Hamtramck Stadium Gets Historic Designation

HAMTRAMCK (WWJ) - During the Great Depression, it hosted the Detroit Stars Negro League baseball team -- and now it's on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hamtramck Stadium, just north of General Motors' Detroit-Hamtramck plant, was placed on the National Registration on July 31.  The field hosted the Detroit Stars baseball team during the Great Depression, and is now one of the nation's last Negro League ballparks still standing.

Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski said the push for the designation began after learning of the park's significance to the Negro Leagues.

"We had wondered for years what would be a good use for that stadium, but we didn't have the research, the historical research … that proved its connection to the Negro Leagues or to really back up what we thought was probably an important historical gem in Hamtramck," said Majewski.  "… I believe there are only a handful of these Negro League stadiums that have survived and very few of them survived as intact as ours is."

The park has set idle for the past 20 years, but Majewski said she'd like to see sports played there once again, even though funding to restore the park is still needed.

"It could be used for historical baseball games or modern baseball games," said Majewski.  "… It could be used for cricket, which is a big sport among our Bengali young people here.  It'll be used for music."

Majewski said she's hoping someone will come forward with the money to complete the restoration.