[T206Jim]

I recently uncovered the backstory on one of my favorite postcards. This colorized postcard of the Tigers on opening day has usually been dated to circa 1908, notice the SGC designation on my copy and in the description for several copies of this postcard sold by major AHs.

I can now definitively state the postcard depicts the flag raising on Opening Day 1912 for Navin Field (later became Tiger Stadium). Below is the actual photo used for the postcard from The Detroit News archives with the caption explaining exactly what is depicted. You can see Cobb just to the left of the man in black and Crawford just to the left of the flagpole.

The caption states "Play ball! April 20, 1912 The Tigers watch as the American Flag is raised for the first time during Navin Field opening festivities. An overflow crowd of 24,384 watched the Tigers rally past Cleveland 6-5 in 11 innings. Ty Cobb was his usual aggressive self with a steal of home after his first at bat. Much of the attention in the newspaper the next day was diverted by one of the world's most famous disasters......The sinking of the TITANIC."

Navin Field opened on the same day as Fenway Park. The massive flagpole depicted was actually in the field of play and was the tallest obstacle ever on a major league field. Note how the artist filled the stands with spectators and put leaves on the trees and that the photo was snapped a split second before or after the postcard image as reflected by the fact the flag has moved slightly, the players such as Crawford have shifted and the man in black has his arm a little lower. A truly momentous day, Tiger Stadium and Fenway Park opening and the Titantic tragedy! To me, all this makes this postcard much more interesting than a circa 1908 date.