Yale Bowl

Yale Bowl
Aerial view in 2012
Location 81 Central Avenue
New Haven, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W / 41.313; -72.960Coordinates: 41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W / 41.313; -72.960
Owner Yale University
Operator Yale University
Capacity 61,446 (2006–present)
64,246 (1994–2005)
70,896 (1914–1993)
Surface Natural grass
Construction
Broke ground August 1913
Opened November 21, 1914 (1914-11-21)
104 years ago
Construction cost $750,000
($18.3 million in 2017[1])
Architect Charles A. Ferry
(Class of 1871)
Tenants
Yale Bulldogs (NCAA) (1914–present)
New York Giants (NFL) (1973–1974)
Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL) (1976–1977)
Yale Bowl
Location Chapel St. and Yale Ave., New Haven, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°18′47″N 72°57′38″W / 41.31306°N 72.96056°W / 41.31306; -72.96056
Built 1914
Architect Charles A. Ferry;
Sperry Engineering Co.
NRHP reference # 87000756
Significant dates
Added to NRHP February 27, 1987 [2]
Designated NHL February 27, 1987 [3]

The Yale Bowl is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The home of the Yale Bulldogs of the Ivy League, it opened 104 years ago in 1914 with 70,896 seats; renovations have reduced its current capacity to 61,446.

The Yale Bowl inspired the design and naming of the Rose Bowl, from which is derived the name of college football's post-season games ("bowl games") and the NFL's "Super Bowl".

In 1973 and 1974, the stadium hosted the New York Giants of the National Football League while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. They won just one of the dozen home games they played in New Haven in those two seasons. The Giants shared Shea Stadium in Queens in 1975 with the New York Jets (and baseball Mets); Giants Stadium opened in 1976.

Construction

Ground was broken on the stadium in August 1913. Fill excavated from the field area was used to build up a berm around the perimeter to create an elliptical bowl. The façade was designed to partially echo the campus's Neo-Gothic design, and, as with some central campus buildings, acid was applied to imitate the effects of aging.

It was the first bowl-shaped stadium in the country, and inspired the design of such stadiums as the Rose Bowl, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Michigan Stadium. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 for its role in football history.[3][4]

The Yale Bowl's designer, Charles A. Ferry, for unknown reasons chose not to include locker rooms (or restrooms).[5] Players must dress in the Smilow Field Center and walk 200 yards (185 m) to the field. When the NFL's Giants played at the stadium (1973, 1974), the pro players disliked the arrangement, but Yale players reportedly enjoy the walk. Fans cheer for the team as it marches to the stadium while the Yale Band plays.[6]

By the 21st century, many of the outside retaining walls and portal entries were deteriorating. In the spring and summer of 2006, the bowl received a partial renovation, completed just in time for the first home game of the Yale football team's season on September 16. A previous scoreboard (notable for the time clock being arranged vertically instead of horizontally) was added in 1958 and replaced during the 2006 renovations.

History

Its inaugural game in 1914 was a 30–6 loss to rival Harvard on November 21,[5][7] with over 68,000 in attendance.[8]

During the 1970s, the "Bowl" hosted several concerts. The Grateful Dead played a notable show in 1971 on July 31, which was released as Road Trips Volume 1 Number 3. A 1980 concert featuring the Eagles, Heart, and The Little River Band on June 14 proved to be the finale for the venue, as opposition from neighbors became increasingly vehement. A picture from this final show can be seen in packaging of the vinyl edition of the Eagles double live album, issued later that year, though no recordings from the event are included on the discs. A planned Paul McCartney concert was scheduled for June 1990, but because of neighborhood opposition, the New Haven show was cancelled and the date was rescheduled for Chicago.

