Neale Stadium
Encyclopedia
Neale Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium
in Moscow
, Idaho
, on the west end of the campus of the University of Idaho
. Opened in 1937 for college football
(and track), it was used for over three decades, through the 1968
season. Its replacement, the Kibbie Dome
, currently occupies the same site.
of the Pacific Coast Conference
(and later the Big Sky
) from 1937
-68
, used for football
and track and field. The stadium was named for Mervin G. Neale, the university
's president from 1930-37. The Kibbie Dome
currently occupies the site in the same east-west configuration, unorthodox for football.
Neale Stadium was an earthen horseshoe
bowl, opening to the east toward campus. The wooden grandstands were along the sidelines only, with approximately 30 rows of bench seating. The unlit stadium included the quarter-mile (402 m) cinder
running track, and the white wooden scoreboard was located at the west end, on the rim of the unseated bowl. (photo)
There were no locker room facilities at the venue, the teams dressed in the Memorial Gymnasium well to the east. The press box was above the south sideline's grandstand and the elevation
of the playing field was 2610 feet (795 m) above sea level. Before Neale Stadium, football was played at MacLean Field, the large athletic field between the Mem Gym and the Shattuck Arboretum, behind (west of) the Administration Building. The baseball
infield was on the site of the current College of Education building, and the football field ran north-south, from left field north to the infield. The primary spectator area was on the slope along the east sideline (third base line). (1921 photo - Idaho 6-0 over 9th Army Corps on 03-Dec ) - (campus photo - circa 1940)
, due to soil erosion underneath the grandstands. Idaho used WSU's
Rogers Field
in nearby Pullman, Washington
, for their limited home schedule in 1969 (three Palouse
home games), and was planning to do the same in 1970, with four home games scheduled.
Idle for football for a year, a suspected arson
early on Sunday, November 23, 1969
, destroyed the central portion of the south grandstand and press box at Neale Stadium. Less than five months later, a similar fire occurred at Rogers Field
in April 1970
. Also a suspected arson, it severely damaged the south grandstand and press box of Pullman's wooden venue. This reduction in capacity forced WSU
to play all of its home schedule in 1970
(& 1971
) at Joe Albi Stadium
in Spokane
, but Idaho continued to play its games at Rogers Field in 1970, using the north grandstand and temporary seating. The two teams met in the so-called "Displaced Bowl" in Spokane on September 19, handily won by WSU.
, Rogers Field at WSU was demolished to construct Martin Stadium
, which opened the following year. Weather delayed construction in the spring and Idaho's new stadium was a month behind schedule, which forced the Vandals to play their first two home games of the 1971
season away from the Palouse. The first was the season-opener at the year-old Bronco Stadium
in Boise
in the first-ever meeting
with Boise State College
; the "visiting" Broncos pulled off the 42-14 upset before 16,123 on September 11 for an instant rivalry. The second was at Joe Albi Stadium
in Spokane
on September 25, a 10-0 victory over Colorado State
. Vandal football finally returned to campus two weeks later, when the new concrete
"Idaho Stadium"
opened on October 9, built on the site of Neale Stadium. With the first game on campus in nearly three years, the Vandals responded with a 40-3 victory over Idaho State. The playing field was natural grass in 1971; synthetic Tartan Turf was installed in 1972
and the stadium was fully enclosed in September 1975 to become the Kibbie Dome
.
A new all-weather outdoor track and field venue was built in 1970, west of the stadium. It was named for gold medalist decathlete Dan O'Brien
following the 1996 Summer Olympics
, and underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 2011-12.
and Wayne Walker
, both future NFL
all-stars and selected early in the 1958 NFL Draft
.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, on the west end of the campus of the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
. Opened in 1937 for college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
(and track), it was used for over three decades, through the 1968
1968 college football season
In the 1968 college football season, the system of "polls and bowls" changed. The Associated Press returned to its pre-1961 system of ranking the Top 20 rather than the Top 10, and voted on the national champion after the bowl games, rather than before. During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no...
season. Its replacement, the Kibbie Dome
Kibbie Dome
The William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
, currently occupies the same site.
