Francis Field is a stadium at Washington University in St. Louis , currently used by the university's track and field , cross country , football , and soccer teams. It is located in St. Louis County, Missouri on the far western edge of the university's Danforth Campus . It was built in time for the 1904 World's Fair , and was used as the main stadium for the 1904 Summer Olympics . At its height, the stadium had a 19,000 person seating capacity , but stadium renovations in 1984 reduced the capacity to 4,000 persons. It is one of the oldest sports venues west of the Mississippi River still in use. Francis Field has been upgraded to include many of the characteristics of modern stadiums. Instead of grass, the stadium now utilizes artificial Field Turf , which can be configured for both soccer and football .
Overview [ edit ]
The 1904 Summer Olympics (the first to be held in the Western Hemisphere ) were given to St. Louis, Missouri as a result of the efforts of David Rowland Francis , for whom the stadium and accompanying gymnasium are named. Built in 1902, Francis Field's permanent stands represent one of the first applications of reinforced concrete technology.[ 1] Both Francis Field and its gymnasium are U.S. National Historic Landmarks . During those games, the stadium hosted the archery , athletics , cycling , football , gymnastics , lacrosse , roque , tug of war , weightlifting , and wrestling events. At some dirt courts located outside the stadium, the tennis events took place.[ 2]
Following the 1904 Olympics, Francis Field became the permanent home of the Bears, who were formerly known as the Pikers. From the 1920s through the 1950s, the Bears played before crowds of as many as 19,000 people, competing against universities such as Notre Dame , Nebraska , and Boston College , with half of the spectators in temporary wooden stands. The Bears now play in the NCAA as a Division III team.
In July 1994, Francis Field served as a centerpiece for the U.S. Olympic Festival as 3,000 athletes were housed on the campus for the country's top amateur sporting events.
In the summer of 2004 Francis Field had its natural grass replaced with artificial FieldTurf .[ 3]
Notable events [ edit ]
Francis Field is an annual host for the American Cancer Society 's Relay for Life event.[ 4]
The Francis Gymnasium was the site of three U.S. presidential debates in 1992, 2000, and 2004 , plus the vice-presidential debate in 2008.[ 5]
In 1994, the Francis Field was again an Olympic focal point, as 3,000 athletes were housed on the Danforth Campus for the U.S. Olympic Festival.
During both the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Torch relays , the Olympic Flame passed by Francis Field on its way to the site of the Olympic Games .[ 6]
Francis Field hosted the 1986 AAU/USA National Junior Olympic Games, the first and second National Senior Olympic Games, and the 1985 NCAA Division III National Men's Soccer Championship.
The stadium was used by the St. Louis Stars soccer team during 1969-1970, and again in 1975-1977, before their 1978 move to Anaheim, California , as they became the California Surf .
See also [ edit ]
Club History
Sports Facilities
Important Figures
Other topics
1896 : Marathon (city) , Panathenaic Stadium
1900 : Croix-Catelan Stadium
1904 : Francis Field
1908 : White City Stadium
1912 : Stockholm Olympic Stadium
1920 : Olympisch Stadion
1924 : Stade de Colombes
1928 : Olympic Stadium
1932 : Olympic Stadium , Riverside Drive at Griffith Park
1936 : Avus Motor Road , Olympic Stadium
1948 : Empire Stadium
1952 : Olympic Stadium
1956 : Melbourne Cricket Ground
1960 : Arch of Constantine , Raccordo Anulare , Stadio Olimpico , Via Appia Antica , Via Cristoforo Colombo
1964 : Fuchu City , Karasuyama-machi , National Stadium , Sasazuka-machi , Shinjuku
1968 : Estadio Olímpico Universitario , Zócalo
1972 : Olympiastadion
1976 : Montreal Botanical Garden , Olympic Stadium , Streets of Montreal
1980 : Grand Arena , Streets of Moscow
1984 : Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , Santa Monica College , Streets of Los Angeles , Streets of Santa Monica
1988 : Olympic Stadium , Streets of Seoul
1992 : Estadi Olímpic de Monjuïc , Marathon course, Mataró , Walking course
1996 : Marathon course, Olympic Stadium , Walking course
2000 : Marathon course, North Sydney , Olympic Stadium
2004 : Marathon (city) , Olympic Stadium , Panathenaic Stadium , Stadium at Olympia
2008 : Beijing National Stadium , Olympic Green Promenade Walking course, Streets of Beijing Marathon course
2012 : Marathon Course , Olympic Stadium
2016 : Flamengo Park , Estádio Olímpico João Havelange , Sambódromo
1896
Marathon (city) , Neo Phaliron Velodrome
1900
Vélodrome de Vincennes
1904
Francis Field
1908
White City Stadium
1912
Liljeholmen , Mälaren
1920
Antwerp , Vélodrome d'Anvers Zuremborg
1924
Stade de Colombes , Vélodrome de Vincennes
1928
Amsterdam , Olympic Stadium
1932
