Marquette Stadium
Marquette Stadium in 1925
Milwaukee is located in the United States
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Location in the United States
Milwaukee is located in Wisconsin
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Location in Wisconsin
AddressN. 36th & W. Clybourn St.
LocationMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Coordinates43°02′10″N 87°57′40″W / 43.036°N 87.961°W / 43.036; -87.961
OwnerMarquette University
OperatorMarquette University
Capacity24,000 [1]
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
OpenedOctober 18, 1924 [2][1]
Demolished1976 [1]
Tenants
Marquette Golden Avalanche (NCAA)
(1924–1960)
Green Bay Packers (NFL) (1952)
Milwaukee Panthers (NCAA Div. III) (1973–1974)

Marquette Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the home field of the Golden Avalanche of Marquette University, its intercollegiate football team. Located in the Merrill Park neighborhood west of the university,[3] the stadium opened in 1924 and had a seating capacity of 24,000 at its peak.[1] Citing financial issues, the football program was discontinued by the university in December 1960.[4][5][6][7] The concrete grandstands were demolished in the summer of 1976.[1]

The National Football League's Green Bay Packers played several home games per year in the Milwaukee area for 62 seasons, from 1933 through 1994. Marquette Stadium hosted three games during the 1952 season; Packer games in Milwaukee were moved to nearby County Stadium when it opened in 1953.[8]

In addition to football, the stadium was also the home of the Marquette track and field team, which included Olympian Ralph Metcalfe, one of the fastest humans in the early 1930s. Olympic great Jesse Owens made several appearances while a collegian at Ohio State University.[9]

The site was refurbished in 1998 into the Quad Park track and soccer complex,[9] a home venue of Marquette University High School, a few blocks to the northeast. The current field and track are slightly west of the originals at Marquette Stadium.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cash, Phil (September 2, 1976). "MU Stadium gone, but the memories linger". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1–part 2.
  2. ↑ "Marquette University Stadium Dedication". Marquette University. Raynor Memorial Libraries. October 18, 1924. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  3. ↑ Zeidler, Frank P. (January 26, 1989). "Zeidler fondly recalls Merrill Park". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1D.
  4. ↑ "Save football, alumni aim". Milwaukee Journal. December 10, 1960. p. 14.
  5. ↑ "Marquette drops football, track". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. December 10, 1960. p. 10.
  6. ↑ Bolchat, Rel (December 10, 1960). "MU drops football, basketball survives". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 3, part 2.
  7. ↑ Riordon, Robert J (December 10, 1960). "'We want football!' MUers yell". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1, part 1.
  8. ↑ "Other Homes of the Packers, 1919-94". Packers.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Gardner, Charles F. (September 9, 1998). "Historic site gets boost". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 10C.
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