All-High Stadium

Last updated
All High Stadium
Robert E. Rich All-High Stadium
All-High Stadium, Buffalo, New York - 20201012 - 01.jpg
2020 photo
All-High Stadium
Location2885 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
Coordinates 42°56′35″N78°49′52″W / 42.943069°N 78.831007°W / 42.943069; -78.831007
Public transit BSicon TRAM1.svg NFTA Metro Rail (Amherst Street)
OwnerCity of Buffalo
OperatorCity of Buffalo
Capacity 5,000 (2007)
SurfaceArtificial Turf
Opened1926
Tenants
Medaille College Mavericks
Men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer (-2018)
Buffalo Storm (USL) (1984)
Queen City FC (NPSL) (2007–2008)
FC Buffalo (NPSL) (2010–2013, 2015–present)
Western New York Flash (UWS) (2017–2018)

All-High Stadium (Robert E. Rich All-High Stadium) is a football stadium in Buffalo, New York. It was opened in 1926, and received a Memorial Day dedication on May 29, 1929. The stadium was modeled after classic European soccer stadiums of the time. It is part of the Bennett High School complex. It is bounded by the high school and Main Street to the northwest, Manhattan Avenue to the northeast, Hill Street to the southeast, and Mercer Avenue to the southwest.

Contents

All-High Stadium, altered for use
in The Natural All-High Stadium - The Natural.JPG
All-High Stadium, altered for use
in The Natural

History

Filming

The stadium was used in the filming of a key scene in The Natural , a 1984 film set in the 1930s, as a stand-in for Wrigley Field in Chicago, which was unavailable. Although there is some ivy along the walls suggesting Wrigley, the upper deck in the outfield is more suggestive of Chicago's other major ballpark of that era, Comiskey Park. In some portions of the scene, football lines are visible, which is not anomalous, as both Chicago parks served as homes to football teams at that time.

In fact, All-High Stadium has only a single level of stands with a roof. The upper deck in the film appears to have been inserted in post-production, and the scoreboard either matted in or built as a temporary structure over an existing tall smokestack on a building that stands at the north corner of the stadium, presumably part of Bennett High's heating plant. The actual Wrigley does not have smokestacks, but rather houses and small businesses serving as its backdrops.

Most of The Natural's baseball action scenes were filmed in War Memorial Stadium, which has since been demolished. All-High Stadium still stands, albeit substantially remodeled since The Natural filmed there.

Professional tenants

All-High Stadium is the former home of USL League 2 team FC Buffalo. It served as the home pitch for the Buffalo Storm of the United Soccer League in 1984. It was utilized by Medaille College's men and women's soccer teams along with its men's and women's lacrosse teams until the end of the 2017–18 academic year. Medaille, did not have their own field prior to 2019 and played its entire 2017–18 season at D'Youville College's Dobson Field. Dobson split time as Medaille's home since it was built in 2015 due to All-High being owned by the City of Buffalo resulting in scheduling conflicts with four of its city high schools that also utilize the facility.

Renovation

Renovations on the stadium were completed in 2007. As a result, the stadium lost much of its '30s film appearance during the processes. [1] Currently, All-High is configured for a more intimate setting of nearly 5,000 spectators, 4,500 of which are covered seats.

As of 2010, All-High Stadium is one of three high school stadiums in regular use in the city of Buffalo, the second being one at Riverside Institute of Technology [2] and the third being Johnnie B. Wiley Field at War Memorial Stadium.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrigley Field</span> Baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois

Wrigley Field is a stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Whales of the Federal League, which folded after the 1915 baseball season. The Cubs played their first home game at the park on April 20, 1916, defeating the Cincinnati Reds 7–6 in 11 innings. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. of the Wrigley Company acquired the Cubs in 1921. It was named Cubs Park from 1920 to 1926, before being renamed Wrigley Field in 1927. The stadium currently seats 41,649 people and is the second stadium to be named Wrigley Field, as a Los Angeles ballpark with the same name opened in 1925.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Stadium (Detroit)</span> Demolished stadium in Detroit

Tiger Stadium, previously known as Navin Field and Briggs Stadium, was a multi-use stadium located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. The stadium was nicknamed "The Corner" for its location at the intersection of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues. It hosted the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1912 to 1999, as well as the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1938 to 1974. Tiger Stadium was declared a State of Michigan Historic Site in 1975 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel Stadium</span> Baseball park in Anaheim, California

Angel Stadium of Anaheim, better known simply as Angel Stadium, is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California, United States. Since its opening 57 years ago in 1966, it has served as the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels. It served as the home stadium of the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) from 1980 to 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)</span> Former baseball stadium in Los Angeles, California

Wrigley Field was a ballpark in Los Angeles, California. It hosted minor league baseball teams in the region for more than 30 years. It was the home park for the minor league Los Angeles Angels during their run in the Pacific Coast League, as well as for the inaugural season of the major league team of the same name in 1961. The park was designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, who had previously designed both of the Major League Baseball stadiums in Chicago: Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. The ballpark was also used as the backdrop for several Hollywood films about baseball, as well as the 1960 TV series Home Run Derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legion Field</span> Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Legion Field is an outdoor stadium in the southeastern United States in Birmingham, Alabama, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but occasionally used for other large outdoor events. Opened in 1927, it is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltimore Memorial Stadium</span> Sports Stadium in Baltimore Maryland

