Memorial Stadium (Kent)
Encyclopedia
Memorial Stadium was a stadium in Kent, Ohio
, USA on the campus of Kent State University
that served as home of the Kent State Golden Flashes
football
and track and field teams from 1950 through the 1968 season. Although Kent State had fielded a football team since 1920, Memorial Stadium was the team's first stadium as they had previously played on a field behind Merrill Hall in the old section of campus. The stadium opened on October 14, 1950 with a 57-0 victory over Marietta College
and was later expanded in the mid-1950s with additional permanent and auxiliary seating. Rather than demolish the stadium, the university instead dismantled most of Memorial Stadium's bleachers and reconstructed them in a new configuration at the current Dix Stadium
(also known as Memorial Stadium until 1971) site. The main sideline bleachers became the end zone seats at the new stadium while the auxiliary seating formed the east side bleachers.
and the Kent State student center. Of the pieces of the original stadium, only one still remains in use at Dix Stadium. Dix Stadium's current north end zone seating was the original south sideline seating area at Memorial Stadium, though prior to the 2007 season the original press box was removed and the entire seating area was repainted. The auxiliary seating areas at Memorial Stadium, which served as the east stands at Dix Stadium, were torn down after the 2001 season and were replaced in time for the 2003 season. In February 2008, the south end zone bleachers, the original north sideline seats at Memorial Stadium, were razed as part of Dix Stadium's most recent upgrades.
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
, USA on the campus of Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
that served as home of the Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent State University's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Golden Flashes or simply as the Flashes. The university fields sixteen varsity athletic teams, all of whom play in the Mid-American Conference and in the NCAA's Division I...
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 track and field teams from 1950 through the 1968 season. Although Kent State had fielded a football team since 1920, Memorial Stadium was the team's first stadium as they had previously played on a field behind Merrill Hall in the old section of campus. The stadium opened on October 14, 1950 with a 57-0 victory over Marietta College
Marietta College
Marietta College is a co-educational private college in Marietta, Ohio, USA, which was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. The school offers 42 majors along with a large number of minors, all of which are grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation...
and was later expanded in the mid-1950s with additional permanent and auxiliary seating. Rather than demolish the stadium, the university instead dismantled most of Memorial Stadium's bleachers and reconstructed them in a new configuration at the current Dix Stadium
Dix Stadium
Dix Stadium is a stadium in Kent, Ohio, United States. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Kent State Golden Flashes football team. It lies at the far eastern end of the KSU campus along Summit Street, just east of State Route 261 and is the center piece of...
(also known as Memorial Stadium until 1971) site. The main sideline bleachers became the end zone seats at the new stadium while the auxiliary seating formed the east side bleachers.
Site today
The site of Memorial Stadium today serves as the main visitor parking lot adjacent to the Memorial Athletic and Convocation CenterMemorial Athletic and Convocation Center
The Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, also known as the MAC Center, MACC, and previously as Memorial Gym, is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, United States...
and the Kent State student center. Of the pieces of the original stadium, only one still remains in use at Dix Stadium. Dix Stadium's current north end zone seating was the original south sideline seating area at Memorial Stadium, though prior to the 2007 season the original press box was removed and the entire seating area was repainted. The auxiliary seating areas at Memorial Stadium, which served as the east stands at Dix Stadium, were torn down after the 2001 season and were replaced in time for the 2003 season. In February 2008, the south end zone bleachers, the original north sideline seats at Memorial Stadium, were razed as part of Dix Stadium's most recent upgrades.