Free Autograph Signings in The District Detroit, and New Summer TigerFest to Provide Access, New Experiences and Family Fun

Get ready, Tigers fans! The Detroit Tigers, including over 30 players, coaches, executives and broadcasters, are visiting fans and communities throughout the state, participating in the annual Winter Caravan from Jan. 22–24.  Also, as a thank you to fans, the team will be offering free player autograph signings at locations throughout The District Detroit on Jan. 25.

One of the widest-reaching campaigns of its kind across professional sports, the Detroit Tigers Winter Caravan annually visits schools, first responders, community groups, museums and civic events throughout the state. In addition, the Caravan will again visit the fans of Tigers’ Minor League affiliates in Toledo and Grand Rapids.

This year’s Winter Caravan includes more than 20 stops in metro Detroit and beyond, and focuses on some of our most important fans: kids in the community. There will be youth-oriented interactive programs, activities and games at many locations along the caravan route. It’s anticipated that more than 5,000 tickets will be distributed by the Caravan for this season to children and their families.

Finally, based on fan feedback, the ever-popular TigerFest is moving to the summer, leveraging the gorgeous summer weather of Detroit and opening the ballpark to an entire new range of activities and all-access experiences for fans and families.

Learn more about the Winter Caravan at DetroitTigers.com.

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The Salvation Army has long been one of the most recognized, compassionate and impactful charitable organizations in the country, serving over 20 million Americans in need annually. They also support a host of community programs that inspire and uplift people of all ages.  

During the 14^th annual Red Wings for Red Kettles this month, the team worked alongside The Salvation Army to ensure kids from Detroit and the region have a safe place to come together, be active and learn the game of hockey.

At four locations across metro Detroit, fans had the opportunity to donate at Salvation Army Red Kettles, personally manned by Red Wings players and hockey operations staff.

With proceeds benefiting The Salvation Army and their STRIVE Floor Hockey Program, donors also had the opportunity to take home autographed items or photos with players for a $10 suggested donation. STRIVE (Student Training for Integrity, Vitality & Education) supports the growth of floor hockey in local communities, teaching kids the basics of hockey before hitting the ice. The program begins in late-winter at recreation centers across the region, and includes teams like the Detroit Temple Titans, who play in the city of Detroit just a few miles from Little Caesars Arena.

Experience this impactful program in the video below.

Last year alone, the Red Wings raised more than $14,000 in just two hours. Join us this holiday season in supporting a great tradition and cause.

Visit DetroitRedWings.com to learn more about The Salvation Army’s STRIVE Floor Hockey Program.

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Service. Pride. Commitment. First responders make incredible sacrifices to keep our community safe and secure. They humbly put their lives on the line to serve and protect, representing the best of the best in this city.

Paying homage, the Detroit Red Wings and fans honored first responders from local communities across metro Detroit with “Hometown Heroes Night” at Little Caesars Area. Members of the Detroit Fire Department, Police Department and EMS were warmly and enthusiastically applauded for their remarkable service and dedication to the community. The event attracted first responders from throughout the region and state to be recognized.

For head coach Jeff Blashill, it’s personal. His father was a Detroit Police officer from 1965–’75. Before and after games, Blashill makes time to meet one-on-one with law enforcement officers to show his appreciation for their vital service to the community.

“Law enforcement has been a big part of our family,” says Blashill. “It was really important to me to have that opportunity to bring in people in law enforcement and simply say, ‘thank you.’”

Learn more about how the Detroit Red Wings engage with and give back to the community at DetroitRedWings.com.

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The Detroit Tigers have agreed to terms with infielders Jonathan Schoop and C.J. Cron on one-year Major League contracts.

“Adding Jonathan and C.J. is a step towards accomplishing our offseason goal of making the ballclub better heading into the 2020 season,” said Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, Al Avila. “We’re excited to have them join our organization, and we expect both players will inject significant power to our lineup. Defensively, C.J. will provide stability at first base, while Jonathan will lead the middle of our infield.”

Jonathan Schoop

Schoop, 28, played in 121 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2019, hitting .256/.304/.473 with 23 doubles, one triple, 23 home runs and 59 RBI. He hit 22 home runs as a second baseman, which was the fourth-highest total in all of baseball, while he ranked third with a .478 slugging percentage. The 6-1, 225-pound infielder had five multi-homer games during the season, which was tied for the second most by a second baseman in baseball history, trailing only Chase Utley, who had seven with Philadelphia in 2006.