History
Neale Stadium was the home field for the Idaho VandalsIdaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
of the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
(and later the Big Sky
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
) from 1937
1937 in sports
-American football:* First Cotton Bowl Classic is played in Dallas.* Washington Redskins win the NFL title in their first year at Washington after moving from Boston...
-68
1968 in sports
1968 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France** Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada-American football:...
, used for football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and track and field. The stadium was named for Mervin G. Neale, the university
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
's president from 1930-37. The Kibbie Dome
Kibbie Dome
The William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
currently occupies the site in the same east-west configuration, unorthodox for football.
Neale Stadium was an earthen horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
bowl, opening to the east toward campus. The wooden grandstands were along the sidelines only, with approximately 30 rows of bench seating. The unlit stadium included the quarter-mile (402 m) cinder
Cinder
A cinder is a pyroclastic material. Cinders are extrusive igneous rocks. Cinders are similar to pumice, which has so many cavities and is such low-density that it can float on water...
running track, and the white wooden scoreboard was located at the west end, on the rim of the unseated bowl. (photo)
There were no locker room facilities at the venue, the teams dressed in the Memorial Gymnasium well to the east. The press box was above the south sideline's grandstand and the elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of the playing field was 2610 feet (795 m) above sea level. Before Neale Stadium, football was played at MacLean Field, the large athletic field between the Mem Gym and the Shattuck Arboretum, behind (west of) the Administration Building. The 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...
infield was on the site of the current College of Education building, and the football field ran north-south, from left field north to the infield. The primary spectator area was on the slope along the east sideline (third base line). (1921 photo - Idaho 6-0 over 9th Army Corps on 03-Dec ) - (campus photo - circa 1940)
Condemned in 1969
The wooden grandstands of Neale Stadium were condemned for safety reasons during the summer of 19691969 college football season
The 1969 college football season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of college football. During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A"...
, due to soil erosion underneath the grandstands. Idaho used WSU's
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
Rogers Field
Rogers Field (Washington State)
Rogers Field was an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. It was the home venue of the WSU Cougars football and track teams until severely damaged by a fire in April 1970...
in nearby Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
, for their limited home schedule in 1969 (three Palouse
Palouse
The Palouse is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes...
home games), and was planning to do the same in 1970, with four home games scheduled.
Idle for football for a year, a suspected arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
early on Sunday, November 23, 1969
1969 college football season
The 1969 college football season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of college football. During the 20th Century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A"...
, destroyed the central portion of the south grandstand and press box at Neale Stadium. Less than five months later, a similar fire occurred at Rogers Field
Rogers Field (Washington State)
Rogers Field was an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. It was the home venue of the WSU Cougars football and track teams until severely damaged by a fire in April 1970...
in April 1970
1970 in sports
1970 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion – Karl Schranz, Austria** Women's overall season champion – Michèle Jacot, France-American football:...
. Also a suspected arson, it severely damaged the south grandstand and press box of Pullman's wooden venue. This reduction in capacity forced WSU
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
to play all of its home schedule in 1970
1970 college football season
The 1970 college football season was marked by tragedy, due to two airplane crashes. On October 2, one of the planes carrying the Wichita State football team crashed on the way to a game against Utah State, killing 31 people on board, including 14 players...
(& 1971
1971 college football season
The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs...
) at Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Spokane, Washington. Primarily used for football, it is located in the northwest part of the city, just east of the Spokane River. It opened in 1950 as "Memorial Stadium," with a natural grass field, cinder running track, and a seating capacity of...
in Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, but Idaho continued to play its games at Rogers Field in 1970, using the north grandstand and temporary seating. The two teams met in the so-called "Displaced Bowl" in Spokane on September 19, handily won by WSU.
