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Yale Bowl

Coordinates: 41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W / 41.313; -72.960
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Yale Bowl
File:Yale bowl birds eye view.png
Aerial view in 2012
Map
Location81 Central Avenue
New Haven, Connecticut
Coordinates41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W / 41.313; -72.960
OwnerYale University
OperatorYale University
Capacity61,446 (2006–present)
64,246 (1994–2005)
70,896 (1914–1993)
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
Broke groundAugust 1913
OpenedNovember 21, 1914 (1914-11-21)
110 years ago
Construction cost$750,000
($22.8 million in 2023[1])
ArchitectCharles A. Ferry
(Class of 1871)
Tenants
Yale Bulldogs (NCAA) (1914–present)
New York Giants (NFL) (1973–1974)
Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL) (1976–1977)
Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl is located in Connecticut
Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl is located in the United States
Yale Bowl
LocationChapel St. and Yale Ave., New Haven, Connecticut
Coordinates41°18′47″N 72°57′38″W / 41.31306°N 72.96056°W / 41.31306; -72.96056
Built1914
ArchitectCharles A. Ferry;
Sperry Engineering Co.
NRHP reference No.87000756
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 27, 1987 [2]
Designated NHLFebruary 27, 1987 [3]

The Yale Bowl is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The home of the Yale Bulldogs of the Ivy League, it opened 110 years ago in 1914 with 70,896 seats; renovations have reduced its current capacity to 61,446.

The Yale Bowl inspired the design and naming of the Rose Bowl, from which is derived the name of college football's post-season games ("bowl games") and the NFL's "Super Bowl".

In 1973 and 1974, the stadium hosted the New York Giants of the National Football League while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. They won just one of the dozen home games they played in New Haven in those two seasons. The Giants shared Shea Stadium in Queens in 1975 with the New York Jets (and baseball Mets); Giants Stadium opened in 1976.

Construction

Ground was broken on the stadium in August 1913. Fill excavated from the field area was used to build up a berm around the perimeter to create an elliptical bowl. The façade was designed to partially echo the campus's Neo-Gothic design, and, as with some central campus buildings, acid was applied to imitate the effects of aging.

It was the first bowl-shaped stadium in the country, and inspired the design of such stadiums as the Rose Bowl, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and Michigan Stadium. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 for its role in football history.[3][4]

The Yale Bowl's designer, Charles A. Ferry, for unknown reasons chose not to include locker rooms (or restrooms).[5] Players must dress in the Smilow Field Center and walk 200 yards (185 m) to the field. When the NFL's Giants played at the stadium (1973, 1974), the pro players disliked the arrangement, but Yale players reportedly enjoy the walk. Fans cheer for the team as it marches to the stadium while the Yale Band plays.[6]

By the 21st century, many of the outside retaining walls and portal entries were deteriorating. In the spring and summer of 2006, the bowl received a partial renovation, completed just in time for the first home game of the Yale football team's season on September 16. A previous scoreboard (notable for the time clock being arranged vertically instead of horizontally) was added in 1958 and replaced during the 2006 renovations.

History

Its inaugural game in 1914 was a 30–6 loss to rival Harvard on November 21,[5][7] with over 68,000 in attendance.[8]

During the 1970s, the "Bowl" hosted several concerts. The Grateful Dead played a notable show in 1971 on July 31, which was released as Road Trips Volume 1 Number 3. A 1980 concert featuring the Eagles, Heart, and The Little River Band on June 14 proved to be the finale for the venue, as opposition from neighbors became increasingly vehement. A picture from this final show can be seen in packaging of the vinyl edition of the Eagles double live album, issued later that year, though no recordings from the event are included on the discs. A planned Paul McCartney concert was scheduled for June 1990, but because of neighborhood opposition, the New Haven show was cancelled and the date was rescheduled for Chicago.

The stadium has hosted many soccer matches over the years and served as home field for the Connecticut Bicentennials of the North American Soccer League during the 1976 and 1977 seasons. Yale Bowl was a candidate as a possible playing site when the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994. However, two other venues in the region were chosen instead: Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts and Giants Stadium in New Jersey.[9]

On Friday, October 5, 2001, the closing ceremony of the Yale Tercentennial was held at the Yale Bowl. Guests included Tom Wolfe '57, William F. Buckley '50, Sesame Street's Big Bird, Paul Simon '96 Hon, and Garry Trudeau '70.

The Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center, home to the annual ATP/WTA event (the Pilot Pen tournament), is located across Yale Avenue from the stadium.

Sports

Football

NFL

Date Home Opponent Score Attendance
October 7, 1973 New York Giants Green Bay Packers 16–14 70,050
October 14, 1973 New York Giants Washington Redskins 21–3 70,168
November 11, 1973 New York Giants Dallas Cowboys 23–10 70,128
November 18, 1973 New York Giants St. Louis Cardinals 24–13 65,795
December 16, 1973 New York Giants Minnesota Vikings 31–7 70,041
September 15, 1974 New York Giants Washington Redskins 13–10 49,849
September 22, 1974 New York Giants New England Patriots 28–20 44,082
October 6, 1974 New York Giants Atlanta Falcons 14–7 42,379
October 27, 1974 New York Giants Dallas Cowboys 21–7 57,381
November 10, 1974 New York Giants New York Jets 26–20 64,327
November 24, 1974 New York Giants St. Louis Cardinals 23–21 40,615
December 8, 1974 New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles 20–7 21,170

Soccer

International

Date Teams Attendance
May 31, 1992 Italy  0-0  Portugal 38,833
June 6, 1993 United States  0-2  Brazil 44,579
May 28, 1994 United States  1-1  Greece 21,317

NASL (1976-1977)

Date Home Opponent Score Attendance
June 2, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials Rochester Lancers 2 - 1 1,853
June 12, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials Miami Toros 1-1 (S/O) 3,105
June 20, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials Chicago Sting 2-1 3,289
June 24, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials San Diego Jaws 1-1 (S/O) 1,642
June 30, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials San Antonio Thunder 1-1 (S/O) 1,426
July 7, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials Washington Diplomats 2-1 (S/O) 2,100
July 24, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials United States Canada Toronto Metros-Croatia 4-4 (S/O) 4,122
July 30, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials Tampa Bay Rowdies 0-7 3,800
Aug. 14, 1976 Connecticut Bicentennials St. Louis Stars 2-1 3,376
May 8, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials New York Cosmos 2-3 17,302
May 15, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-4 1,520
May 29, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 2,257
June 12, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0-2 6,213
June 15, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Team Hawaii 1-2 1,295
June 19, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials St. Louis Stars 0-3 1,222
June 26, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Rochester Lancers 2-1 2,832
June 29, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Los Angeles Aztecs 2-3 2,915
July 13, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Las Vegas Quicksilvers 4-3 3,472
July 17, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials United States Canada Toronto Metros-Croatia 0-4 4,515
July 27, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Seattle Sounders 1-4 2,169
August 3, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Washington Diplomats 4-1 1,100
August 7, 1977 Connecticut Bicentennials Chicago Sting 1-1 (S/O) 3,215

Gallery

  • Yale Field - shown here during the 1910 Harvard-Yale game - was the Bulldogs' home until the construction of the Bowl in 1914.
    Yale Field - shown here during the 1910 Harvard-Yale game - was the Bulldogs' home until the construction of the Bowl in 1914.
  • A model of the Yale Bowl sold as a souvenir in 1914
    A model of the Yale Bowl sold as a souvenir in 1914
  • Yale Bowl during the 1915 Yale-Princeton game.
    Yale Bowl during the 1915 Yale-Princeton game.
  • The Yale Bowl from the north-west end 2005
    The Yale Bowl from the north-west end 2005

See also

References

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Yale Bowl". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  4. ^ James H. Charleton (December 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Yale Bowl". National Park Service. and Accompanying aerial photo, from 1985
  5. ^ a b Amore, Dom (November 13, 2014). "Yale Bowl starts big, and 100 years later, it remains special". Hartford Courant. (Connecticut). Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Schonbrun, Zach (2014-11-02). "At Yale Bowl, 100 Years of Tradition, Pride and No Locker Rooms". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  7. ^ "Yale victim of bad breaks or score might have been closer". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 22, 1914. p. 1, part 3.
  8. ^ "Greatest football crowd ever, sees big match". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). November 21, 1914. p. 13.
  9. ^ Hartford Courant: Yale Bowl Loses World Cup Bid

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yale Bowl.
Preceded by Home of the
New York Giants
1973–1974 		Succeeded by
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