COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — For many Michiganders, the Detroit Tigers' home opener marks the transition from a brutal winter to spring. But for the Baxter family, Opening Day is all about family.
Dennis Baxter, co-owner of the West Michigan Whitecaps — the Tigers’ farm club — has been making the drive from Muskegon to Detroit for the home opener for about three decades.
“Seeing that green grass for the very first time, it's like, yeah, spring is coming. Baseball's here,” Dennis Baxter said.
I caught up with Dennis Baxter at LMCU before he made the trip. While baseball might be a business for him, the Motor City tradition is a family affair that started with his brothers, expanded to his children, and now includes his grandchildren.
“I'm going to keep going for as long as the Lord lets me,” Dennis Baxter said.
His daughter, Tara Baxter, has been attending the games for nearly two decades.
“I want to say between 15 and 20 years. Somebody couldn't go one year, yeah, and so I went. I got to take their place, and then I wouldn't give my ticket back up. I kept going,” Tara Baxter said.
Rachel Hrem, Dennis Baxter's other daughter, is now bringing the next generation to experience the excitement.
"We're super excited just to see the look on their face when he gets and 'GO, GO baseball'," Hrem said.
The Tigers' home opener offers a first taste of spring and a collective feeling of optimism.
“You can't help but feel the excitement. Like, even if you're not a baseball fan, you can't help but to love it,” Hrem said.
“I think that baseball brings people together, and it's just amazing to see everyone so excited for the same thing,” Tara Baxter said.
Ultimately, the opening game provides a reason to spend time with family and build memories that last a lifetime.
"When you ask somebody, 'Tell me about your first game experience,' it almost always starts with, 'Well, my mom took me to the game,' or 'My grandfather took me to a game,' and it always starts with a family experience, and then it carries through from that," Dennis Baxter said.
For a look at the Tigers' schedule for the rest of the season, check out this link.
Remember, if you have an antenna, you can watch today's game on Antenna TV, channel 17.2.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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