Archbold Stadium

Last updated
Archbold Stadium
Syracuse-university Archbold.jpg
Archbold Stadium
LocationIrving Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244
Coordinates 43°2′10″N76°8′11″W / 43.03611°N 76.13639°W / 43.03611; -76.13639
Owner Syracuse University
OperatorSyracuse University
Capacity 30,000 (original) [1]
40,001 (maximum)
26,000 (final)
Construction
Broke groundMay 1, 1905 [2]
BuiltAugust 20, 1906 [2]
OpenedSeptember 25, 1907
ClosedNovember 11, 1978
Demolished1979
ArchitectFrederick Revels & Earl Hallenback [3]
BuilderConsolidated Engineering & Construction Company [2]
Project manager Ivar Kreuger [2]
Tenants
1907-1978 Syracuse Orangemen

Archbold Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Syracuse, New York. It opened in 1907 and was home to the Syracuse Orangemen [lower-alpha 1] football team prior to the opening of the Carrier Dome in 1980. [1] [4]

Contents

History

After organizing athletics events at various Star Parks around the city, the university wanted the center of athletics on campus, and created the Old Oval. The athletics program quickly outgrew the multi-purpose field and the Oval was no longer considered a suitable location for such events. [5] [6]

The stadium was named for John D. Archbold, who donated $600,000 for the project. [6] [7] He was also responsible for funding towards the building of Archbold Gymnasium, located just to the east overlooking the stadium. The stadium was built entirely of concrete in the excavated hill side and seated over 25,000 spectators. [8]

Ground broke on construction of the stadium after funding announcement on May 1, 1905. The Consolidated Engineering & Construction Company of New York City began construction in August 1906 and most work was done by June 1908. [9] Upon its completion in 1907, Archbold Stadium was touted as the "Greatest Athletic Arena in America". The stadium displaced Harvard Stadium as the largest concrete stadium in the nation. [1] At the time of its construction, it was one of only three concrete stadiums in the world. [10]

In the first game played at the stadium on September 25, 1907, the Orangemen beat rival Hobart by a score of 28-0. Syracuse went 265-112-20 all-time (from 1907 until 1978), and at times were nearly unbeatable. From 1915 to 1927, Syracuse achieved a remarkable home record of 61-10-6. Then, during the 11-year stretch from 1958 to 1968, the Orangemen won 47 and lost only 6 games played at Archbold Stadium. [11]

The stadium was occasionally used to stage Syracuse Stars minor league baseball games, such as in 1920 while the Stars were awaiting the completion of Star Park.

Description

Archbold Stadium in 1919. Syracuse-university 1919 archibald-stadium.jpg
Archbold Stadium in 1919.
The Syracuse University - Archbold Stadium - West entrance - 1922 Syracuse-university-1922 archibald-stadium west.jpg
The Syracuse University - Archbold Stadium - West entrance - 1922

The stadium contained over 20,000 cubic yards of concrete over six acres, cost approximately $400,000 (≈$12 million in 2020 dollars) and was built in just over a year. [1]

The 800' x 475' stadium was oval-shaped, with a track (originally dirt) and a natural grass football field. The west end zone, the stadium's main entrance, was marked by a grand castle-like façade with two turrets framing the gateway cement arch. There was originally a wooden roof over the central section of the south grandstands for the reserved seating. [11]

In the 1950s, the stadium was expanded to the north and south, bringing the capacity up to 40,000. However, by the 1970s, stricter fire codes forced a reduction in capacity to 26,000. [4]

Final years

Toward the end of the 1970s, Syracuse University was under pressure to improve its football facilities in order to remain a Division I-A football school. The stadium could not be expanded due to fire codes. It was closed following the 1978 season, and Syracuse University decided to build a new stadium on the former footprint of Archbold, which, appropriately for Syracuse's often cold weather, was to have a domed Teflon-coated, fiberglass inflatable roof. The new stadium was named Carrier Dome (now JMA Wireless Dome).

In the final game at Archbold Stadium, on November 11, 1978, the Orangemen defeated nationally ranked Navy, 20-17. [12] A 2009 documentary titled Archbold Stadium: The Story of '78 captures the story of this game as told by the players, coaches, and fans. [13] [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse University</span> Private university in Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University is a private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Located in the city's University Hill neighborhood, east and southeast of Downtown Syracuse, the large campus features an eclectic mix of architecture, ranging from nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival to contemporary buildings. Syracuse University is organized into 13 schools and colleges and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JMA Wireless Dome</span> Domed stadium on the campus of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York

The JMA Wireless Dome, originally the Carrier Dome (1980–2022) and colloquially called "The Dome," or more recently "The JMA Dome," is a domed stadium in Syracuse, New York, United States. Located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood, it is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. In 2006–07, the women's basketball team began playing home games in the Carrier Dome. In May 2022, Syracuse University announced in April 2022 that Carrier Global Corp. would no longer hold naming rights to the venue. When Syracuse University and JMA Wireless announced the new naming rights in May 2022, it marked the first time the venue's name would change since the opening in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvard Stadium</span> College football stadium in Boston, Massachusetts

Harvard Stadium is a U-shaped college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The stadium is owned and operated by Harvard University and is home to the Harvard Crimson football program. In its current form, Harvard Stadium seats just over 25,000 spectators.

The Syracuse Orange are the athletic teams that represent Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Until 2013, Syracuse was a member of the Big East Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archbold Gymnasium</span> Building on Syracuse University campus in New York, U.S.

Archbold Gymnasium is a gymnasium located on the campus of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse Orange football</span> College football team representing Syracuse University, New York

The Syracuse Orange football team represents Syracuse University in the sport of American football. The Orange compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Syracuse is the only Division I FBS school in New York to compete in one of the Power Five conferences.

