Fitton Field
{{Short description|Stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{About|the Holy Cross football stadium|the baseball stadium|Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Fitton Field
| nickname =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| fullname = Fitton Football Stadium
| former names =
| logo_image = Holy Cross Athletics logo.svg
| logo_size = 30
| image = Fitton Field, Holy Cross football stadium, Worcester MA west view.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = The venue photographed in 2024
| pushpin_map = USA Massachusetts
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Massachusetts
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_relief =
| type = Stadium
| currentuse = Football
| address = 1 College St.
| city = Worcester, MA
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|42|14|29.6|N|71|48|35.9|W|display=title,inline}}
| genre =
| broke_ground =
| built =
| opened = {{Start date and age|1908|9|26}}{{cite web |title=Fitton Field |url=http://www.goholycross.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=33100&ATCLID=210235732 |website=GoHolyCross.com |date=July 31, 1999 |publisher=College of the Holy Cross |access-date=August 18, 2018 |language=en}}
| renovated = 1912; 1924; 1986; 2016
| expanded = 1912, 1924, 1986
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = College of the Holy Cross
| operator = Holy Cross Athletics
| surface = Kentucky bluegrass (2016–present)
| scoreboard =
| production =
| cost =
| architect =
| builder =
| project_manager =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor =
| main_contractors =
| seating_type =
| capacity = 23,500 (1986–present)
| suites =
| dimensions =
| field_shape =
| acreage =
| tenants = Holy Cross Crusaders (NCAA) 1908–present
| embedded =
| website = {{URL|https://goholycross.com/facilities/fitton-field/2|goholycross.com/fitton-field}}
| publictransit =
}}
Fitton Field is a football stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts, primarily used for College of the Holy Cross sporting events. The stadium opened in 1908 as the official home for the Holy Cross Crusaders football team. Before that, most games were played on the adjoining baseball field. The stadium has a capacity of 23,500.
Named after Reverend James Fitton, who donated land to the Archdiocese of Boston to found the college, it is an irregularly shaped three-sided horseshoe on the edge of the college's campus. The northern football stands are shorter than the southern due to Interstate 290 being adjacent to the field.
History
Officially known as Fitton Football Stadium, the football facility is home to the Holy Cross Crusaders football team. The field itself was used as the football field, and termed Fitton Field, as early as 1908. A wooden structure was constructed at that time, but a more sturdy concrete structure did not appear until 1912. In 1924, the concrete was replaced with the steel structure that still stands today, increasing the stadium's capacity. It would remain identical until 1986, when the wooden seating was replaced with aluminum bleachers, further expanding its capacity to its current level. In 2016, the field was completely replaced for the first time since 1903. Among the upgrades was a new bluegrass blend sod planted as well as new irrigation systems and netting.{{Cite web |title=Newsroom {{!}} Photo Gallery: Fitton Field Gets Makeover with New Sod |url=https://news.holycross.edu/blog/2016/10/18/photo-gallery-fitton-field-gets-makeover-with-new-sod/ |access-date=March 13, 2023 |website=Newsroom {{!}} College of the Holy Cross}}
Fitton Field has hosted numerous speakers including commencement addresses by two sitting presidents. President Theodore Roosevelt delivered his address in 1905, while touring Massachusetts, this was his only public speech in Worcester.{{Cite news |last=Porter |first=Laura |title=June 22, 1905: A bully day for Worcester |url=https://www.telegram.com/story/news/2016/07/19/june-22-1905-bully-day-for-worcester/25563775007/ |access-date=March 13, 2023 |date=July 19, 2016 |newspaper=Telegram & Gazette | location=Worcester, Massachusetts |language=en-US}} President Lyndon B. Johnson gave his address in 1964, replacing the initial guest, President John F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated just a few months prior.{{Cite web |title=Commencement Address at Holy Cross College. |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/commencement-address-holy-cross-college#:~:text=Note:%20The%20President%20spoke%20at,the%20Most%20Reverend%20Bernard%20J. |access-date=March 13, 2023 |website=The American Presidency Project}}
= Attendance =
While historically having high attendance numbers, with many fans from the Worcester area and beyond filling the disproportionately large stadium; in the 1990s an over two-decade slump of relatively low attendance began. However, with the resurgence of the Holy Cross Crusaders football team in recent years, attendance numbers have begun to rebound. In 2022, in a game against the Fordham Rams football team, Fitton Field posted its highest attendance since the 1980's, with almost 18,000 fans as audience to a revived historical rivalry and Crusader victory.{{Cite web |title=Road to 11-0: The Story So Far |url=https://goholycross.com/news/2022/11/30/football-road-to-11-0-the-story-so-far.aspx |access-date=March 13, 2023 |website=Holy Cross Athletics |language=en}}
The largest attendance at Fitton Field was 27,000 in 1938 which was the last home game for Holy Cross's All-American back, Bill Osmanski.
= Panorama =
{{Panorama
| image = Fitton Field, College of the Holy Cross.jpg
| height = 220
| caption = Fitton Field looking north; note scoreboard at left; skyline of Worcester at upper right
}}
{{clear}}
Facts and figures
File:Fitton Field scoreboard.jpg
In 1992, Fitton Field was to be the home of the New England Blitz of the Professional Spring Football League, but the PSFL folded before any games were played.
Fitton Field was used to film the movie The Game Plan in 2006.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/south-west/2006/10/19/fitton-field-plays-key-role/53034735007/ |title=Fitton Field plays key role in new film |first=Richard |last=Duckett |work=Telegram & Gazette | location=Worcester, Massachusetts |date=October 19, 2006 |language=en}}
As of 2022, Fitton Field is the fourth oldest Division I football stadium, surpassed only by Franklin Field, Harvard Stadium and Kyle Field.{{Cite web |title=These are the 10 oldest stadiums in Division I college football |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2022-07-26/these-are-10-oldest-stadiums-division-i-college-football |access-date=March 12, 2023 |website=NCAA.com |language=en}} The field also holds the record of being the 15th largest Division I FCS stadium in terms of capacity and by far the largest in the Patriot League.{{Cite web |title=Patriot League Demographics |url=https://patriotleague.org/sports/2016/6/13/school-bio-patr-school-bio-corp-partners-demographics-html.aspx?id=1568&= |access-date=March 13, 2023 |website=patriotleague.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The 25 biggest FCS football stadiums in the country |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2022-07-12/25-biggest-fcs-football-stadiums-country |access-date=March 12, 2023 |website=NCAA.com |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{oweb}}
{{Holy Cross Crusaders football navbox}}
{{College of the Holy Cross}}
{{Patriot League football venue navbox}}
{{Massachusetts college football venues}}
Category:1908 establishments in Massachusetts
Category:College football venues in Massachusetts
Category:Holy Cross Crusaders football