end of the inning, we were leading by two runs Washington Township in 2008 to sign autographs. On on four hits. that special day, During the sixth inning, the excitement began to get I ran out and to me. I needed another soft drink and popcorn, which purchased a my father bought from the roving vendor. I shoveled the baseball imprinted popcorn into my mouth while concentrating intently on with an Old the game. English “D” and In the bottom of the seventh inning, Bob Nieman waited in line with walked and Ray Boone advanced him with a base hit. With throngs of other Nieman positioned at second base, Walt Dropo—our first fans. When I got baseman—hit a driving single to left field, which brought to the head of the Nieman home. Boone was sitting at second, and we were line, I mentioned leading 3 to 0. the June 22, 1954 The crowd rose to its feet when Bill Tuttle smashed a game where I saw him and the rest of the Tigers defeat solid hit to left field, enabling Boone to score. It seemed the Yanks, and I thanked him for being such a positive like there was no stopping us. By the time the inning role model. He smiled, shook my hand, and thanked ended, we were ahead 4 to 0. The crowd was ecstatic and me for being a fan. He was very gracious and agreed to so was I. have his picture taken with me. Today, when I look at the The only threat to Detroit came in the eighth inning. autographed ball and the image of us together, I know, That’s when Yankee Joe Collins singled to center field and without a doubt, it was worth the 54-year wait. Mickey Mantle doubled into right. Yogi Berra followed them with a sacrifice fly that enabled Collins to score. Retired Air Force Officer Donald L. Dereadt was born When the inning was over, Detroit led 4 to 1 and that’s the in Detroit and currently resides in Shelby Township. He way it stayed. enjoys writing about his life experiences, and has had articles I didn’t want the game to end, but sadly it did. As the published in Reader’s Digest and Reunions magazine. JULY/AUGUST 2012 | 13.

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