History
Businessman John Roesink built the park in Hamtramck after a 1929 fire at Mack Park, the Detroit Stars' previous home. It opened in May 1930 and hosted the deciding games of that year's Negro National League championship.
The Stars, the 1932 Detroit Wolves and later Stars clubs played here into the 1930s. The city took over the park in 1940, and it was later used by Little League and high school teams.
The stadium was listed on the National Register in 2012. A restoration funded with about $2.6 million was completed, and the park was rededicated in June 2022.
Why it matters: It is one of the few Negro league ballparks still standing, and at least 16 future Hall of Famers played here.
Timeline
- July 7, 1929
A fire at the Stars' previous park prompted owner John Roesink to build a new one.
- 1930NNL championship series[1]
Deciding games of the 1930 Negro National League championship were played here.
- May 1930
The park opened; Ty Cobb threw out the first pitch.
- 1940City ownership[1]
The City of Hamtramck acquired the stadium; a WPA renovation followed in 1941.
- July 31, 2012
The stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- June 20, 2022Rededication[1]
The restored stadium was rededicated as part of a Juneteenth celebration.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
|---|---|
| Current use | Restored community ballpark in a city park; rededicated in June 2022[1] |
| Surviving remnants | The grandstand still stands (reduced in 1970s renovations); Michigan historical marker dedicated 2014[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Detroit Stars | Negro National League · 1930–1931 |
|---|---|
| Detroit Wolves | East-West League · 1932 |
| Detroit Stars | Negro National League · 1933–1937 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Norman "Turkey" Stearnes Field (2020); Roesink Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | 3201 Dan St., in Veterans Park, Hamtramck, Michigan[1,2] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football |
| Level | Negro Leagues |
| Opened | May 1930[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | 1937[1] |
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
| Original capacity | 9,000[1] |
| Final capacity | 1,500[1] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia: about 8,000 in the grandstand plus 1,000 in bleachers originally; about 1,500 today after grandstand reductions in the 1970s. |
| Construction cost | About $100,000 (1930), per Wikipedia[1] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Owner / operator | John Roesink (builder); City of Hamtramck from 1940 |
| Closure | Negro league use ended with the collapse of Detroit's clubs in the 1930s. |
Documented details
Sources
- Hamtramck Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, events, opened, remnants, teams
- Hamtramck Stadium, National Park Service. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, events, opened, remnants, teams
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- NPS says the Stars disbanded in 1931; Wikipedia lists Detroit Stars clubs in 1933 and 1937.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.