Riggs Field

Last updated
Riggs Field
Clemson Tigers logo.svg
Riggs Field At Clemson university.JPG
The stadium in 2009
Riggs Field
Location Clemson, South Carolina
Coordinates 34°40′54″N82°50′20″W / 34.68167°N 82.83889°W / 34.68167; -82.83889
Owner Clemson University
OperatorClemson University
Capacity 6,500
SurfaceGrass
Opened1915;109 years ago (1915)
Tenants
Website
clemsontigers.com/riggs-field

Riggs Field is a 6,500-capacity soccer-specific stadium located in Clemson, South Carolina. The stadium is home to the Clemson Tigers men's and women's soccer teams. It has also hosted the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship in 1987. The stadium opened for soccer in 1980, and was renovated in 1987, and again in 2013. Previous to this, it hosted a variety of the school's athletic teams, including the football team from 1915 until 1941 and the baseball team from 1916 until 1969. It is named after Walter Riggs, the former coach of the football team and president of Clemson (1910–1924). [1] Riggs Field is the fifth oldest collegiate athletic facility in the nation. [2]

Contents

As first laid out in 1915, the football field, surrounded by a cinder track was at the east end of Riggs Field, tennis courts were in the center section, and the baseball diamond was at the west end of the space. A new baseball field was later laid out on an area of campus separate from the previous sports complex, and expanded tennis facilities replaced the former diamond. Riggs Field now generally only refers to the eastern portion where the football team played until 1941. The cinder track was eliminated during the remodeling as a soccer venue. It is now referred to as "Historic Riggs Field".

Dedication

The stadium in 1915 Riggs Field 1915.jpg
The stadium in 1915

On October 2, 1915, The Gala Day was declared for the dedication of the new athletic grounds. [3] Riggs Field was dedicated prior to the football game with Davidson College. A parade to the field formed in front of the main building at 3 p.m. led, in this order, by the Cadet Band, speakers, Athletic Council, Alumni, faculty, and the Corps of Cadets. "Upon entering Riggs Field, the body took a 'C' formation and poured forth a thrilling volume of patriotic Tiger yells and songs." [4] Presentation of the field to the Corps of Cadets by Dr. Walter Merritt Riggs followed. Prof. J. W. Gantt, President of the Athletic Association, introduced Dr. Riggs as "the man who has done more for the athletics at Clemson and probably more for Southern athletics than any other man." "In presentig[ sic ] the field to the corps of cadets, Dr. Riggs said in part; 'This magnificent field is a token of recognition by the Trustees of Clemson College of the importance of military and athletic training for the cadets. It is to be a place for the teaching of the principles of team work and fair play. On the crest of the hill stands the main Building which represents the intellectual side of life. In the immediate fore-ground we see the Textile Building. Here the brain and hand are trained to work together. Just to our left is the magnificent new Y. M. C. A. Building, standing for the development of spirit, mind, and body. In the immediate vicinity back of us are the churches, which are agents in the influencing of our spiritual natures. This large and beautiful athletic field is to stand for the development of the physical man, and, whether in real work or in play it is hoped that this field will be used as an agency in the developing of high and honorable men.'" [5] Prof. Gantt introduces Mr. H. C. Tillman, Class of 1903 and President of the Clemson Alumni Association, who then christens the new playing field. Stated Tillman, "Students who have been and are to be, no matter how much we love other things, we love our athletic field best. Therefore, this field should be named for him who has done most for our athletics. Dr. Riggs is not only the father of athletics at Clemson but has coached our teams. It is not alone for gratitude, but for a sense of love and esteem that we name this field. May it bring victory to the Tigers' lair, and may it be represented by the honor and spirit Dr. Riggs has always shown. In the name of all students and lovers of Clemson, I christen this Field Riggs Field." A few minutes later, Dr. Riggs makes the initial kick-off in the first football game to be played on the new field. Clemson and Davidson play to a 6-6 tie. Informal dance given by the Thalian Club in the gymnasium, in honor of the Davidson football team, 9 p.m.-11:45 p.m. [6] [7]

Stadium named

In early September 2011, the stadium surrounding Riggs Field was named Ibrahim Stadium after the late Dr. I. M. Ibrahim, who started Clemson's men's soccer program in 1967 and led the team to national titles in 1984 and 1987. [8]

