Crew cuts

AirTran Airways Crew Member Devin Cole

DETROIT JOCK CITY

Motown is also a sporting town—just ask

When he’s not taking care of AirTran Airways customers, station supervisor Devin Cole indulges his passion for sports and history.

A former college baseball player, Cole’s true love is the Detroit Tigers (www.detroittigers.com). But since you’ll have to wait until the spring to see them in action, he suggests cheering on the NFL’s Detroit Lions (www.detroitlions.com). “Ford Field is beautiful,” he says. “It has all these windows when you first walk in. Detroiters, [are] a little worn out by the Lions, but we keep our fingers crossed every year that we’ll have a winning season.”

Hockey is another Detroit craze—and the Red Wings are reigning Stanley Cup champions. Cole likes to watch the games at Cheli’s Chili Bar (www.chelischilibar.com; 313-961-1700), owned by Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios. “You can see into Comerica Park from the rooftop of the downtown [location],” says Cole, who also goes to the Dearborn location, where “a lot of athletes—Lions, Tigers and Red Wings—come to watch the games.”

When he’s not watching sports, Cole, who planned to be a teacher before catching the “airline bug,” likes to step back in time at The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (www.thehenryford.org) in Dearborn. “You can see all the Ford cars, from the Model T on up, and old buildings like the Wright Brothers’ bicycle shop,” he says. “As for the Henry Ford [museum], they have such relics as the chair Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in.” This historic site also has an athletic bent. “Every August it holds the World Tournament of Historic Baseball,” he says. “They play with old bats and uniforms.”

Which brings us back to his passion: “I’ve been a Detroit Tigers fan since I can remember,” he says. “There’s no place I’d rather be than watching the game at Comerica Park.” If Cole is any indication, Detroit is a world-class city for sports fanatics. —Ellen Piligian

PERSONNEL PICKS

Name: Devin Cole

Age: 28

Position with AirTran Airways: Station Supervisor

Homebase: Garden City, MI (20 miles from Detroit)

How long he’s lived here: 28 years

What he loves most about Detroit: “Our great sports teams. The city really backs our teams. We live and die by them.”

Favorite restaurants: Kiernan’s Steak House (www.kiernans.com; 313-565-4260) in Dearborn : “The food is amazing. The restaurant is dark and has a retro ’60s, ’70s feel. My girlfriend doesn’t eat red meat, so she gets the raspberry-glazed chicken. I get the filet mignon.”

For Middle Eastern: Al Sultan (734-522-1500) in Garden City. “You can’t beat the taste, from the lemon chicken soup to the hummus. We always walk out full.”

Portofino (www.portofinoontheriver.com; 734-281-6700) in Wyandotte. “You can enjoy drinks and dinner on the deck overlooking the Detroit River waterfront.”

Favorite date place: “Fifth Avenue Ballroom (www.fifthavenuebilliards.com; 248-735-4011) in Novi on Thursday nights to hear a great local rock band called the Killer Flamingos. They play cover songs from the ’80s to the present and mix in their own original music.”