Frank Maloney was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Syracuse University from 1974 to 1980, succeeding College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ben Schwartzwalder. Prior to coaching at Syracuse, Maloney was an assistant coach at the University of Michigan under Bump Elliott (1968) and Bo Schembechler (1969–1973). After departing Syracuse he joined the management team for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse University Marching Band</span> College marching band

The Syracuse University Marching Band (SUMB), also known as the Pride of the Orange, is the collegiate marching band of Syracuse University. The band consists of approximately 200 members. The SUMB performs at all home Syracuse Orange football games throughout the season in the Carrier Dome, and also takes part in parades and other performances throughout the year. It is one of the largest student organizations at Syracuse University, and one of the oldest collegiate bands in the United States.

The 1958 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University during the 1958 NCAA University Division football season. The Orangemen were led by tenth-year head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 of both major polls after compiling a record of 8–1. They were invited to the 1959 Orange Bowl, where they were defeated by Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse Orangemen baseball</span>

The Syracuse Orangemen baseball team was the varsity intercollegiate college baseball team of Syracuse University. The team played its home games at Star Park, the Old Oval, Hendricks Field, Lew Carr Field, and the Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. The Orangemen were affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Syracuse started a club baseball program in the early 2000s, once again bringing the club sport back to campus. The team competes in the North Atlantic West conference of the National Club Baseball Association. Syracuse is one of four universities from the NCAA Division I "Power 5" conferences as of 2022 to not sponsor an NCAA baseball team, along with Wisconsin, Iowa State and Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colgate–Syracuse football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Colgate–Syracuse football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Colgate Raiders and Syracuse Orange. The two schools are located 38 miles apart from each other in Central New York. The two teams have met 68 times, and despite Colgate not recording a victory since 1950, Syracuse leads the all-time series 32–31–5. The game has been infrequently played since the NCAA's divisional split in 1978, which placed Colgate in Division I-AA and Syracuse in Division I-A.

The 1995 Syracuse Orangemen football team competed in football on behalf of Syracuse University during the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Orangemen were coached by Paul Pasqualoni and played their home games at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York.

The 1952 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1952 college football season. The Orangemen were led by fourth-year head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York.

The 1907 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University during the 1907 college football season. The head coach was Frank "Buck" O'Neill, coaching his second season with the Orangemen.

The 1911 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University during the 1911 NCAA football season. The head coach was C. DeForest Cummings, coaching his first season with the Orangemen. The team played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York.

The 1978 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Frank Maloney and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. This was the last year that football was played at Archbold Stadium before it was demolished and replaced by the Carrier Dome. The Orangemen finished the season with a record of 3–8.

The 1957 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1957 NCAA University Division football season. The Orangemen were led by ninth-year head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse finished with a record of 5–3–1 and were not invited to a bowl game.

The 1950 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1950 college football season. The Orangemen were led by second-year head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse finished the season with a 5–5 record and were not invited to a bowl game.

The 1939 Syracuse Orangemen football team represented Syracuse University in the 1939 college football season. The Orangemen were led by third-year head coach Ossie Solem and played their home games at Archbold Stadium in Syracuse, New York. The team was co-captained by guard Hugh "Duffy" Daugherty, who would later become a Hall-of-Fame-inducted coach at Michigan State. The Daily Orange predicted before the season that Syracuse will beat all the team except Duke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Oval</span> Former football stadium at Syracuse University

Old Oval, also called The Oval or University Oval, was a multi-purpose stadium in Syracuse, New York. The field, located open field south of the Hall of Languages, opened in 1895 and was the first on-campus home to the Syracuse Orangemen football team prior to the opening of Archbold Stadium in 1907.

References

  1. ↑ The school did not adopt its current nickname of "Orange" until 2004.
  1. 1 2 3 4 Searing, Robert (29 September 2021). "In 1907, Syracuse University opens Archbold Stadium, called then the 'greatest athletic arena in America'". The Post-Standard . Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Galpin 1960, p. 278.
  3. ↑ "School History". soa.syr.edu. Syracuse Architecture. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 Stefan, Robert (27 March 2013). "A History of Archbold Stadium". SyrGuide. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "Buildings: Old Oval". Special Collections Research Center. Syracuse University Libraries. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  6. 1 2 "John D. Archbold Gives University a Stadium". Newsletters from University Archives. Syracuse University. 4 (1): 2. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Burton, Rick (1 April 2011). "Alumni Journal: Archbold's Greatest Gift". Syracuse University Magazine . Vol. 28, no. 1. Syracuse University. pp. 44–45. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Cranmer, Neil D. (17 October 1907). "Many Elmira Young Men Attend Syracuse University". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Galpin 1960, p. 276–279.
  10. ↑ Reid, Robert J. (3 October 2005). A Memorable Season in College Football: A Look Back at 1959. Author House. p. 95. ISBN   978-1-4520-4033-2 . Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  11. 1 2 "The Legend of Archbold Stadium". Syracuse University Athletics. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  12. ↑ Searing, Robert (12 November 2021). "SU football fans rush the field at the last game ever played at Archbold Stadium". The Post-Standard . Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  13. ↑ Pitoniak, Scott (Winter 2009). "Alumni Journal: Remembering Archbold Stadium". Syracuse University Magazine . Vol. 26, no. 3. Syracuse University. p. 45. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. ↑ Brookes, Gordon (2009). Archbold Stadium, The Story of '78 . Retrieved 24 March 2023– via Vimeo.
  15. ↑ Brookes, Gordon Christopher (1 May 2009). Archbold Stadium The Story of '78 (Honors Capstone Projects). Syracuse University . Retrieved 24 March 2023.

Bibliography

Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of
Syracuse Orange football
1905 – 1978		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.