2013 Renovations

In 2013, Riggs Field underwent a second round of renovations. Stands were constructed to replace bleachers on the north side of the stadium. Additionally, a new entrance was constructed on this side of the stadium and pedestrian improvements were installed along the north side between the stadium and highway SC 93. A memorial to Walter Riggs was constructed at the new entrance on the north side. Renovations were completed in time for the 2013 soccer season. [9]

100th anniversary celebration

On October 2, 2015, Clemson University celebrated Riggs Field's 100th anniversary. The Clemson University men's and women's soccer teams both played vs Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, respectively. Special promotions included a museum in the nearby indoor track to display artifacts and photos from Riggs Field's history, 2000 commemorative scarves to celebrate the occasion, and one uniform was given away during the women's game. [10]

The original configuration of the track and former football stadium, sans bleachers, was featured in a long scene in the latter portion of the 1974 Burt Lancaster movie The Midnight Man, filmed in part at Clemson University in 1973.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clemson University</span> Public university in Clemson, South Carolina, U.S.

Clemson University is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university by enrollment in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enrolled a total of 20,195 undergraduate students and 5,627 graduate students, and the student/faculty ratio was 18:1. Clemson's 1,400-acre (570 ha) campus is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The campus now borders Lake Hartwell, which was formed by the dam completed in 1962. The university manages the nearby 17,500-acre (7,100 ha) Clemson Experimental Forest that is used for research, education, and recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CEFCU Stadium</span> Stadium at San Jose State University

CEFCU ('sef-kyü) Stadium, formerly known as Spartan Stadium, is an outdoor athletic stadium on the west coast of the United States, located in the Spartan Keyes neighborhood of central San Jose, California. Owned by San José State University, the venue is the longtime home of Spartan football; it also hosts the university's commencement ceremony on Memorial Day weekend, and occasional high school football games. Known as Spartan Stadium for over eight decades, it was renamed in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Stadium (Clemson)</span> Football stadium at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina

Frank Howard Field at Clemson Memorial Stadium, known as "Death Valley", is home to the Clemson Tigers, an NCAA Division I FBS football team located in Clemson, South Carolina. Built in 1941–1942, the stadium has seen expansions throughout the years with the most recent being the WestZone with Phase 1 construction beginning in 2004 and completing in 2015 with the addition of the Oculus, the final piece of Phase 3. Phase 1 of the EastZone project began in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivor Wynne Stadium</span> Demolished Canadian football stadium in Hamilton, Ontario

Ivor Wynne Stadium was a Canadian football stadium located at the corner of Balsam and Beechwood avenues, two blocks west of Gage Avenue North in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The stadium was the home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL from 1950 until it closed on October 27, 2012. The club's previous home was the Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association Grounds. The stadium was replaced by Tim Hortons Field, with a fixed capacity of 24,000, on the same property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lane Stadium</span> American football stadium on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA, US

Lane Stadium is a college football stadium in the eastern United States, located on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. The playing surface of the stadium is named Worsham Field. The home field of the Virginia Tech Hokies of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), it was rated the number one home field advantage in all of college football in 2005 by Rivals.com. In 2007, it was ranked #2 on ESPN.com's "Top 10 Scariest Places To Play." The stadium is named for Edward Hudson Lane, a former student, local businessman, and Virginia Tech booster, while the playing surface is named for Wes Worsham, a university donor and booster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hancock Stadium</span> Stadium in Illinois, USA

Hancock Stadium is a 13,391-seat multi-purpose stadium in Normal, Illinois. It opened in 1963. It is home to the Illinois State University Redbirds football team as well as University High School. Central Catholic High School also played its games there through the 2004 season.

Crump Stadium is a sports stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, built in 1934 and significantly downsized in 2006. It was built as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project with a capacity of 7,500. In 1939 it was enlarged to hold 25,000 spectators. In 1948 and 1949 it staged the Delta Bowl, a college football bowl game. In 1947 the Arkansas–Texas football game was played there. The annual Ole Miss–Tennessee game was also held there in 1960s. Memphis State University home football games were played there until the completion of Memphis Memorial Stadium in 1965. The stadium was named for the late Memphis political boss E. H. Crump. It is now home to Central High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clemson Tigers</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Clemson University

The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. Clemson competes for and has won multiple NCAA Division I national championships in football, men's soccer, and men's golf. The Clemson Tigers field twenty-one athletic teams, nine men's and twelve women's, across thirteen sports.

