This Pistons' tribute at the Marathon Oil Refinery actually sits in Melvindale just outside the city boundaries, but it's still one of the coolest Detroit sports tributes around town.
Marathon turned this huge sludge vessel (that's really what is stored in there) into a Pistons homage after Chauncey, Rip, Ben and the guys won the championship in 2004. For a few years, the ball also celebrated the Shock on one side, but that was painted over when the team left town. (Pause for a moment of mourning.) Thanks to Marathon, there's no disputing the Pistons love that lives Downriver, even if driving to the Palace to see a game is too much of a pain.
And one more interesting sidebar: Longtime Detroit-to-Downriver travelers might recall when this same tank featured the stitching of a baseball and served as a Detroit Tigers' tribute. How long ago was that? Well, we believe the ball also featured a WJR logo. You do the math.
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Kage--don't know if you knew this, but when the tank was painted as a baseball, your dad took a baseball (that belonged to you little tykes), to work to use as a model so the stitching would be authentic. He actually did some of the drawings before it was turned over to the painting crew.
ReplyDeleteI thought I remembered hearing that he did some of the design work, but I wasn't sure. Sweet!
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming this is MGM?! : )
i wish they would have kept the Shock logo on the north facing side. they may not be a Detroit team anymore, but they DID win three national championships and came close to at least one more. and, Deanna Nolan is the awesomest basketball player EVER!
ReplyDeletei think the tank was originally painted as a baseball around 1971 or 1972.