The stadium has hosted many soccer matches over the years and served as home field for the Connecticut Bicentennials of the North American Soccer League during the 1976 and 1977 seasons. Yale Bowl was a candidate as a possible playing site when the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994. However, two other venues in the region were chosen instead: Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts and Giants Stadium in New Jersey.[9]

On Friday, October 5, 2001, the closing ceremony of the Yale Tercentennial was held at the Yale Bowl. Guests included Tom Wolfe '57, William F. Buckley '50, Sesame Street's Big Bird, Paul Simon '96 Hon, and Garry Trudeau '70.

The Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center, home to the annual ATP/WTA event (the Pilot Pen tournament), is located across Yale Avenue from the stadium.

Sports

Football

NFL

Date Home Opponent Score Attendance
October 7, 1973New York GiantsGreen Bay Packers16–1470,050
October 14, 1973New York GiantsWashington Redskins21–370,168
November 11, 1973New York GiantsDallas Cowboys23–1070,128
November 18, 1973New York GiantsSt. Louis Cardinals24–1365,795
December 16, 1973New York GiantsMinnesota Vikings31–770,041
September 15, 1974New York GiantsWashington Redskins13–1049,849
September 22, 1974New York GiantsNew England Patriots28–2044,082
October 6, 1974New York GiantsAtlanta Falcons14–742,379
October 27, 1974New York GiantsDallas Cowboys21–757,381
November 10, 1974New York GiantsNew York Jets26–2064,327
November 24, 1974New York GiantsSt. Louis Cardinals23–2140,615
December 8, 1974New York GiantsPhiladelphia Eagles20–721,170

Soccer

International

Date Teams Attendance
May 31, 1992Italy  0-0  Portugal38,833
June 6, 1993United States  0-2  Brazil44,579
May 28, 1994United States  1-1  Greece21,317

NASL (1976-1977)

Date Home Opponent Score Attendance
June 2, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsRochester Lancers2 - 11,853
June 12, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsMiami Toros1-1 (S/O)3,105
June 20, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsChicago Sting2-13,289
June 24, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsSan Diego Jaws1-1 (S/O)1,642
June 30, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsSan Antonio Thunder1-1 (S/O)1,426
July 7, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsWashington Diplomats2-1 (S/O)2,100
July 24, 1976Connecticut Bicentennials United StatesCanada Toronto Metros-Croatia4-4 (S/O)4,122
July 30, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsTampa Bay Rowdies0-73,800
Aug. 14, 1976Connecticut BicentennialsSt. Louis Stars2-13,376
May 8, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsNew York Cosmos2-317,302
May 15, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsTampa Bay Rowdies1-41,520
May 29, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsSan Jose Earthquakes3-22,257
June 12, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsFort Lauderdale Strikers0-26,213
June 15, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsTeam Hawaii1-21,295
June 19, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsSt. Louis Stars0-31,222
June 26, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsRochester Lancers2-12,832
June 29, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsLos Angeles Aztecs2-32,915
July 13, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsLas Vegas Quicksilvers4-33,472
July 17, 1977Connecticut Bicentennials United StatesCanada Toronto Metros-Croatia0-44,515
July 27, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsSeattle Sounders1-42,169
August 3, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsWashington Diplomats4-11,100
August 7, 1977Connecticut BicentennialsChicago Sting1-1 (S/O)3,215

See also

References

  1. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. 1 2 "Yale Bowl". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  4. ↑ James H. Charleton (December 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Yale Bowl". National Park Service. and Accompanying aerial photo, from 1985
  5. 1 2 Amore, Dom (November 13, 2014). "Yale Bowl starts big, and 100 years later, it remains special". Hartford Courant. (Connecticut). Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  6. ↑ Schonbrun, Zach (2014-11-02). "At Yale Bowl, 100 Years of Tradition, Pride and No Locker Rooms". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Yale victim of bad breaks or score might have been closer". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 22, 1914. p. 1, part 3.
  8. ↑ "Greatest football crowd ever, sees big match". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). November 21, 1914. p. 13.
  9. ↑ Hartford Courant: Yale Bowl Loses World Cup Bid
Preceded by
Yankee Stadium		 Home of the
New York Giants
1973–1974		 Succeeded by
Shea Stadium
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