|
| Title of Piece: |
Michigan Stadium or Memorial Stadium |
| Artist: |
Bernard Green (1891E), Osborn Engineering |
| Acquired: |
1927 |
| Material(s): |
Steel, concrete, brick, stone |
| Category: |
Memorial |
| Location: |
South Campus, Main Street at Stadium Boulevard |
| Comments: |
At first playing home games at the Ann Arbor Fairgrounds, and also in Detroit, the University of Michigan built its first football facility on Regents’ Field, purchased in 1891, with a small amount of grandstands (about where Schembechler-Oosterbaan buildings are now). In 1906, football moved to a new stadium built on land acquired as a gift from Dexter M. Ferry. Eventually seating 46,000, Ferry Field was home to the football team through 1926. Legendary football coach, and athletic director, Fielding H. Yost, began planning in 1923 for a newer, larger stadium. Yost argued for a stadium which would seat 125,000-150,000, but the regents approved a plan for 75,000, with the stipulation that it be built with footings which would allow a future expansion to 100,000. With last minute bleacher additions, the capacity on opening in 1927 was more than 84,000 (see black & white photo from 1929). After Coach Yost retired in 1941, alumni mounted a campaign to have the name of the facility changed to Yost Stadium. However, Yost asked that it be dedicated instead to the memory of university men and women who gave their lives for their country. It was so dedicated by the regents in November 1945, and was thereafter known as Memorial Stadium. To further embody this memorial, the American Eagle sculpture was placed in the southwest plaza in 1950. Memorial Stadium, the largest war memorial on campus, is now more commonly called Michigan Stadium, and has a current capacity of 107,501. |
Last
modified:
Thursday November 15 2007
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