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

Fairfield Stadium was a stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. It was primarily used for football, and was the home field of the Marshall University football team between 1928 and 1990, prior to the opening of Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clemson Tigers football</span> College Football Bowl Subdivision team; member of Atlantic Coast Conference

The Clemson Tigers are the American football team at Clemson University. The Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). In recent years, the Tigers have been ranked among the most elite college football programs in the United States.

Colorado Field was an outdoor college football stadium in the western United States, on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Opened in 1912, it was the home of the CSU Rams of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) through 1967.

The Campus of Clemson University was originally the site of U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun's plantation, named Fort Hill. The plantation passed to his daughter, Anna, and son-in-law, Thomas Green Clemson. On Clemson's death in 1888, he willed the land to the state of South Carolina for the creation of a public university.

The 1899 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson Agricultural College—now known as Clemson University–during the 1899 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. The Tigers completed their fourth season with a record of 4–2, with wins over Davidson, South Carolina, North Carolina A&M, and Georgia Tech and losses to Georgia and Auburn. Clemson did not host any games, but played a mix of away and neutral site games. Walter Riggs served again as coach, having also led the team in its inaugural 1896 season, while J. N. Walker was the captain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1900 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1900 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson Agricultural College—now known as Clemson University–during the 1900 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. Under first year head coach John Heisman, the team posted a 6–0 record and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1902 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1902 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson Agricultural College—now known as Clemson University—during the 1902 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season. Under third year head coach John Heisman, the Tigers posted a 6–1 record, including an undefeated Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association record, and thus a conference championship. The lone loss was to rival South Carolina, in a controversial game ending in riots and banning the contest until 1909.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1915 Clemson Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1915 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson Agricultural College—now known as Clemson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1915 college football season. Under fifth-year head coach Bob Williams, the team compiled an overall record of 2–4–2 record with a mark of 2–2–1 in SIAA play. W. K. McGill was the team captain. Riggs Field was introduced as Clemson's new home stadium in 1915. Riggs hosted the football team until Memorial Stadium was built in 1942.

The 1987 NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament was the 29th annual tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the national champion of men's collegiate soccer among its Division I members in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies</span>

The Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma Panhandle State University, located in Goodwell, Oklahoma, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) for most of its sports since the 2017–18 academic year. The Aggies previously competed in the Heartland Conference of the NCAA Division II ranks from 2002–03 to 2016–17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Athletic Foundation</span>

The Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting Louisiana State University (LSU) and its athletics program. It is the primary source of private funding for LSU athletics and contributions to TAF benefit every athlete and every team at LSU. TAF has become a critical element in the success of LSU Athletics by providing private funding for scholarships, academic rewards, new athletic facilities and facility upgrades. In addition to contributions to the athletic scholarship fund, TAF will continue to provide funding for academic programs and facilities that benefit all LSU students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Clemson Tigers women's soccer team</span>

The 2021 Clemson Tigers women's soccer team represented Clemson University during the 2021 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. The Tigers were led by head coach Ed Radwanski, in his eleventh season. The Tigers home games were played at Riggs Field. This was the team's 28th season playing organized soccer. All of those seasons were played in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

References

  1. Grubb, C. Alan (1988), McKale, Donald M.; Reel, Jerome V (eds.), "The Master Executive: Walter Merritt Riggs 1910-1924", Tradition: A History of the Clemson Presidency, Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, ISBN   0-86554-296-1
  2. "Historic Riggs Field Renovation Update". Clemson Tigers. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  3. The Tiger, Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina, "Weekly Calendar", Tuesday 28 September 1915, Volume XI, Number 2, page 2.
  4. The Tiger, 5 October 1915, Volume XI, Number 3, page 1.
  5. The Tiger, 5 October 1915, page 1.
  6. The Tiger, "Weekly Calendar'", Tuesday 28 September 1915, Volume XI, Number 2, page 2.
  7. The Tiger, "Thalian Club Gives Informal'", Tuesday 5 October 1915, Volume XI, Number 3, page 1.
  8. "Historic Riggs Field". clemsontigers.com. Clemson University Athletics. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  9. "Historic Riggs Field Renovation Update". Clemson Tigers. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  10. "Clemson to Celebrate 100th Anniversary of Historic Riggs Field". Clemson Tigers. 22 September 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
1987
Succeeded by