Stadium History

[~WPS~]

To get through last few weeks of the summer how about sharing some info on stadiums across the state. What year was your stadium built? Renovated? Interesting stories?


Nashville's Scrapper Stadium opened in 1970. There was a major renovation in 2009 with new home stands and mall area underneath. In 2016, new visitors bleachers and turf were added.

[1-Adam-12]

Bearcat Stadium opened in 1968 and has undergone at least three major renovations.  The latest came in 2014-15, with a new scoreboard, iron gates replacing fencing at both entries, and press box upgrades.

[Hoghead2]

Hammons Stadium in Hope was built in 1936. It seats 4200 with box seating on both sides. It is the exact same size on the home side as the visitors. Press boxes on both sides. Turf was added in 2012 with connecting Indoor Facility,  new concessions,  and main entrance.  The biggest crowds are Nashville and Prescott. The 1978 7AAA Conference Title game with Camden High is still estimated as the largest game seen at Hammons Stadium with a crowd of 7 grand. Notable players such as Bear Bryant and his Fordyce Red Bugs has played there.

[AirWarren]

I believe Jim Hurley Jr Stadium went up in 1980. Before then, Warren football was played at Axley Field.

Two years ago, a paint job was done on the metal parts of the bleachers, last year the wooden bleachers were changed over to metal bleachers, and this year new turf is being laid as well as new field goal posts.

In the mid 2000's, new track was laid, new concession stands and in 2004 the indoor facility was opened right beside the stadium.

[Romeo]

I believe Jim Hurley Jr Stadium went up in 1980. Before then, Warren football was played at Axley Field.

Two years ago, a paint job was done on the metal parts of the bleachers, last year the wooden bleachers were changed over to metal bleachers, and this year new turf is being laid as well as new field goal posts.

In the mid 2000's, new track was laid, new concession stands and in 2004 the indoor facility was opened right beside the stadium.

Yeah, stadium was first played in 1980. Was called Lumberjack Stadium until 1995 when it was renamed Jim Hurley Jr Stadium. Named after Hurley, class of 1944 who was a multi-sport athlete. I believe father was once mayor of Warren during the late 40s.

[tmycjy]

Wynne yellow jackets are stadium is called yellow jackets stadium

It was open in 1950 the most interesting thing is in 1950 we were state champion
In around 1984 or 85 we built a new pressbox on the vister side of the stadium and put in a new score board and sound system

In 1992 or 1993 Wynne put new meddle bleacher up on home and vister side and also added other bleacher to vister side for band because of pressbox is on vister side

In 1997 we open are new field house and it was one of the finest in the state until other school copy are design so in my opinion we were the first so we got the best field house
Around the 2001 or 2002 we added room to the pressbox
In 2002 or 2003 we put in another new sound system do Pergame music and we also put in a new scoreboard system  the score system is still there to day

In 2013 Wynne put in a brand new sound system that is one of best in are part of the state in the

In 2014 Wynne put in new field turf and new light on the field and we are still working on new ticket gate and other project that are to be done

Wynne high school has these state champion tittle
1950
1986
2001
2004
Runner up tittle for Wynne
1980
2015

[WillC]

Van Buren had been playing football at Blakemore Field long before many people can remember.  I don't know the exact date, but it was there before my grandmother attended school in VB.

Originally, the high school campus was what is now Butterfield Trail Middle School (previously Butterfield Junior High) and the old junior high school was on the JJ Izard campus, which is currently the district career center after spending some time as an elementary school.  The field sits right next to Izard, and a few blocks from Butterfield, so as to be in a strategically located place.  It was closer to the junior high because it was assumed that the high school players could drive to practice, whereas the junior high players could not.

When the high school moved to its current location in the 1960s and the old campus became a junior high, the stadium did not move, despite ample space for an on-campus stadium (in fact, there is a full-size field and bleachers at the high school, which houses the track).

In the 1990s, the stadium was still two sets of wooden bleachers and a press box on opposite sides of the field, with a field house on the north end zone.  Later in the decade, a massive renovation took place that included the construction of metal grandstands and visitor bleachers, bringing the seating capacity to an estimated 8,000. A three-story press box was built on the home side, which houses coaches, radio personnel for both teams, indoor filming space, a hospitality room, and VIP seating.  The press box was named after long-time school board member and Chamber of Commerce founder Iverson Riggs.  The renovation also included a new football facility, complete with locker rooms, coaches offices, training rooms, weight rooms, and a turfed practice space.  The new construction squelched any doubt that the stadium would remain at its current location. 

In 2006, Van Buren became the 15th school in the state of Arkansas to install artificial turf as its playing surface.  The turf did not cut into the asphalt track that wrapped around the field.  The design was simple, with the common interlocking "VB" logo at midfield with "Van Buren" and "Pointers" written in white on an empty green background in the endzones.  There were no markings for a soccer field.

Before the 2015 season, new turf was installed.  The surface was widened, extending all the way from the visitors stands to the home stands, doing away with the asphalt track and providing for a wider soccer field.  The turf features alternating shades of green every five yards, black trim on the edges, the same "VB" logo at midfield, and "Van Buren" and "Pointers" written in green on a white background in the endzones.  Silver soccer lines were added with the turf.  The project was entirely funded by private donations, not a single penny of taxpayer money was spent.  Citizens Bank made huge contributions to both turf projects, and as a result, won the naming rights to the stadium.  Finally, the scoreboard was given a fresh coat of paint.

As far as I know, that is the history of Citizens Bank Stadium at Blakemore Field.

[x14113]

I'll just leave this here.

Text in bold indicates information learned since original post.

I'll need to double-check the finer details, but here's a timeline of Ozark's stadium history.

Pre-1952:  Hillbillies played on a field adjacent to Gar Creek, across from where the Butterball plant currently stands.

1952: Hillbilly Stadium first opens.  The bleachers were wooden, and there was no track. The initial press box was built directly on the home bleachers.

Mid-'60s: Playing field moved north to accommodate addition of track.

ca. mid-late '60s to early '70s: Original press box replaced with a permanent structure standing behind the home stands.

ca. '70s: Home bleachers changed to metal.  Visitors were (still?) seated in portable wooden stands within the track.

Late 70's: Metal bleachers built on the north side.  I've personally wondered if they were ever meant to be a new home side since they were actually larger than the south bleachers for about the next two decades, but to my knowledge, that was never the case.

ca. 1980: Illuminated scoreboard replaced with directly-lit board.

1999: Scoreboard replaced again, play clocks added: permanent structure built to include concessions, restrooms.

Spring 2001:  Home bleachers extended on the west end, completed in time for graduation.

Summer 2001:  Press box razed, then rebuilt.

2004:  Rubber-surface track replaces dirt surface.

ca. 2007: New goalposts.

2009:  Field changed to turf.  Tiers added in NW area to accommodate lawn chair use.  Permanent bandstand built east of home bleachers.

2012: Track resurfaced.

2013: Scoreboard replaced yet again.

And this isn't getting into the numerous minor upgrades throughout its history.