An American League All-Star in 2017, Schoop has played parts of seven seasons at the Major League level with the Baltimore Orioles (2009-18), Milwaukee Brewers (2018) and the Twins (2019), hitting .257/.295/.449 with 153 doubles, three triples, 133 home runs and 392 RBI. He finished 12^th in AL Most Valuable Player voting in 2017, and has been named AL Player of the Week twice in his career, earning the honor in July 2018 and July 2017. Schoop has appeared for team Netherlands in three World Baseball Classics, appearing in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

A native of Willemstad, Curaçao, Schoop was originally signed by the Baltimore Orioles as a non-drafted free agent in 2008.  He has a daughter, Jae’Lyane Isabelle, and a son, Jae’Lan Elijah. Schoop, who played on the Little League World Series championship team for Willemstad, Curaçao in 2004, is one of 15 players from Curaçao to play Major League Baseball.

C.J. Cron

Cron, 29, appeared in 125 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2019, batting .253/.311/.469 with 24 doubles, 25 home runs and a career-high 78 RBI. Cron’s 25 home runs marked the second straight season that he has hit 25-or-more homers after belting 30 homers in 2018 with Tampa Bay. The 6-4, 235-pound first baseman excelled against lefthanded pitchers last season, hitting .326/.385/.636 with seven doubles, 11 home runs and 31 RBI vs. southpaws.

Cron has played parts of six seasons in the Majors with the Los Angeles Angels (2014-17), Tampa Bay Rays (2018) and Twins (2019), hitting .258/.311/.462 with 120 doubles, six triples, 114 home runs and 365 RBI in 673 games. Cron was a member of the United States team in the 2013 Futures Game.

A native of Fullerton, CA, Cron was selected by the Angels in the first round (17^th overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft. His father, Chris, played briefly in the Majors with the Angels (1991) and Chicago White Sox (1992) and was the manager for Double A Erie from 2011-13, while his brother, Kevin, is a first baseman in the Diamondbacks organization and made his Major League debut in 2019.

A corresponding 40-man roster move will be announced later.

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Detroit Tigers legend Lou Whitaker will hold a permanent place of honor at Comerica Park. The team announced Tuesday that they’ll retire Whitaker’s number 1 next season. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, Aug. 29, prior to a game against the Red Sox. He’ll become the 10th player to have his name and number on the outfield wall at Comerica Park.

A perennial fan favorite, one of the greatest to ever wear the Olde English “D,” and a key member of the iconic ’84 World Series champs, Lou Whitaker will hold a permanent place of honor at Comerica Park.

The team announced today that they’ll retire Whitaker’s number 1 next season during a ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 29. Whitaker will become just the 10th player to have his name and number on the outfield wall at Comerica Park.

“The Detroit Tigers are one of the most storied franchises in the history of America’s pastime,” said Detroit Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch. “Tradition. History. Championships. Generations of fans have supported this baseball team with pride and passion — as countless all-time Tiger greats have taken the field. What a thrill it was to watch Lou Whitaker grace the diamond for nearly two decades — a gifted talent in this glorious game. Without question, ‘Sweet Lou’ is one of the greatest players to ever wear the Olde English ‘D.’ His hustle. His grit. His dedication. On behalf of Tigers fans everywhere, it was a tremendous honor to call Lou a short time ago to inform him that the Tigers are retiring his iconic #1 at Comerica Park during the 2020 season — where his name and number will occupy hallowed space alongside his longtime partner up the middle — Alan Trammell.”

Widely respected throughout the game, Whitaker played for the Detroit Tigers from 1977–1995.

“There aren’t a whole lot of words that could describe how I’m feeling right now – but surreal might be the closest one. It was the honor of my life to wear the Olde English ‘D’ for all 19 years of my career and share the diamond with so many talented ballplayers along the way. I’d like to thank the Ilitch family and the ballclub’s leadership for bestowing this honor on me, and I’m already looking forward to celebrating with all the great Tigers fans at Comerica Park next August!”

Longtime friend and fellow Tiger Alan Trammell enthusiastically weighed in on the historic announcement with the following heartfelt message.

To learn more about the ceremony and purchase tickets, visit Tigers.com/Lou.

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In a city with a proud and storied musical heritage, passionate concertgoers in metro Detroit and beyond have helped propel the region’s world-class venues — DTE Energy Music Theatre, Little Caesars Arena and the Fox Theatre — to national and global renown. The concert venues, booked and promoted by 313 Presents, were each ranked among the top six nationwide for the second consecutive year for their respective categories in Pollstar’s 2019 Year-End Rankings.

• Highly acclaimed DTE Energy Music Theatre topped the Pollstar chart for Top 100 Amphitheatres in the world for the first time since 2010. The amphitheatre’s diverse and dynamic 2019 schedule was highlighted by four multiple-date performers, the most since 2004.

• In the heart of downtown, Little Caesars Arena, which also serves as home to the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons, moved up a spot to number two in the U.S. for Top 200, behind only Madison Square Garden in New York City.

