Milton frank stadium
Encyclopedia
Milton Frank Stadium is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose stadium
in Huntsville, Alabama
. It was used for Alabama A&M
football games before the creation of Louis Crews Stadium. It is currently used mainly for Huntsville City Schools
high school and middle school football
and soccer games. Construction began in 1949 and the stadium was opened in 1963
as Huntsville Stadium. It was soon renamed Milton Frank Stadium in honor of the long-time football coach at Huntsville High School
. In the 1990s, the grass field was replaced with artificial turf and a new track replaced the original asphalt track.
Milton Frank Stadium was the home the Alabama Hawks
of the Continental Football League
during the team's two years of existence in 1968-1969. Since 2008, the stadium has been the home field for the Tennessee Valley Tigers
, a women's American football
team currently in the Women's Spring Football League
.
John Stanley Welzyn was the public address
announcer during high school games at the stadium from 1964 until retiring in 1996. During his tenure, Welzyn also announced Alabama Hawks
pro football and Alabama A&M Bulldogs college football games. Welzyn died in 1999 at the age of 66.
Special Olympics
competitions for the Madison County, Alabama
, area are held each year at the stadium.
In November 2011, the Huntsville City Schools announced that a contract valued at $1.6 million was signed with Goldmon Matheny Architects to renovate the stadium. Upgrades will include new stadium entrances, new fences, new gates, new scoreboard
s, plus the demolition of the existing restrooms and locker rooms under both grandstands then construction of new locker rooms, restrooms, and concession areas to replace them.
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 Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
. It was used for Alabama A&M
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, also known as Alabama A&M University or AAMU, is a public, historically black university, Land-grant university located in Normal, Madison County, Alabama....
football games before the creation of Louis Crews Stadium. It is currently used mainly for Huntsville City Schools
Huntsville City Schools
Huntsville City Schools is the school district serving Huntsville, Alabama. As of the 2007-08 school year, the system had 22,839 students and employed 1,933 teachers...
high school and middle school 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 games. Construction began in 1949 and the stadium was opened in 1963
1963 in sports
1963 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 29 – First inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame are announced* AFL Eastern Division Playoff – Boston Patriots win 26–8 over the Buffalo Bills...
as Huntsville Stadium. It was soon renamed Milton Frank Stadium in honor of the long-time football coach at Huntsville High School
Huntsville High School
Huntsville High School is a public high school in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.-History:Due to growth in Huntsville in the 1920s, Huntsville High moved to a location on Randolph Avenue and White Street in 1927. This building served the high school until 1954, when a new building opened on...
. In the 1990s, the grass field was replaced with artificial turf and a new track replaced the original asphalt track.
Milton Frank Stadium was the home the Alabama Hawks
Alabama Hawks
The Alabama Hawks were a professional American football team based in Huntsville, Alabama. They were members of the Continental Football League during the league's last two years . The team was in the Eastern Division of the Atlantic Conference. During the 1968 season, the team was also known as...
of the Continental Football League
Continental Football League
The Continental Football League was a professional minor American football league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to become the major force in professional football outside of the...
during the team's two years of existence in 1968-1969. Since 2008, the stadium has been the home field for the Tennessee Valley Tigers
Tennessee Valley Tigers
The Tennessee Valley Tigers is a women's American football team located in Huntsville, Alabama. The Tigers joined the Women's Spring Football League in 2011 and will play their first WSFL season in the spring of 2012. This will be the Tigers' fourth season overall, after three seasons in the...
, a women's 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...
team currently in the Women's Spring Football League
Women's Spring Football League
The Women's Spring Football League is a full contact Women's American football league which began play in 2010. Five teams played the WSFL's 2010 exhibition schedule, with twelve more joining for their first full season in 2011, and five more for 2012. Three of the league's original 5 have since...
.
John Stanley Welzyn was the public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
announcer during high school games at the stadium from 1964 until retiring in 1996. During his tenure, Welzyn also announced Alabama Hawks
Alabama Hawks
The Alabama Hawks were a professional American football team based in Huntsville, Alabama. They were members of the Continental Football League during the league's last two years . The team was in the Eastern Division of the Atlantic Conference. During the 1968 season, the team was also known as...
pro football and Alabama A&M Bulldogs college football games. Welzyn died in 1999 at the age of 66.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
competitions for the Madison County, Alabama
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
, area are held each year at the stadium.
In November 2011, the Huntsville City Schools announced that a contract valued at $1.6 million was signed with Goldmon Matheny Architects to renovate the stadium. Upgrades will include new stadium entrances, new fences, new gates, new scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
s, plus the demolition of the existing restrooms and locker rooms under both grandstands then construction of new locker rooms, restrooms, and concession areas to replace them.