Baltimore Memorial Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an oversized block officially called Venable Park, which was a former city park from the 1920s. The block was bound by Ellerslie Avenue to the west, 36th Street to the north, and Ednor Road to the east. Two stadiums were located here; a 1922 version known as Baltimore Stadium or Municipal Stadium and, for a time, Babe Ruth Stadium in reference to the then-recently deceased Baltimore native. The rebuilt multi-sport stadium, when reconstruction was completed in mid-1954, would become known as Memorial Stadium. The stadium was also known as "The Old Gray Lady of 33rd Street," and also "The World's Largest Outdoor Insane Asylum" when used by the Baltimore Colts. the latter which was coined by Cooper Rollow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo, New York)</span> Former football, baseball and soccer stadium in Buffalo, New York

War Memorial Stadium, colloquially known as The Rockpile, was an outdoor football, baseball and soccer stadium in Buffalo, New York. Opened in 1937 as Roesch Memorial Stadium, the venue was later known as Grover Cleveland Stadium and Civic Stadium. The stadium was home to the Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA), Buffalo Indians-Tigers (AFL), Buffalo Bills (AAFC), Buffalo Bulls (NCAA), Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL), Buffalo Bisons (IL), Buffalo White Eagles (ECPSL), Buffalo Blazers (NSL), Buffalo Bisons (EL/AA) and Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA). It also had a race track and hosted several NASCAR events. The venue was demolished in 1989 and replaced with the Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletic Sports Pavilion, which retains entrances from the original stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Stadium</span> Football stadium on the campus of the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio

Ohio Stadium is an American football stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on the campus of Ohio State University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is also the site for the university's Spring Commencement ceremonies each May. Common nicknames for the stadium include "the Horseshoe", "the Shoe", and "the House That Harley Built".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Field (stadium)</span> Stadium in Evanston, Illinois

Ryan Field is a stadium in the central United States, located in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. Near the campus of Northwestern University, it is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Northwestern Wildcats of the Big Ten Conference. It is the only FBS stadium without permanent lighting, and its current seating capacity is 47,130.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dix Stadium</span>

Dix Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kent, Ohio, United States. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Kent State Golden Flashes football team. In addition, since 2016 the stadium is also home to the Kent State women's soccer team and since 2019 to the women's lacrosse team. Previously, it was home to the Kent State field hockey team from 1997 to 2004 and served as a secondary home for the KSU men's soccer team in the 1970s. It opened on September 13, 1969 and was named in 1973 after Robert C. Dix, former publisher of the Record-Courier and a member of Kent State's Board of Trustees for more than three decades. It was built as an expansion and relocation of Memorial Stadium, with all of Memorial Stadium's main seating areas used at the current stadium in a new configuration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballpark</span> Sports venue type

A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimensions can vary widely from place to place. A larger ballpark may also be called a baseball stadium because it shares characteristics of other outdoor stadiums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennett High School (Buffalo, New York)</span> American high school in Buffalo, New York

Bennett High School was an American high school located in the University Heights section of Buffalo, New York. It was named after Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school and for All High Stadium. Bennett High School formerly was a magnet school with three college prep programs: the Academy of International Law, Business and Computers, and Education and the Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V.A. Memorial Stadium</span>

V.A. Memorial Stadium is a baseball stadium located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Hospital campus off of OH-104, three miles north of Chillicothe, Ohio. It is officially designated as building 244. The stadium is the home field of the Chillicothe Paints, a collegiate wooden bat baseball team in the Prospect League. Though primarily used for baseball, V.A. Memorial Stadium has been used for softball, soccer, and other non-sporting events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Stadium (Bakersfield)</span>

Memorial Stadium is a double-decked concrete and steel stadium in northeast Bakersfield, California, near the scenic Panorama Bluffs which overlook the prolific Kern River Oilfields. In July 2019 an artificial playing surface was installed replacing the worn out and troublesome Bermuda grass field which was susceptible to fungus growth. An all-weather track was also installed In 2020 a new scoreboard and sound system were installed along with new L.E.D. lights placed upon the original light standards.

<i>The Natural</i> (film) 1984 US sports film by Barry Levinson

The Natural is a 1984 American sports film based on Bernard Malamud's 1952 novel of the same name, directed by Barry Levinson, and starring Robert Redford, Glenn Close, and Robert Duvall. Like the novel, the film recounts the experiences of Roy Hobbs, an individual with great "natural" baseball talent, spanning the decades of Roy's career. In direct contrast to the novel, the film ends on a positive tone. It was the first film produced by TriStar Pictures.

The history of Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball's National League, begins well before the Cubs played their first game in that venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Buffalo</span> Soccer club

FC Buffalo is an American soccer club based in Buffalo, New York, United States, with teams in men's and women's soccer.

Since purchasing the Chicago Cubs baseball team and Wrigley Field in 2009, the Ricketts family have been pursuing an extensive renovation of the stadium and the surrounding venue. At its outset, the 1060 Project was projected to cost $575 million and was to be completed in four phases during consecutive off-seasons. Funding was generated from advertising revenue and increased corporate sponsorship in the form of additional signage placed in and around the stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Buffalo (women)</span> Soccer club

FC Buffalo is an American women's soccer club based in Buffalo, New York, United States. Founded in 2021, the team plays in United Women's Soccer (UWS), a pro-am league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the East Conference. FC Buffalo is the sister club of NPSL club FC Buffalo.

References

  1. Forgotten Buffalo (2007). "TOUR OF "THE NATURAL" SITES". FORGOTTEN BUFFALO. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  2. McKinley, Dave (2010-09-04). Buffalo Public Schools Unveil New $6 Million Stadium [ permanent dead link ]. WGRZ. Retrieved 2010-09-04.