DETROIT -- Goodbyes are always hardest.

LIST OF LASTS

A list of "lasts" at Tiger Stadium (Note: items without a date occurred during the final game Monday between the Tigers and Kansas City Royals): Ceremonial first pitch: Billy Rogell, Tigers infielder 1930-39. Gametime temperature: 84 degrees. First pitch: 4:09 p.m. ET. Last pitch: 7:07 p.m. ET. Final score: Detroit 8, Kansas City 2. Attendance: 43,356. Winning pitcher: Brian Moehler. Losing pitcher: Jeff Suppan. Save: Todd Jones, Detroit vs. Cleveland, Sept. 23, 1999. Out: Carlos Beltran, Kansas City, struck out by Todd Jones, Detroit. Run: Robert Fick, Detroit, off Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City, eighth inning. Hit: Fick, grand slam off Montgomery, Kansas City, eighth inning. Home run: Fick, Detroit, off Montgomery, Kansas City, eighth inning. Run batted in: Fick, Detroit, eighth inning (grand slam). Inside-the-park homer: Bobby Higginson, Detroit, off Alan Mills, Baltimore, July 6, 1997. Homer over right-field roof: Jeromy Burnitz, Milwaukee, off Nelson Cruz, Detroit, sixth inning, July 9, 1999. Homer over left-field roof: Mark McGwire, Oakland, off Moehler, Detroit, sixth inning, April 20, 1997. Hitting for the cycle: Alex Rodriguez, Seattle, June 5, 1997. Error: Jermaine Dye, Kansas City right fielder, eighth inning. Putout: Brad Ausmus, Detroit catcher, ninth inning. Assist: Rey Sanchez, Kansas City shortstop, eighth inning. Stolen base: Gabe Kapler, Detroit, second inning. Shutout: Moehler, Detroit vs. Texas, 1-0, Aug. 30, 1999. No-hitter: Nolan Ryan, California vs. Detroit, 6-0, July 15, 1973. -- The Associated Press

Al Kaline applauded the sellout crowd. Ernie Harwell's heavenly voice almost broke. And in the end, Tiger Stadium went out in grand fashion in its last turn at bat Monday.

Better make that grand slam fashion.

Robert Fick, wearing the No. 25 of former Tigers favorite Norm Cash, hit his first career grand slam in the eighth inning and Detroit beat Kansas City 8-2 in its final game at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.

In moving postgame ceremonies emceed by Harwell, the crowd of 43,356 cheered often as a 20-minute video highlighting the stadium's 87-year history was shown on the center field scoreboard.

One segment, showing former manager Sparky Anderson, drew a big cheer from the fans.

"If you have any understanding of baseball, you know today is probably the greatest sporting event in the history of Detroit," Anderson said on the video.

The fans clearly agreed. A minute or two later the began clapping and chanting, "Let's go Tigers."

Some 65 former Tigers -- from Eldon Auker, who played in 1933, to Brad Ausmus of the 1999 squad -- were introduced one by one. Wearing their old uniforms, each went to his respective position. When all had been introduced, they formed a chronological line from home plate to the flag pole in center field.

The current Tigers watched from the top of their dugout steps.

A flag featuring a Tiger Stadium logo was lowered and passed from player to player, from Auker at one end to Ausmus at the other. It will be raised next season at Comerica Park, the Tigers' new home.

"Behind me stands over 70 years of Tigers' history" Auker said as he presented the flag to Ausmus. "Each of us has touched this flag today as this stadium has touched millions of fans who have attended games here.

"Never forget us, for we live on by those who carry on the Tigers tradition and who so proudly wear the olde English D."

Home plate was dug up immediately after the final out and carried to Comerica Park where it was relocated in the new stadium being built about a mile away.

Still, the fans, who cheered lustily as each of the players were introduced, booed at every reference to Comerica Park.

"Tonight we say goodbye," Harwell said in his closing remarks as music from the sound track of the movie "Apollo 13" played softly in the background. "But we will not forget. Open your eyes, take a look around, and take a mental picture. Moments like this will live on."

As he concluded, Harwell's voice began to choke with emotion.

Many in the stands remained for as long as they could, taking in one last, loving look. Some, who were close enough, leaned over the rail and scooped handsful of dirt.

