Page Four

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Saturday, September 11, 1976

WOLVERINES' HOME SINCE 1927
The Stadium: Rich in histor
By BARBARA ZAHS that seem to be more regal," Beneath the stadium runs a ig surface, Harris says, is find- The chemical did, indeed,
From the rain-drenched open- says Assistant Athletic Direc- creek which was encased in ing a suitable paint to mark the thaw out the field, but it also
er in 1927 when Louis Gilbert tor Charles Harris, "but. I concrete when the facility was yard lines. Most paints are stuck to the workers' hands and
and team captain Bennie Oos- think that Michigan Stadium constructed. The creek now either too abrasive or not dur- feet, and just about everything
terbaan led the Wolverines to is by far, as a place to play, runs into the Ann Arbor sew- able enough. The grueling ac- else. Workers finally had to
an easy 33-0 victory over Ohio the best." er system. tion of the six or seven home hose down the entire field to
Wesleyan, Michigan Stadium Harris noted that the facility, A close look at the playing games played in the stadium remove the chemical. Fortu-
has been the site of more than constructed in 1927 at an esti- surface will reveal that the each year is sure to take its nately, temperatures climbed
270 football contests. mated cost of $950,000, has field is actually built on an 18 toll on the field's markings. and there were no further freez-
A record crowd of 40,000 loyal "held up remarkably well." inch slope for drainage purpos- Surprisingly, the biggest ing problems.
fans braved the weather that The stadium itself is bowl- es. In 1969, artificial turf was problem facing the stadium Sometimes, Harris concedes,
day and came out to watch shaped and is built into the installed for the first time, but is not old age but weather. "all you can do is learn from
the game and marvel at the ground. "The greatest advan- before the start of the 1975 Harris recalls that rainfall on your mistakes."
new 79,000-seat structure. Since tage of a stadium like this is football season a new, softer the Thursday night and Friday With the opening five games
that time, the capacity of the that there are no pillars," Har- carpet replaced the original afternoon prior to last year's of the season being played at
stadium has been expanded to ris says. Athletic officials like one. Baylor game left the field in home in Michigan Stadium,
total 101,701, and last year's to brag that there is "perfect One of the advantages of the such a soggy state that the Harris predicts that clean-up,
Ohio State game set a new vision from every seat." new turf is that it comes in maintenance crew had to im- and not wear, will pose the
NCAA record for attendance- And, unlike many other col- wider widths, and therefore provise and create a tractor- biggest problem. And, of
105,543. In all, the stadium has lege stadiums, there is no run- there are fewer seams in the drawn roller to get all of the course, stadium workers are
played host to more than 16 ning track surrounding the field, carpet. water off of the playing sur- hoping to be blessed with
million football fans. so spectators are as close to But one of the problems as- face. Later, Harris laughs, peo- good weather.
"There are a lot of stadiums the action as possible. sociated with the artificial play- ple called the athletic depart- For the past few months, the
ment to find out where they workers, assisted by a crew of
could purchase one of the amaz- varsity athletes, have dilligent-
ing creations. ly tried to get the stadium in
On another occasion, the temp- shape for today's game. Seats
eratures dipped and the field have been repainted and erod-
was frozen and had to be thaw- ing concrete in some sections
ed out before game time. Ath- of the stands has been replaced.
letic department officials found When painting the seats this
out the name of a chemical year, workers found 19 unnum-
That's a Pizza Bob's sub, that would reportedly do the bered spaces that they didn't
trick. See STADIUM, Page 14
sandwich, Sister Ann or pizza.
Come in and '76 schedule
enjoy any one of September 11 WISCONSIN
September 18 STANFORD iy
our 23 delicious and September 25 NAVY
filling subs today. October 2 WAKE FOREST
October 9 MICHIGAN STATE
October 16 at Northwestern'1
PIZZA BOB'S October 23 at Indiana
October 30 MINNESOTA
814 S. STATE 810S. STATE
0,November 6 at PURDUEf
665-4517 665-4518
November 13 ILLINOIS
OPEN 1 1-2 A.M.6
OE November 20 at Ohio State
-~Recolkctioqi
Coliectioq...
Sure you might not miss the old alma mater next year Maybe not
even the following year. But someday, you're gonna look back
and say "hey, wasn't it great back then". That's when you'll wish
you had a few mementos to remind you of the "good old days".
Before that happens to you, stop down at the bookstore and take
a look at the great collection of mementos we've got right now!
( Jt~c +!r9 p PENDANTS
i, /BEER STEINS MUGSSRINS
KEY CHAINS
--- OLLE TS

MiC IGAN BOOK STORE
322 SOUTH STATE STREET ANN ARBOR.
PHONE 1313) 662-6594 -MICHIGAN 48108