• The historic Fox Theatre, which placed sixth nationally and seventh globally, is currently nominated for Pollstar Theatre of the Year, with the winner to be announced at the 31st Annual Pollstar Awards in Los Angeles in February.

“We’re extremely grateful to the million-plus patrons from Metro Detroit and around the world who came to enjoy an incredible slate of live entertainment at our iconic venues this year,” said Howard Handler, President of 313 Presents. “We work relentlessly to support the diverse musical and entertainment interests of the people in the region.  We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to our partners at Live Nation along with other national and local promoters, for helping us provide the very best in diverse, world-class, live entertainment experiences, bringing extraordinary enthusiasm and excitement to Metro Detroit and benefiting our community.”

In just over two years, Little Caesars Arena has become one of the most visited arenas in the nation with already more than 5 million tickets sold across all events.

“As the newest addition to the 313 family of venues, we are particularly proud of Little Caesars Arena as the centerpiece of the District Detroit,” said Keith Bradford, senior vice president of Olympia Development. “The continued success of the arena as well as the historic Fox Theatre is going to further enable positive development in the area with new office, retail, and residential continuing to make it an attractive area to live work and play.”

To learn more about 313 Presents and upcoming events, we invite you to visit 313Presents.com.

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The Detroit Tigers have agreed to terms with catcher Austin Romine on a one-year Major League contract.

“Signing an experienced catcher was high on our list of offseason priorities, and we believe Austin will have an impact both on the field and in the clubhouse,” said Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, Al Avila. “He’s a proven leader and game caller who has earned respect around the league for the tenacious and passionate manner in which he plays the game.”

“When talking with the Tigers, it was clear that we were going to be a great fit,” said Tigers catcher Austin Romine. “I’m looking forward to meeting my teammates and the coaches in Detroit next month, and for all of us to get back to playing baseball with spring training right around the corner. Detroit is a great baseball town, and I’m excited for what the 2020 season has in store!”

Romine, 31, played in 73 games with the New York Yankees in 2019. He established career highs in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and hits, while tying his career high in doubles.

Originally drafted by the Yankees in the second round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Romine has played parts of eight seasons in the Majors. He was named the Yankees nominee for the 2018 Heart and Hustle Award, presented annually by the MLB Players Alumni Association to recognize one Major Leaguer from each team who demonstrates a passion for baseball and embodies the values, spirit and tradition of the game.

A native of Lake Forest, Calif., Romine and his wife, Alexandria, have two sons, Benjamin and Henry and a daughter, Kinley. Romine’s father, Kevin, was a former Major League outfielder, appearing in 331 games over parts of seven seasons with Boston from 1985-91, while his brother, Andrew, has played nine big league seasons, including with the Tigers from 2014-17.

With the signing of Romine, the Tigers 40-man roster is now at 39.

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The Detroit Tigers today selected righthanded pitcher Rony Garcia from the New York Yankees with the No. 1 pick of the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Garcia, 21, split the 2019 season between Single A Tampa and Double A Trenton. He was twice named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week in 2019, first for the week ending July 14 after throwing 8.0 shutout innings with four hits allowed and eight strikeouts on July 12 at Reading.

A native of Mao, Dominican Republic, Garcia was originally signed by the Yankees as an international free agent.

With the selection of Garcia, the Tigers 40-man roster is now at 38.

In collaboration with city leaders, Olympia Development is contributing two parcels of land to the city to be developed as open and accessible community park space for the people of Detroit. These lower Midtown and Brush Park parcels, located on Fourth Street near Charlotte and on Watson near John R. respectively, will allow the city of Detroit to further expand its vision for increasing open and attractive green space to support new residential development.

The land is being given to the city in exchange for an extension of Olympia Development’s current development agreement for a small parcel on Henry Street at Woodward Avenue through September 12, 2022. “As we continue to carefully consider the possibilities and potential for the Henry Street development, one which will ultimately bring new jobs and opportunities for Detroiters, we are excited to contribute these two parcels of land in order to help build and expand publicly accessible open and green space for the residents of Detroit,” said Keith Bradford, senior vice president, Olympia Development. “There is tremendous potential to bring a dynamic and high-demand development to Brush Park and lower Midtown.”

The move comes on the heels of a series of recent announced plans by Olympia Development, including the addition of Spaces – an open concept work space – in the former Women’s City Club building, Boston Consulting Group coming to the new development at 2715 Woodward, and several new restaurants and retail destinations on Columbia Street.

“Receiving these two strategically located parcels will give us the final land we need to improve and expand two major parks in areas of the city that are seeing significant residential growth,” said Brad Dick, general services director, Parks & Recreation, City of Detroit. “This is a great example of partnership between developers and the city that directly benefits our residents.”

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