High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 1997 Detroit Tigers finished in third place in the American League Eastern Division with a record of 79-83 (.488). They were outscored by their opponents 790 to 784. The Tigers drew 1,365,157 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1997, ranking 13th of the 14 teams in the American League. This was the Tigers` final year in the American League Eastern Division. Beginning in 1998, the team joined the American League Central Division. On July 27, 1997, the Detroit Tigers retired pitcher Hal Newhouser`s number 16.