Educator rocks out to save part of Tiger Stadium

A local rock band that has been entertaining for the past few years in local lounges will join the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy and Nemo's Lounge on Michigan Avenue tonight to help promote a movement to save a portion of Tiger Stadium.

The Shy and the conservation group are calling the shindig the stadium's official going away party.

Robert Livernois, the superintendent of Warren Consolidated Public Schools who plays bass for The Shy, said all Tiger Stadium lovers are invited to the party.

The largest part of the stadium already has been demolished, according to Rod Nelson, the conservation group's administrator.

The Shy, made up of Mike Sackey of Warren, Larry Decker and Livernois, will entertain at Nemo's following tonight's game at Comerica Park between the last-place Detroit Tigers and playoff-bound Tampa Rays.

The Shy has a video about Tiger Stadium on YouTube, according to Livernois, who previously served as superintendent and high school principal in neighboring Warren Woods Public Schools.

In its first week on YouTube the video and the song "Someone to Hold" had over 1,000 hits. The Shy's song became a featured song on WCSX-FM (94.7) this past summer.

"All three of us grew up with Tiger Stadium and we're big baseball fans," said Livernois. "Our video really grew during the summer and we were contacted by the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy to help them keep a portion of the stadium alive."

Livernois said when The Shy recorded "Someone to Hold," the Tigers were only a handful of games out of first place.

"A few months ago we were hoping the Tigers would be in contention this weekend," Livernois said.

Tiger Stadium has had several names. It originally was Bennett Park (built in 1896) and then Navin Field. The stadium took on the name of Briggs Stadium when it was purchased by Walter Briggs.

Nelson, who moved to Detroit this summer from Cleveland, said the Old Stadium Conservancy is a nonprofit organization put together for the historic preservation of old ball parks.

He said the group has just taken a bite of a $15 million project.

"In New York, they just played the last games at Yankee and Shea stadiums and both stadiums will be completely leveled," Nelson said. "In New York there hasn't been an outpouring of support like here in Detroit."

Nelson, who lives in Detroit, said he is working with the City of Detroit and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp to take possession of Tiger Stadium. U.S. Rep. Sander Levin has asked the federal government for a $4 million grant for the park in Corktown to help preserve the park.

Once completed, the baseball field will be used for high school and federation baseball games. Nelson wants to see a baseball heritage learning center built inside the stadium there along with collections from the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and the Ernie Harwell Collection.