As Tigers players, coaches and staff walked in a procession down the right-field line and around the infield, key figures during Ilitch's tenure took part in a prerecorded video tribute that played on the left-field scoreboard. General manager Al Avila, Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Nick Castellanos, Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez, Victor Martinez, Jose Iglesias and Jordan Zimmermann all spoke in the piece.
As son Christopher Ilitch looked on, Victor Martinez, Francisco Rodriguez, Justin Upton and Kinsler unveiled an insignia honoring Mike Ilitch, the same "Mr.