Downtown Detroit was alive with excitement Friday as hundreds of thousands of fans gathered to watch the Tigers defeat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 on Opening Day at Comerica Park.
While the game kicked off at 1:10 p.m., people from all over Michigan and beyond arrived early for pregame festivities in and around Comerica Park, decked out in Tigers gear.
The city of Detroit estimated that about 200,000 people would be in downtown Detroit for the Friday event.
For many, Opening Day is more than just the start of the baseball season — it’s a tradition that brings loved ones together each year to create new memories.
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Lucky No. 44
“Go Tigers!” shouted Jerry Taylor, 38, a Detroit sports fan and father of three.
The Taylor family of St. Clair Shores has been attending the game and tailgating at a parking lot on Elizabeth and Witherell streets, just outside the ballpark, for years.
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“We’ve been coming down with the kids since 2021,” said Jerry’s wife, 36-year-old Megan Taylor. “Our son was born on April 4, 2019, at 9:44 p.m., in room 744. So as we were relaxing with our newborn baby, watching the Tigers’ opening game rerun, we decided maybe we should look and see if the Tigers have a player who’s No. 44, and they did. Daniel Norris was the pitcher at the time, so we decided to name him Sullivan Norris Taylor.”
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Megan says they have since created fond memories with family and friends during this annual celebration.
“The Tigers have always been fun to watch, even in the years that weren’t as exciting,” she said, adding that one of her favorite memories was when Miguel Cabrera hit a home run during a snowstorm in 2021.
Marc Metzger, 64, of Franklin, has been a Detroit Tigers fan and season ticket holder for 42 years, he said. Each year, he tailgates at the same lot as the Taylor family.
“We have a whole setup — everything from sea bass to lobster to lamb chops to ribs to sushi to mac and cheese, you name it. We have the food,” Metzger said. “Opening Day is a tradition in the city of Detroit. It represents true 313 pride.”
His brother, Daniel Metzger, flies out to Detroit from Dallas every year to attend the Tigers’ Opening Day game. The siblings have maintained their loyalty to the team through winning and losing seasons.
“I had season tickets when they were at Tiger Stadium, way before Comerica Park,” Marc said. “I even have memorabilia from the Tiger Stadium in my work office, including a pair of old bleacher seats; they were selling them way back when.”
The Hortons represent
While tailgating brought fans together outside Comerica Park, the fun continued inside the ballpark.
Former legendary Detroit Tigers player and team ambassador Willie Horton’s daughter, son, and daughter-in-law sat together in the stadium to watch the game on Friday, just as they have for the past 50 years.
“It’s a family tradition. We come to every Opening Day,” said Pamela Horton, of Bloomfield, Willie’s daughter. “There’s no Opening Day like the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day. I got friends all over the country, and there’s no comparison to ours.”
Her brother, Deryl Horton, echoed that sentiment.
“I’ve been to other Opening Days in Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia — and it’s just not the same,” Deryl said. “It’s the aura of the fans, the excitement, the aroma; we have it all in Detroit.”
The Hortons, like many Tigers fans, know that supporting their teams goes beyond just the game itself.
“Our fans are amazing. Win, lose or draw, we are in it. We’re not fair-weather fans,” Pamela said. “Whether it’s the Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, Lions — we are in it.”
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Fans bring flair to the stands
A group of friends decked out in matching Detroit Tigers overalls, cat ears, and mitts, could barely go a few minutes without other fans stopping to compliment their outfits.
Lauren Schucher, 41, Mena Johnson, 45, Suzi A., 43, and Katie Grant, 40, said they have been consistently attending Opening Day at Comerica Park for over 20 years now.
The beloved annual event “opens up Detroit for that summer fun season, and all of the brunches and bar hopping and all the fun stuff that everybody wants to come down and do in Detroit,” Schucher, of Dearborn, said. “It’s kind of like the grand opening. It sets the tone for the summer.”
Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information and photos.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers Opening Day 2025: Fans flock to downtown Detroit for game day festivities
Reporting by Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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