Historic Hamtramck Stadium opened in 1930 as the home to Detroit’s Negro League franchise, the Detroit Stars, which it hosted in many iterations through the team’s 1954 minor-league turn in the Negro American League. When the league folded at the end of the 1954 season, the Negro League era ended. Over the next few decades, Hamtramck Stadium was absorbed into a city park and used by local high school teams and Little League players, but eventually fell into disrepair.

Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium formed in 2012 to protect and restore the site, one of only five Negro League baseball stadiums still standing. That same year, they successfully registered the stadium as a Michigan Historic Site, and it was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Friends began raising funds to restore the stadium and have now raised well over $3 million toward the effort. The field was restored first. It was officially renamed Turkey Stearnes Field at Historic Hamtramck Stadium in 2020, after the famed Detroit Stars outfielder. The restoration of the historic grandstand was completed this June.

Partnership Toward Preservation

After a successful multi-year affiliation, the Detroit Historical Society and the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium decided to make their association permanent in 2021. Beginning in 2022, the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium will be a Detroit Historical Society affinity group. As an affinity group, the Friends will receive administrative, marketing and fiscal support from the Detroit Historical Society. Members of the Society will be able to support the Friends directly by adding a FHHS affinity group membership to annual Membership donations.

Enjoy Upcoming Events

Since restoration of the field, Historic Hamtramck Stadium has been the site of a number of public events, tours and sports clinics, including a nationally publicized Sandlot game attended by Jack White in 2019.

Mark your calendar for two exciting events this summer. On Monday, June 20, 2022 at 1 p.m., Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium will host a Negro Leagues Tribute Game honoring Coach Ron Teasley, in celebration of the national Juneteenth holiday. On Friday, July 17, 2022, the stadium will be the site of Major League Baseball’s Play Ball event hosted by the Detroit Tigers and Major League Baseball. Learn more here.

Become a Member

To join the Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium affinity group and see all of our membership options, click here.

New Affinity Group for a Historic Stadium

Partnership Toward Preservation

Enjoy Upcoming Events

Become a Member

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