Los Angeles Avenue , Pacific Coast Highway , Rose Bowl in Pasadena , Vineyard Avenue
1936
Avus Motor Road , BSV 92 Field & Stadium
1948
Herne Hill Velodrome , Windsor Great Park
1952
Käpylä , Maunula , Pakila , Velodrome
1956
Broadmeadows , Velodrome
1960
Olympic Velodrome , Via Cassia , Via Flaminia , Via Cristoforo Colombo , Via di Grottarossa
1964
Hachioji City , Hachioji Velodrome
1968
Agustín Melgar Olympic Velodrome , Satellite Circuit
1972
Bundesautobahn 96 , Grünwald , Radstadion
1976
Mount Royal Park , Olympic Velodrome , Quebec Autoroute 40
1980
Krylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling Circuit , Krylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome , Moscow-Minsk Highway
1984
Artesia Freeway , Olympic Velodrome , Streets of Mission Viejo
1988
Olympic Velodrome , Tongillo Road Course
1992
A-17 highway , Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya , Sant Sadurní Cycling Circuit , Velòdrom d'Horta
1996
Cycling road course, Georgia International Horse Park , Stone Mountain Park Archery Center and Velodrome
2000
Centennial Parklands , Dunc Gray Velodrome , Western Sydney Parklands
2004
Athens Olympic Velodrome , Kotzia Square , Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue , Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre
2008
Laoshan Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX) Venue , Laoshan Mountain Bike Course , Laoshan Velodrome , Urban Road Cycling Course
2012
BMX Circuit , Hadleigh Farm , London Velodrome , Hampton Court Palace
2016
Barra Velodrome , Flamengo Park , Olympic BMX Center , Olympic Mountain Bike Park
1900
Vélodrome de Vincennes
1904
Francis Field
1908
White City Stadium
1912
Råsunda IP , Stockholm Olympic Stadium (final), Tranebergs Idrottsplats
1920
Jules Ottenstadion , Olympisch Stadion (final), Stade Joseph Marien , Stadion Broodstraat
1924
Stade Bergeyre , Stade de Colombes (final), Stade de Paris , Stade Pershing
1928
Monnikenhuize , Olympic Stadium (final), Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
1936
Hertha-BSC Field , Mommsenstadion , Olympiastadion (final), Poststadion
1948
Arsenal Stadium , Champion Hill , Craven Cottage , Cricklefield Stadium , Empire Stadium (medal matches), Green Pond Road , Griffin Park , Selhurst Park , White Hart Lane
1952
Helsinki Football Grounds , Kotka , Lahti , Olympic Stadium (final), Tampere , Turku
1956
Melbourne Cricket Ground (final), Olympic Park Stadium
1960
Florence Communal Stadium , Grosseto Communal Stadium , L'Aquila Communal Stadium , Livorno Ardenza Stadium , Naples Saint Paul's Stadium , Pescara Adriatic Stadium , Stadio Flaminio (final)
1964
Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium , Mitsuzawa Football Field , Nagai Stadium , Tokyo National Stadium (final), Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium , Ōmiya Football Field , Prince Chichibu Memorial Football Field
1968
Estadio Azteca (final), Estadio Cuauhtémoc , Estadio Nou Camp , Jalisco Stadium
1972
Drei Flüsse Stadion , ESV-Stadion , Jahnstadion , Olympiastadion (final), Rosenaustadion , Urban Stadium
1976
Lansdowne Park , Olympic Stadium (final), Sherbrooke Stadium , Varsity Stadium
1980
Dinamo Stadium , Dynamo Central Stadium, Grand Arena , Grand Arena (final), Kirov Stadium , Republican Stadium
1984
Harvard Stadium , Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium , Rose Bowl (final), Stanford Stadium
1988
Busan Stadium , Daegu Stadium , Daejeon Stadium , Dongdaemun Stadium , Olympic Stadium (final)
1992
Estadi de la Nova Creu Alta , Camp Nou (final), Estadio Luís Casanova , La Romareda , Estadi de Sarrià
1996
Florida Citrus Bowl , Legion Field , Orange Bowl , RFK Memorial Stadium , Sanford Stadium (both finals)
2000
Stadium Australia , Brisbane Cricket Ground , Bruce Stadium , Hindmarsh Stadium , Melbourne Cricket Ground , Olympic Stadium (men's final), Sydney Football Stadium (women's final)
2004
Kaftanzoglio Stadium , Karaiskakis Stadium (women's final), Olympic Stadium (men's final), Pampeloponnisiako Stadium , Pankritio Stadium , Panthessaliko Stadium
2008
Beijing National Stadium (men's final), Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium , Shanghai Stadium , Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium , Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium , Workers' Stadium (women's final)
2012
City of Coventry Stadium , Hampden Park , Millennium Stadium , St James' Park , Old Trafford , Wembley Stadium (both finals)
2016
Estádio Nacional de Brasília , Arena Fonte Nova , Mineirão , Arena Corinthians , Arena da Amazônia , Estádio Olímpico João Havelange , Maracanã (both finals)
Baseball
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Cricket
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Jeu de paume
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Polo
Rackets
Roque
Rugby union
Softball
Tug of war
Water motorsports
Coordinates : 38°38′52″N 90°18′49″W / 38.64778°N 90.31361°W / 38.64778; -90.31361