JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Cramped and crowded Tiger Stadium found ample room for some wonderful memories today.

The 6,783rd and final regular-season game on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull avenues took place this afternoon as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals, 8-2.

The Tigers said goodbye by hitting three homers, capped by an eighth-inning grand slam by Rob Fick that was the final homer and hit at the famed ballpark.

Todd Jones threw the final pitch, striking out Carlos Beltran to end an era in Michigan sports history. Next season, the Tigers will move into state-of-the-art Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.

But the game was merely a prelude to emotional postgame ceremonies in which the Tigers welcomed back many of the past stars of a facility that opened on April 20, 1912.

"I will cherish its memories. I know there will never be a corner like Michigan and Trumbell," said Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, the emcee of the ceremony.

The festivities were short on speeches and long on nostalgia, including a video display of great moments at the ballpark and a tribute from former Tigers manager Sparky Anderson, who is recovering from heart bypass surgery.

There were tributes to all 25 Hall of Fame Tigers, each of whom was in attendance or represented by a family member.

Some 70 former Tigers entered via center field and went to their respective positions, including eccentric pitcher Mark "The Bird" Fidrych, who ran to the mound and manicured the dirt with his hands, just as he did in his brief playing career.

The oldest living Tiger in attendance was 90-year-old Billy Rogell, a shortstop from the 1930s.

The most touching moment came when the players formed a "living chain" and passed the Tiger Stadium flag from center field to home plate, where it went from Eldon Auker, a Tigers pitcher from 1933-38, to current Tigers catcher Brad Ausmus.

"Once a Tiger, always a Tiger," Auker told Ausmus.

"We knew from the beginning of the season that this would be a big day," Ausmus said. "The organization did a great job. I think the players, both current and former, had a great time."

Home plate was removed at the conclusion of the game and fans watched on the scoreboard as it was installed at Comerica Park. Fans, however, had no desire to look ahead, repeatedly booing every time Comerica Park was mentioned.

Even the visitors were impressed with the ceremony.

"It was close to a championship, playoff or World Series-type atmosphere," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "It's been a great lady. It's a grand old ballpark and it created a tremendous atmosphere. That's a heck of a farewell for it."

"It's a great treat for all of us," former Tigers outfielder Willie Horton said. "A great treat for the city, the state and everyone involved with the Tiger organization."

It was fitting that the final game in a park best remembered for its majestic homers -- from Reggie Jackson in the 1971 All-Star Game to Kirk Gibson in the 1984 World Series -- would include a series of long balls.

Fick's blast off the right-field roof against Jeff Montgomery brought the sellout crowd of 43,356 to its feet and followed a solo shot by Luis Polonia in the first inning and a two-run homer by Karim Garcia in the sixth.

The day began with current Tigers greeting fans at the gates for a 15-minute period some two hours before the first pitch. Hall of Famers George Brett and Al Kaline took out the lineup cards after a brief pregame ceremony.

Tigers starters wore jerseys with the numbers of players from the franchise's all-time team. For example, first baseman Tony Clark wore No. 5 for Hank Greenberg and right fielder Garcia wore No. 6 for Kaline.

"It definitely was an honor for me to wear Al Kaline's number," Garcia said. "He's a Hall of Famer. The time that he played, the numbers he put in, is definitely an honor for me."

Center fielder Gabe Kapler did not wear a number since Ty Cobb played at a time when uniforms did not include numbers.

Tiger Stadium was where Lou Gehrig's Iron Man streak of 2,130 ended on May 2, 1939, where the Detroit Lions played from 1938-74, and where Denny McLain won 31 games and led the Tigers to a World Series title in 1968.

There are no immediate plans to demolish the stadium as municipal officials decide what to do with a facility that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tiger Stadium is one of three major league parks that will close their doors to baseball over the next month.

The San Francisco Giants will play their final game at 3Com Park on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Houston Astros conclude their regular-season stay at the Astrodome on October 3 against Los Angeles, but may be headed to the postseason.

The Seattle Mariners were the first to move into a new home this season, completing their stay in the drab Kingdome in June and moving into Safeco Field after the All-Star break.

The Milwaukee Brewers were scheduled to move into Miller Park in 2000, but construction delays related to a fatal crane accident will delay its opening until 2001. The Brewers will stay in County Stadium next season.