"Farewell old friend, Tiger Stadium," Harwell said. "We will remember."

The crowd of 43,356 chanted Fick's name and he stepped to the top of the dugout steps and doffed his cap as thousands of flash bulbs popped.

Luis Polonia and Karim Garcia also homered for the Tigers, whose final record at the old ballyard was 3,764 wins, 3,090 losses and 19 ties.

The crowd was fairly well-behaved. Only a few fans jumped over the fence and tried to run across the field after Todd Jones struck out Carlos Beltran to end it at 7:07 p.m. But they were quickly escorted from the grounds and a security force of mounted and foot police ringed the warning track for postgame ceremonies.

Built on the site of a haymarket in 1912, the ballpark that was once home to Ty Cobb, Mickey Cochrane, Hank Greenberg, Denny McLain and Kaline made one last sentimental journey.

Detroit's players all wore numbers of Tigers who played through the years. The starters wore the numbers of the Tigers' all-time team. Center fielder Gabe Kapler wore a uniform without a number, honoring Cobb -- the greatest Tiger of them all -- who played in an era before uniforms were numbered.

Monday's game with the Royals was the 6,873rd regular season game at the stadium, which also has played host to 35 postseason games and three All-Star games. Special baseballs were used, and the bases were changed after each inning.

	Mark Lee of Lexington, Mich., says it all with a sign in center field during the Tigers' final home game at Tiger Stadium.

The sellout put the Tigers over the 2 million mark in attendance for just the sixth time in club history, and the first time since 1988.

Kaline, a Hall of Famer, exchanged lineup cards with Royals Hall of Famer George Brett. Both wore their familiar uniforms, Kaline with his No. 6, Brett with No. 5. Harwell, the beloved broadcaster, emceed pregame festivities.

"The great times we've experienced in Tiger Stadium we'll cherish forever," Mayor Dennis Archer told the crowd. "Now, let's create some new memories in Comerica Park."

Kaline, with the olde English "D" on his breast, was saluted with a two-minute standing ovation during the pregame festivities.

"I have spoken many times about the first day I ever saw this ballpark, as an 18-year-old kid fresh off the train from Baltimore," Kaline said. "I again find myself humbled and a bit overwhelmed by the events unfolding."

Billy Rogell, a shortstop from 1930-39, threw out the ceremonial first pitch as the crowd roared.

"This is a good day, but a sad day," said U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was with the Tigers from 1955-63.

Added Bill Freehan, selected by Detroit fans as the greatest Tigers catcher ever: "Bittersweet is the perfect word for it."

The weather cooperated, with pale blue skies, gentle sunshine and a pleasant breeze coming off the Detroit River as thousands of fans came through the old ballpark's turnstiles one last time.

Steve Levine, a 53-year-old fan, flew in from Chicago. In his wallet were ticket stubs from the 1968 game when the Tigers clinched the AL pennant and the game when McLain got his 30th win.

"Coming out here on the plane this morning, probably 80 percent of the people were coming here to see a ballgame for the last time," he said. "I have tons of feelings about this old place. I used to skip school regularly to attend opening days here."

He wasn't the only one. A century's worth of baseball has been played on this historic piece of ground.

On April 20, 1912, with home plate moved from right field to its present location, the stadium opened as Navin Field. That was five days after the sinking of the Titanic. Fenway Park opened in Boston the same day, making them the two oldest ballparks in the country.

Brian Moehler wasn't nervous, although he probably had reason to be. Moehler was Detroit's starting pitcher.

"I'll be glad when it's over with, I'll tell you that," said Moehler who got credit for the victory. "I'll miss the stadium, but I'll be glad when all the hoopla is over with."

Even so, he was just like any other fan when it came to saying goodbye to this revered mass of rusting girders.

"I took my video camera around and I could see where people were trying to take the signs down," Moehler said.

Former pitching sensation Mark Fidrych, who was famous for talking to the baseball during his starts, was asked what he might say to the stadium on its final day.

"Thank you, stadium, for all the excitement you gave me. I had fun here. I had a lot of memories here," he said. "But it's like everything in life, you have to go. You can't be around forever."