Prisonmate
The Varsity Level
Found this on Youtube. He makes videos on stadiums and just did ISU. Very interesting historical tidbits.
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YouTube video on Memorial Stadium history
- Thread starter Prisonmate
- Start date
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I don't hate Memorial Stadium. At the end of my freshman year, the tore down the baseball structure and put in the new stands with plans to do a like structure on the visitors' side. Money and lack of crowds put a halt to that idea. Now, however, I could like with the structure for 5 games a year if we would put some bleachers on the visitors' side. On the flip side, we need a major benefactor to helps us build something new on campus by the river. Without that, it won't get done.
DyedBlue
The Starter Level
As a high school player, I played in several games on the new Astro Turf. It was beyond a big deal to us to travel from Brazil over to TH to play on the Turf.
We all got special turf shoes and all wore special long sleeve jerseys. The original Astro Turf would just scrape the skin right off of a bare arm or leg if you slid on the surface so long sleeves were self-protection.
In 1967, we lost to what I believe was eventually a 10-0 TH Gerstmeyer team 26-25. Three missed extra points. UGH. The only game Brazil lost that season.
In 1969, we played and beat Th Wiley 12-9. A memorable late fourth-quarter goal-line stand occurred after Wiley had a first and goal on the two-yard line trailing 12-7. We took an intentional safety on our first offensive play and boomed a kickoff out of danger and stopped Wiley in mid-field to win the game. The "original" baseball grandstands were still up then and the sound was terrific and concentrated by that horseshoe shape
We also played Garfield on the Turf twice. First contest was also in 1967. It was played in a late-season driving sleet storm and the Red Devils convincingly downed TH Garfield something like 26-7. One of my still vivid memories of that game is an early overthrown square-out pass. Our tight end dove onto the soaked, icy field just to get wet and he slid probably 10 yards throwing up a flume behind him. I was a bench-riding sophomore who was warmly enwrapped in a great vinyl covering like the Green Bay Packers wear and was downing hot chocolate to keep warm much to the consternation of the frozen players who were looking to warm up.
In 1969, we again played TH Garfield on the Turf and won 19-0 in a more conventional early November setting.
Four games on the ISU Astro Turf in 3 seasons was really a special deal for all of us.
We all got special turf shoes and all wore special long sleeve jerseys. The original Astro Turf would just scrape the skin right off of a bare arm or leg if you slid on the surface so long sleeves were self-protection.
In 1967, we lost to what I believe was eventually a 10-0 TH Gerstmeyer team 26-25. Three missed extra points. UGH. The only game Brazil lost that season.
In 1969, we played and beat Th Wiley 12-9. A memorable late fourth-quarter goal-line stand occurred after Wiley had a first and goal on the two-yard line trailing 12-7. We took an intentional safety on our first offensive play and boomed a kickoff out of danger and stopped Wiley in mid-field to win the game. The "original" baseball grandstands were still up then and the sound was terrific and concentrated by that horseshoe shape
We also played Garfield on the Turf twice. First contest was also in 1967. It was played in a late-season driving sleet storm and the Red Devils convincingly downed TH Garfield something like 26-7. One of my still vivid memories of that game is an early overthrown square-out pass. Our tight end dove onto the soaked, icy field just to get wet and he slid probably 10 yards throwing up a flume behind him. I was a bench-riding sophomore who was warmly enwrapped in a great vinyl covering like the Green Bay Packers wear and was downing hot chocolate to keep warm much to the consternation of the frozen players who were looking to warm up.
In 1969, we again played TH Garfield on the Turf and won 19-0 in a more conventional early November setting.
Four games on the ISU Astro Turf in 3 seasons was really a special deal for all of us.
Perhaps ISU should have built a different structure when the current set of bleachers were built
The odds of a major donor stepping up now? Pretty slim
I'm afraid at this point the likelihood of major money coming to football from any source is close to impossible. On an ancient historical note I also played in Memorial stadium in it's old configuration 1965 and 66 and on the new turf in 1967. Jamboree and West Vigo versus Tech and Wiley during the regular season. The turf was fast and hard as the asphalt underneath it. Against Wiley it was slick from sleet and freezing rain and against Tech we chased Dewey Norton with no success for 4 quarters. Still special for high school kids to experience the turf.
Gotta Hav
The Wade Level
It would take donors...not a singular donor, but more like fifty donors giving one million each, or 100 donors gifting five hundred thousand dollars each, and that's how slim it all is. What's the cost of a new stadium today, let's say like the beauty that Alabama State built ten years ago? $100 million today.
Here's a great article about their stadium and how it was built with everything and everyone in mind.
$62 million Alabama State stadium sets stage for growth across Montgomery
Hornets stadium premieres Thursday at the sold out 89th Annual Turkey Classic. Leaders believe it will raise the profile not only of the university but also the entire region.
www.al.com
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I'd like to see ISU build 5-6000 seats on the north side. I think that would actually make the place look like a legitimate D1 stadium.
On the north side they should put up more historical information and old photos of the stadium. It has a ton of history that no one knows about. Some renovation to make the place look a little more modern might be helpful too.
