Duck Samford Stadium
Encyclopedia
Duck Samford Stadium is a stadium in Auburn
, Alabama
. It is primarily used for American football
and soccer, and is the home field of the Auburn High School Tigers
. Duck Samford Stadium was constructed in 1968, and seats 8,310 spectators. The field is named after James Drake "Duck" Samford, a former Auburn University
football player and longtime supporter of youth athletics in Auburn who donated the land for the facility.
—which had served as Auburn High School's home field since 1949—on the site now occupied by Duck Samford Stadium began in 1964. On March 23, 1965, James "Duck" Samford donated the 40.2 acres (162,683.8 m²) site to the City of Auburn. In May 1967, the Auburn City Schools agreed to a ten-year lease of the proposed stadium, which the city of Auburn constructed the following year for $1.1 million. The stadium opened on October 25, 1968 with an Auburn High School loss to Lanett High School, 14-13; the first home win at the venue came three weeks later against arch-rival Opelika High School
, 41-0. The original seating consisted of what is today the home (east) stands, and seated 3,986.
In 1974, a fieldhouse was constructed behind the north endzone. The stadium was expanded in 1984 to include a visitors' seating section on the west side of the stadium, which increased capacity to 6,000. A further expansion in 1993 increased the west side stands to increase the stadium's capacity to 7,120. The stadium underwent a $2.0 million renovation in 2004, with the east side stands completely replaced. At the same time, the existing turf was replaced with TifSport Certified Bermuda grass, the same playing surface as at the University of Texas's Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the Washington Redskins
' FedEx Field. In 2005, ownership of Duck Samford was transferred from the City of Auburn to the Auburn City School District
. The 35-year old original fieldhouse was torn down and replaced by the Travis L. Rabren Fieldhouse in 2009. In 2010, a $705,000 expansion resulted in the construction of new restrooms, replacement of the scoreboard, and additional seating to bring the stadium's capacity to 8,310.
Through 2011, the Auburn High School football team has a 153-95-1 record at Duck Samford Stadium, a winning percentage of 0.616. The stadium has hosted sixteen Alabama High School Athletic Association
football playoff
games; in those matches, Auburn High School has a 8-8 record.
Duck Samford Stadium is the site of the City of Auburn's Fourth of July fireworks
display.
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. It is primarily used for American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and soccer, and is the home field of the Auburn High School Tigers
Auburn High School Tigers
The Auburn High School Tigers are the athletic teams which represent Auburn High School in Auburn, Alabama. Auburn High School's athletics program fields twenty-one varsity teams as a member of the large-school classification of the Alabama High School Athletic Association...
. Duck Samford Stadium was constructed in 1968, and seats 8,310 spectators. The field is named after James Drake "Duck" Samford, a former Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
football player and longtime supporter of youth athletics in Auburn who donated the land for the facility.
History
Plans for constructing a stadium to replace Felton Little ParkFelton Little Park
Felton Little Park is a municipal park in Auburn, Alabama, United States. Felton Little Park is the oldest park in Auburn. From 1949 until 1968, the park was the home stadium of the Auburn High School Tigers football team, and from 1949 through 1967, the Auburn High School baseball team...
—which had served as Auburn High School's home field since 1949—on the site now occupied by Duck Samford Stadium began in 1964. On March 23, 1965, James "Duck" Samford donated the 40.2 acres (162,683.8 m²) site to the City of Auburn. In May 1967, the Auburn City Schools agreed to a ten-year lease of the proposed stadium, which the city of Auburn constructed the following year for $1.1 million. The stadium opened on October 25, 1968 with an Auburn High School loss to Lanett High School, 14-13; the first home win at the venue came three weeks later against arch-rival Opelika High School
Opelika High School
Opelika High School is located in Opelika, Lee County, Alabama. Opelika High School, of the Opelika City Schools, serves students in grades 9-12. The principal is Dr. Farrell Seymore...
, 41-0. The original seating consisted of what is today the home (east) stands, and seated 3,986.
In 1974, a fieldhouse was constructed behind the north endzone. The stadium was expanded in 1984 to include a visitors' seating section on the west side of the stadium, which increased capacity to 6,000. A further expansion in 1993 increased the west side stands to increase the stadium's capacity to 7,120. The stadium underwent a $2.0 million renovation in 2004, with the east side stands completely replaced. At the same time, the existing turf was replaced with TifSport Certified Bermuda grass, the same playing surface as at the University of Texas's Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
' FedEx Field. In 2005, ownership of Duck Samford was transferred from the City of Auburn to the Auburn City School District
Auburn City Schools
The Auburn City School District or Auburn City Schools is the school district of Auburn, Alabama. The superintendent is J. Terry Jenkins.-Early history of Auburn schools:...
. The 35-year old original fieldhouse was torn down and replaced by the Travis L. Rabren Fieldhouse in 2009. In 2010, a $705,000 expansion resulted in the construction of new restrooms, replacement of the scoreboard, and additional seating to bring the stadium's capacity to 8,310.
Miscellaneous
Duck Samford Stadium is part of the Duck Samford Sports Complex, which also includes ten baseball fields, a walking trail, and two multi-use fields. The complex hosted the 2005 Dixie Youth World Series.Through 2011, the Auburn High School football team has a 153-95-1 record at Duck Samford Stadium, a winning percentage of 0.616. The stadium has hosted sixteen Alabama High School Athletic Association
Alabama High School Athletic Association
The Alabama High School Athletic Association , based in Montgomery, is the agency which oversees interscholastic athletic programs for public schools in Alabama....
football playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
games; in those matches, Auburn High School has a 8-8 record.
Duck Samford Stadium is the site of the City of Auburn's Fourth of July fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display.