Idaho Stadium - 1971
In 19711971 college football season
The 1971 college football season saw Coach Bob Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers repeat as national champions. After being ranked 2nd in the preseason poll, Nebraska captured first place the following week and remained there for the rest of 1971 and won the Orange Bowl 38–6 in a #1 vs...
, Rogers Field at WSU was demolished to construct Martin Stadium
Martin Stadium
Martin Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pullman, Washington, United States, on the campus of Washington State University. It is the home field of the Washington State Cougars of the Pacific-12 Conference, and is the smallest football stadium in the conference...
, which opened the following year. Weather delayed construction in the spring and Idaho's new stadium was a month behind schedule, which forced the Vandals to play their first two home games of the 1971
1971 Idaho Vandals football team
The 1971 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1971 college football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Don Robbins, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played three of their five home games at the new Idaho Stadium, an outdoor facility on...
season away from the Palouse. The first was the season-opener at the year-old Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium
Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference. Since 1997, it has hosted the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Boise, Idaho, the home field of the Boise State Broncos...
in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
in the first-ever meeting
Boise State – Idaho rivalry
The Boise State–Idaho rivalry is a college football game between the Boise State University Broncos and the University of Idaho Vandals, the only two Division I FBS programs in the state of Idaho. The game had been played annually from 1971–2010, and with the exception of the 2001–04 games, the...
with Boise State College
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
; the "visiting" Broncos pulled off the 42-14 upset before 16,123 on September 11 for an instant rivalry. The second was at Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium
Joe Albi Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Spokane, Washington. Primarily used for football, it is located in the northwest part of the city, just east of the Spokane River. It opened in 1950 as "Memorial Stadium," with a natural grass field, cinder running track, and a seating capacity of...
in Spokane
Spokane
Spokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
on September 25, a 10-0 victory over Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
. Vandal football finally returned to campus two weeks later, when the new concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
"Idaho Stadium"
Kibbie Dome
The William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
opened on October 9, built on the site of Neale Stadium. With the first game on campus in nearly three years, the Vandals responded with a 40-3 victory over Idaho State. The playing field was natural grass in 1971; synthetic Tartan Turf was installed in 1972
1972 college football season
The 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
and the stadium was fully enclosed in September 1975 to become the Kibbie Dome
Kibbie Dome
The William H. Kibbie-ASUI Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic stadium in Moscow, Idaho, on the campus of the University of Idaho...
.
A new all-weather outdoor track and field venue was built in 1970, west of the stadium. It was named for gold medalist decathlete Dan O'Brien
Dan O'Brien
Daniel Dion O'Brien is a former American decathlete. He was deemed one of the best decathlon athletes of the 1990s, winning an Olympic gold medal after winning three consecutive world titles....
following the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, and underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 2011-12.
Noted Vandals
Among the Vandal greats who played at Neale Stadium were Jerry KramerJerry Kramer
Gerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer is a former professional football player, author and sports commentator, best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman...
and Wayne Walker
Wayne Walker
Wayne Harrison Walker is a former professional football player and sports broadcaster. He played in the NFL for fifteen seasons, from 1958-72 for the Detroit Lions. A starter throughout his career, #55 played in 200 regular season games as a 6'2", 225 lb...
, both future 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...
all-stars and selected early in the 1958 NFL Draft
1958 NFL Draft
The 1958 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1957 and January 28, 1958 .This was the last year in which the Lottery Bonus pick was used.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...
.
External links
- University of Idaho buildings - N
- Neale Stadium - photo - 1950s - looking northeast toward Moscow Mountain
- Neale Stadium - photo - 1950s - looking west
- Marching band - photo from stadium's south grandstand - 1950s
- aerial photo of UI campus - circa 1940 - Neale Stadium @ upper center
- aerial photo of UI campus - circa 1950 - Neale Stadium @ lower left
- GoVandals.com - head coach Dee AndrosDee AndrosDemosthenes Konstandies "Dee" Andrecopoulos was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho from 1962 to 1964 and at Oregon State University from 1965 to 1975, compiling career...
(1962–64) leads Vandals into Neale Stadium
