Tigers Give Grand Goodbye

Al Kaline told Robert Fick to go out and make some history. Once he got his breath back, Fick did just that.

Fick's first career grand slam helped Detroit close Tiger Stadium with an 8-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

"It's the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me," Fick said.

Luis Polonia and Karim Garcia also homered for Detroit. Mark Quinn homered for the Royals.

"There was a lot of excitement definitely in the ballpark," Suppan said. "I think if we could play every game like that, with that much excitement, it'd be great."

Polonia gave Detroit a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the first to the delight of 43,356 fans gathered for the last game at the old ballyard. The Royals tied it when Quinn opened the second with a homer.

Damion Easley doubled and scored on Fick's sacrifice fly in the second. Joe Randa's RBI single made it 2-all in the third.

"Crowds like this excite players and it's good for the game," Randa said. "A crowd like this and this kind of excitement make you play to a higher level."

That was certainly true of Fick.

"I was really pumped up to play today's game," Fick said. "Mr. Kaline came up to me today and said to make history and hit one out of here in honor of Norm Cash's number 25."

Detroit's players all wore numbrs of Tigers who played through the years. The starters wore the numbers of the Tigers' all-time team. Center fielder Gabe Kapler wore a uniform without a number, honoring Ty Cobb the greatest Tiger of them all who played in an era before uniforms were numbered.

Fick, wearing the No. 25 of the late Cash, a Detroit favorite, hit his grand slam off Jeff Montgomery in the eighth with Easley, Garcia and Gabe Kapler on base.

"He threw me one right where I was looking," Fick said. "I was looking fastball all the way. I knew it was out from the moment I hit it. I hit it good."

Next season, the team will play in Comerica Park, a state-of-the art stadium about a mile away. But Monday was a time for remembrance.

AP

Robert Fick watches his first grand slam hit the roof of Tiger Stadium.

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