J. Birney Crum Stadium
Encyclopedia
J. Birney Crum Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. The stadium seats 15,000 and is used by several area high schools and the Pennsylvania Stoners
of the NPSL
(men) and the Northampton Laurels of the WPSL
(women) soccer teams. J. Birney Crum Stadium is the home football
field for each of Allentown's three high schools: William Allen High School
, Louis E. Dieruff High School
, and Allentown Central Catholic High School
of the Lehigh Valley Conference
.
The stadium opened in 1948 as "Allentown High School Stadium." In 1982, it was renamed in honor of J. Birney Crum, a football, basketball
, and baseball
coach
at Allentown High School (present-day William Allen High School) who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Crum was, at one point, the largest high school football stadium in Pennsylvania
. But with the removal of the visitor side stands, it lost that standing.
Crum is also the home high school playing field for numerous Lehigh Valley Conference football players who went on to careers in the NFL
, including Ed McCaffrey
of the Denver Broncos
and New York Giants
, Andre Reed
of the Buffalo Bills
and Washington Redskins
, and Tony Stewart
, the current tight end
for the Oakland Raiders
.
The stadium was recently renovated and FieldTurf
was installed to replace the original natural grass surface.
In addition, the stadium also hosts the annual Drum Corps International
Eastern Championships, with drum and bugle corps from all over the country, and a large Fourth of July
fireworks display that typically draws tens of thousands of spectators. The stadium also plays host to the Collegiate Marching Band Festival
, held in late September/early October, which showcases college and university marching bands of all sizes and styles from across the Northeastern United States.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The stadium seats 15,000 and is used by several area high schools and the Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners
Pennsylvania Stoners is an American soccer team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2007, the team plays in National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Eastern Keystone Division.The team plays its home...
of the NPSL
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League is a United States soccer league recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA as a Division IV league...
(men) and the Northampton Laurels of the WPSL
Women's Premier Soccer League
The Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
(women) soccer teams. J. Birney Crum Stadium is the home 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...
field for each of Allentown's three high schools: William Allen High School
William Allen High School
William Allen High School is one of two public high schools of the Allentown School District located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
, Louis E. Dieruff High School
Louis E. Dieruff High School
Louis E. Dieruff High School is a public high school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The school is named after Louis E. Dieruff, a noted educator in the Allentown School District....
, and Allentown Central Catholic High School
Allentown Central Catholic High School
Allentown Central Catholic High School is a private, parochial school located at 301 North Fourth Street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
of the Lehigh Valley Conference
Lehigh Valley Conference
The Lehigh Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference is an athletic conference consisting of 12 large high schools from Lehigh and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States...
.
The stadium opened in 1948 as "Allentown High School Stadium." In 1982, it was renamed in honor of J. Birney Crum, a football, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
at Allentown High School (present-day William Allen High School) who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
Crum was, at one point, the largest high school football stadium in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. But with the removal of the visitor side stands, it lost that standing.
Crum is also the home high school playing field for numerous Lehigh Valley Conference football players who went on to careers in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, including Ed McCaffrey
Ed McCaffrey
Edward Thomas McCaffrey is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos of the National Football League...
of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and 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,...
, and Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart (American football)
Tony Alexander Stewart is an American football tight end, who is currently a free agent.Stewart was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Penn State....
, the current tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
The stadium was recently renovated and FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
was installed to replace the original natural grass surface.
In addition, the stadium also hosts the annual Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
Eastern Championships, with drum and bugle corps from all over the country, and a large Fourth of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
fireworks display that typically draws tens of thousands of spectators. The stadium also plays host to the Collegiate Marching Band Festival
Collegiate Marching Band Festival
The Collegiate Marching Band Festival, also called the CMBF, is an annual event held in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which showcases college and university marching bands of all sizes and styles from across the Northeastern United States. First held in 1996, the event typically takes places in early...
, held in late September/early October, which showcases college and university marching bands of all sizes and styles from across the Northeastern United States.