War Memorial Stadium
War Memorial Stadium is home to several college football games each year, including two or three home games of the Arkansas Razorbacks. The stadium is dedicated to the 4,634 Arkansans who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.
The Delta Classic is played here each year between the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Grambling. The Salt Bowl is an annual contest between Benton High School and Bryant High School played at War Memorial. Arkansas Baptist College and Catholic High School for Boys also play all of their games at the stadium. The 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 7A State High School Football Playoffs of the Arkansas Activities Association are played here.
The creation of the stadium owed to the interested of governor Benjamin Travis Laney, who pushed the legislation for its construction through the legislature in 1947. The first football game played in the stadium took place between the University of Arkansas and Abilene Christian on September 18, 1948. Arkansas defeated Abilene Christian by a score of 40-6 with 27,000 fans in attendance. The first night game took place on September 20, 1969. The first game on an artificial surface took place on September 12, 1970. Natural grass returned to War Memorial Stadium for the Arkansas-Southern Methodist game played on September 3, 1994.
On Friday, September 19, 2008, the city rededicated the stadium and opened the new privately-funded Sturgis Veterans Plaza. The centerpiece of the plaza is the 25 foot sculpture Stars & Stripes by Loveland, Colorado, artist Kathleen Caricoff.
War Memorial Stadium is located in War Memorial Park at the corner of West Markham and Van Buren streets. The stadium has seating for 53,727 fans.
References
- Evin Demirel, "Stadium Dedicated to State's War Dead," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 20, 2008.
