Gonzaga Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium in Spokane, Washington}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Gonzaga Stadium

| nickname =

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname =

| address =

| location = Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
(site: Foley Center Library)

| coordinates = {{Coord|47.667|N|117.4005|W|type:landmark|display=it}}

| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=12|type=point}}

| pushpin_map = USA#Washington

| pushpin_relief = 1

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Washington

| pushpin_label = Spokane

| broke_ground = May 16, 1922 {{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19220516&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |at=p. 1, column 6 |title=Gonzaga Stadium ground broken |date=May 16, 1922}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/sports/article_94427394-8112-11e6-94ba-1f37e0d69c58.html |work=Gonzaga Bulletin |last=Reed |first=Justin |title=Undefeated since 1941 |date=September 22, 2016 |access-date=October 31, 2016}}{{cite web|author=Paul Burgarino |url=http://www.gonzagabulletin.com/article_9964fb78-959a-5b69-9a58-7c05269f2afd.html |title=Fighting Bulldog football: the ghost of autumns past – The Gonzaga Bulletin: Home |publisher=The Gonzaga Bulletin |access-date=October 23, 2016}}

| built =

| opened = {{start date and age|1922|10|14|br=yes}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AMBXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y_QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6423%2C1989453 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Gonzaga's new stadium is ready for opening game |date=October 13, 1922 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1q9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=u-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4688%2C2723155 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Duffy |first=Bernard |agency=Inland Empire |title=Life and death of the Gonzaga Stadium |date=October 24, 1965 |page=4}}
(GU vs. Washington State)

| renovated = 1931 (lights)

| expanded =

| closed = {{start date and age|1947}}

| demolished = 1949

| owner = Gonzaga University

| operator = Gonzaga University

| surface = Natural grass

| construction_cost = $100,000 (in 1922)
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|100000|1922}}}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}{{inflation-fn|US}})

| architect =

| project_manager =

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor = Huetter Construction Co.

| main_contractors =

| seating_type = wood bench

| former_names =

| tenants = Gonzaga University (multiple sports)

| seating_capacity = 1922: 10,000
1913: {{spaces|2}}2,000 {{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=peBVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wuADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6712%2C184287 |work=The Spokesman-Review |title=Idaho swamps Gonzaga team|date=October 12, 1913|page=1, part 3}}

| record_attendance =

| dimensions =

}}

Gonzaga Stadium was an outdoor sports stadium in the northwest United States, located on the campus of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.{{cite web | url=https://www.gonzaga.edu/academics/libraries/foley-library/departments/special-collections/Exhibitions/Past_Exhibits/Gonzaga_History/GonzagaHistory1913.asp | title=Libraries | Gonzaga University }} The home of Gonzaga Bulldogs football, it was built in five months and opened in 1922;{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AcpXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gPQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5297%2C4959968|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |last=Weber |first=W. W. |title=Gonzaga has lost only one of eleven games in stadium |date=November 28, 1924 |page=25}} the first game was against Washington State on October 14, won by the Cougars with a late field goal, 10–7.{{cite news|title=Washington State Noses Out Gonzaga|newspaper=Ogden Standard-Examiner |date=October 15, 1922|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7111802/washington_state_noses_out_gonzaga/}} After the opening loss, Gonzaga was undefeated in the next ten games at the stadium, with eight wins and two ties.

The football field had a conventional north-south alignment at an elevation of approximately {{convert|1900|ft|round=5}} above sea level. Lights were installed in 1931, between the field and the running track.

Like many colleges, football was stopped at Gonzaga during World War II and the last season was in 1941.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-9ZXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UfUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6961%2C1575169 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Gonzaga cancels its intercollegiate football program |date=April 7, 1942 |page=11}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_NZXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UfUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6718%2C1890466 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Unofficial word says Hunton will be dismissed at Gonzaga |date=April 8, 1942 |page=17}} The program had been in financial difficulty,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T2khAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jYQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4307%2C2458856 |work=Ellensburg Daily Record |agency=Associated Press |title=Gonzaga might drop football |date=October 23, 1939 |page=6}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K-BXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7059%2C5271584 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |last=Ashlock |first=Herb |title=Financial problem may force Gonzaga University to drop collegiate football program |date=October 23, 1939 |page=11}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eVkpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6uMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4523%2C2791344 |work=The Spokesman-Review |title=Gonzaga looks for supporters |date=October 24, 1939 |page=14}} and was not resumed after the war; the stadium seating was demolished in 1949.{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/apr/30/then-and-now-gu-cus/ |title=Then and Now: Gonzaga's former football stadium |work=The Spokesman-Review |date=April 30, 2012 |access-date=October 23, 2016}}

Gonzaga Stadium was used for city high school football until it was deemed unsafe by the city after the 1947 season.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XSNZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4969,593977 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=City says stadium must be repaired |date=December 17, 1947 |page=1}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ovFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7375%2C4086261|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Gonzaga Stadium ruled out for prep grid games |date=March 24, 1948 |page=17}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0mtWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yPUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2792,3465421 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Historic Gonzaga Stadium finally will be "retired"|date=April 8, 1949|page=15 }} The wooden venue hosted a professional preseason game in 1946 under the lights, between the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers of the new All-America Football Conference.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Bi1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ROUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6854%2C6023843 |newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|title=Top pro teams in game tonight |date=August 24, 1946 |page=9}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=btxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hfUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7075%2C5637554 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|title=Yankees winners; may return here |date=August 26, 1946 |page=15 }} High school football moved to Ferris Field in 1948 for two years, then to the new Memorial Stadium in 1950, later named for Gonzaga alumnus Joe Albi in 1962.

The stadium site made its debut as a football venue in 1913, when Gonzaga hosted Inland Empire rival Idaho on October 11.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CuVVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6027%2C6889312 |work=The Spokesman-Review |title=Idaho opens new Gonzaga field |date=October 11, 1913|page=16}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hXhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2183%2C5908603 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |title=Idaho 54, Gonzaga 3 |date=October 12, 1913 |page=12}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HMFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HfQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3478%2C2648648 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=Washington |title=Gonzaga swamped by Idaho eleven |date=October 13, 1913|page=16}} At its opening, it had seating for 2,000 and room for fifty automobiles to line up.