Football 1925

[Duggie35]

How many of you remember that in 1974 the San Francisco 49ers came to Lafayette and practiced at UL for the week prior to the opening game of the 1974 season against the Saints? This was before the Superdome was built and the 49ers wanted to come down a week early to get accustomed to the heat. They ended up going to New Orleans and beat the Saints on September 15, 1974 17 to 13.

Just a little trivia for some of you that may not have been aware or remembered that fact.

[LaCajunsFan]

West side of the Swamp (touching) 1901-1903

Quad 3 different locations 1904-192?

East side of Swamp (touching) 192?-194?

McNaspy Stadium 194?)197?

Cajun Field "The Swamp"

https://forumeus.com/...im-to-the-Name

ps The link answers my question marks.

This is all very interesting to me, as I have been dissapointed in the lack of detailed info on the history of the campus (buildings/landmarks, etc.), and especialy the various football field locations. I have started trying to fix that by doing a timeline with a complete list and history of each of the buildings.

My starting point is an article that was written in the Verm ~2000, but it wasn't very detailed and is already out of date. It is now on the UL page:

https://www.louisiana.edu/about-us/history/buildings

So your link and info was very helpful, and I have added a broad timeline of the locations of the football stadium to my list; let me know if I have anything wrong. Hopefully soon I will have more detail, including pics, etc......especially of the 1903-1926 period....but for now here is what i have:



1901-1902: Just W of Cypress Grove, in between Hebrard and the lake...before there was a Hebrard...or a lake.

1903-1926: Various locations within the Quad...before there was a Quad.
Not sure what the bleachers/lockerrooms, etc., were like, but assume they were minimal.

1926-1940: "Southwestern Stadium" Just E of Cypress Lake, where current U is located.
Appears to be the first 'permanent' bleachers. Not sure what other facilities also existed. Also, 1940 is when the Quad/Arcade were built.

1940-1971: "McNaspy Stadium" Off Girard Park Dr, where Oliver Hall is currently located.
First foray into the modern era: had lockeroom/office facilites/track and separate bleachers for the
visitors. Also had dorms under the home side.

1971-2018: "Cajun Field" In new athletic campus, off Congress street/Bertrand Dr.
Very state of the art facilites at the time: large lockerroom/office space/weight room, etc.

[Turbine]

In 1912-13 the student body built a stadium with bleachers where Stephens Hall is. It opened in 13-14. That was still in the Quad but became the permanent Football and baseball field location till Southwestern Stadium was built next to the swamp.

Add 1903 to the first field location. It moved slightly but overlapped the 1901 and 1902 fields. One corner started at Old Martin Hall which was closer to The Swamp than the current Martin Hall and the opposite corner was still on the side of the Swamp.

There is an article in this link. https://forumeus.com/...=4588#post4588

[HelmutVII]

Old Martin Hall was located where the parking lot for new martin hall is. The Arcade stops at the parking lot because it entered the sides of old martin hall at those locations. That's why the Arcade at the parking lot looks a little odd. So Old martin hall would be further away from Cypress Lake than the current Martin Hall. I assume you are calling Cypress Lake the swamp for some reason.

[Turbine]

Old Martin Hall was located where the parking lot for new martin hall is. The Arcade stops at the parking lot because it entered the sides of old martin hall at those locations. That's why the Arcade at the parking lot looks a little odd. So Old martin hall would be further away from Cypress Lake than the current Martin Hall. I assume you are calling Cypress Lake the swamp for some reason.

Cypress Lake didn't arrive till the 1940's

Decades earlier (when it was fenced off and shunned) it was Cypress Swamp. Then when the roads were built and side ditches were dug it was drained, "claimed" and called Cypress Grove. Then later still it was reflooded and called Cypress Lake.

You are correct I got turned around, New Martin Hall was built behind Old Martin Hall. Thanks for the correction.