If they would do those two or three things, the perception of the place would go from "being a dump", to "being a neat place". I for one am completely against a brand new stadium. The park around Memorial Stadium that you can park cars in and tailgate in is a perfect setup. A new stadium on campus would be a waste of money and it won't draw in students, most of which can't even be bothered to attend a basketball game.
On the north side they should put up more historical information and old photos of the stadium. It has a ton of history that no one knows about. Some renovation to make the place look a little more modern might be helpful too.
If they would do those two or three things, the perception of the place would go from "being a dump", to "being a neat place". I for one am completely against a brand new stadium. The park around Memorial Stadium that you can park cars in and tailgate in is a perfect setup. A new stadium on campus would be a waste of money and it won't draw in students, most of which can't even be bothered to attend a basketball game.
STATE Fan 95
The Varsity Level
Alabama State who? Not to sound arrogant but how is that a better program than us. If they can find the money why cant we?
They're a SWAC school. Tens of thousands of people go watch these HBCU's wallow around in mediocrity every weekend in the fall because of tradition. It's pretty similar to how lots of people showed up to watch a loser Cubs franchise for 100 years.
Gotta Hav
The Wade Level
LOL! I went to my one and ONLY Cub's game in 1986, and I swore then I'd NEVER go back. There were nets above your head to catch pieces of concrete that might fall on you from the upper deck, disgusting bathrooms, obstructed views, etc. When I was growing up, we only cared about the Yankees, Cardinals and Reds. I never knew there were Cubs fans then, now they're everywhere like a plague, or some kind of stupid popularity contest. Take me to a baseball game anytime in Cincinnati or St. Louis....now those are nice ballparks, with teams that have winning traditions! Oh, with nice concession stands, cooling stations, and restrooms that aren't creepy to be in.
Interesting that he said ISU had 18,000 students in 1971!
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True -- amazing what a little war like Viet Nam and draft can do for a university's enrollment
AAAANNNNDDDD how would 5-6000 new seats that would remain empty being built on an obsolete stadium because as you say it "would be neat" not be a waste of money"????? That's about as practicle as putting a Rolls Royce Grill on a Volkswagon.
Gotta Hav
The Wade Level
One correction. True -- amazing what a little war like Vietnam and DRAFT DEFERMENTS can do for a university's enrollment.
Of course, being drafted then was a MALE only problem, and if THE DRAFT would ever return, it's still a MALE only problem. So much for all of the Title IX crap, diversity, inclusion, the so called PATRIARCHY and all the MALE PRIVILEGE bullshit.
And just a refresher, attendance at ISU plummeted after DRAFT DEFERMENTS were eliminated. I know, I was one of the MEN at ISU who was facing being drafted in 1972 (my lotto number was 36) but thank god NIXON was our president then, and HE stopped the draft maybe a month before my induction date. And for any Nixon haters, Nixon stopping the draft was part Nixon's campaign promise, to get us out JFK's and LBJ's senseless war.
The Bison fans could fill most of it up when they come down here. In all seriousness it likely would be a waste of money, but I think it would make the place look a lot better. Honestly if they could just put the bleachers back up over there I would be perfectly happy with that.
Looks like ISU now has company in the "let's play in half a stadium" facilities planning. At least for this fall.
SEMO is trying to renovate a football stadium for only 8.5 million after demolition. LOL. I guarantee something along the lines of "ISU plays with only one half of a stadium and the other half is a hill....we could try that" has been discussed over in Cape G.
www.wsiltv.com
SEMO is trying to renovate a football stadium for only 8.5 million after demolition. LOL. I guarantee something along the lines of "ISU plays with only one half of a stadium and the other half is a hill....we could try that" has been discussed over in Cape G.
Renovation project on SEMO's Houck Stadium won't be completed by fall
A renovation project on SEMO's Houck Stadium south grandstand won't be completed before the fall semester.
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To their credit, if our south grandstand is ever found to be unsafe for spectators, I wouldn't bet against ISU using that as the excuse to drop the sport. ISU did do quite a bit of work on the place a couple of years ago, so hopefully we won't have that issue for a while.Looks like ISU now has company in the "let's play in half a stadium" facilities planning. At least for this fall.
SEMO is trying to renovate a football stadium for only 8.5 million after demolition. LOL. I guarantee something along the lines of "ISU plays with only one half of a stadium and the other half is a hill....we could try that" has been discussed over in Cape G.
Renovation project on SEMO's Houck Stadium won't be completed by fall
A renovation project on SEMO's Houck Stadium south grandstand won't be completed before the fall semester.
BankShot
The Kleuh Level
So many interesting points from ChickenHawks on a non-thread topic
When Memorial was rehabbed as a football stadium, it should have been designed with a symmetrical bleacher/seating design
When Memorial was rehabbed as a football stadium, it should have been designed with a symmetrical bleacher/seating design
BankShot
The Kleuh Level
I'm sure that you were soaking all these early 70's ISU enrollment issues up while in elementary school, dipping your cookies into milk. Not much has changed, has it?
