Fleming Field (Gainesville)
 Football game at Fleming Field, 1924. Note Thomas Hall, background right. | |
| Owner | University of Florida |
|---|---|
| Operator | University Athletic Association |
| Opened | 1911 |
| Closed | 1930 |
Fleming Field also known as University Athletic Field was the original playing surface for Florida Gators football.
In 1911, Florida teams began competing at University Athletic Field, which was simply a grassy field flanked by low bleachers located along West University Avenue immediately north of the present stadium site. Permanent bleachers were eventually installed,[1] and the facility was rechristened "Fleming Field" in honor of former Florida governor Francis P. Fleming in the fall of 1915, catching on after the First World War. Besides the university's sports teams, Fleming Field hosted several Major League Baseball spring training games and practices featuring the Boston Red Sox, New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, and Boston Braves, among others.[1]
From 1911 to 1930, Florida's football squads posted a 49–7–1 record at University Athletic / Fleming Field. But because of the facility's limited capacity (approximately 5,000) and the relative inaccessibility of Gainesville in the early 20th Century, most "home" games against top opponents were scheduled at larger venues in Jacksonville or Tampa, with a few also played in St. Petersburg or Miami.[2][3]
References
- ^ a b Carlson, Norm (14 Sep 2009). "Gator talk: History lesson". Gatorzone.com. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- ^ Rex Saffer, "Crabtree Leads Gators to Victory Over Oregon", St. Petersburg Times, p. 1 (December 8, 1929). Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ^ Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 38 (2007).