McCulloch Stadium
{{short description|Stadium in Salem, Oregon, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Charles McCulloch Stadium
| nickname =
| image = McCullochStadium.JPG
| image_size = 240px
| caption =
| address = 890 Mission Street SE
| location = Salem, Oregon, U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|44.9298|-123.0376|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=240|zoom=15|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA#Oregon
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Oregon
| pushpin_mapsize = 240
| pushpin_label = Salem
| pushpin_relief = yes
| broke_ground =
| opened = {{start date and age|1950}}
| renovated = 1993
| owner = Willamette University
| operator = Willamette University
| surface = FieldTurf
| construction_cost =
| architect =
| former_names =
| tenants = Willamette University (NCAA)
Portland Timbers U23s (USL2) (2017–)
| seating_capacity = 2,500
| website =
}}
McCulloch Stadium is a 2,500-seat outdoor stadium in the northwest United States, located in Salem, Oregon. Built {{Time ago|1950}} in 1950, the multi-use facility serves as home to Willamette University's football and track & field teams, and high school football games. Located in Bush's Pasture Park south of Willamette's campus, the stadium includes a grandstand, football field, and track.
History
Charles E. McCulloch donated $50,000 to the school in June 1947 in order to build an athletic complex on {{convert|10|acres}} at what is now Bush's Pasture Park.{{cite news|title=$50,000 Received By Willamette|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=June 16, 1947|page=5}} At the time, McCulloch was president of the university's board of trustees and an attorney in Portland where he was a partner at what is now Stoel Rives.{{cite web|title=Timeline|url=http://www.stoel.com/Anniversary_Timeline.aspx|work=Anniversary|publisher=Stoel Rives LLP|accessdate=29 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213130812/http://www.stoel.com/Anniversary_Timeline.aspx|archive-date=13 December 2013|url-status=dead}} The proposed stadium was to have seating for 3,500 in a concrete grandstand, plus a baseball diamond, track, and practice field for the football team. Construction began in March 1950 with it planned to be completed in time for that year's football season.{{cite news|title=Bearcats Get New Stadium|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=March 5, 1950|page=4}} It was also announced the stadium would be named for Charles E. McCulloch and have a total capacity of 7,000.
On October 14, 1950, a dedication ceremony was held with school president G. Herbert Smith and Oregon governor Douglas McKay on hand to welcome Hawaii and honor the 1941 Willamette team that was stranded in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor.{{cite news|title=N.W. Conference Clubs Await Full Saturday Slate|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=October 14, 1950|page=The Oregonian; Date: 10–14–1950}} The New York Giants football team held their first scrimmage of the 1958 season at the stadium on July 31.{{cite news|title=NY Giants Hold First Scrimmage|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j25YAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BPgDAAAAIBAJ&dq=charles%20mcculloch%20stadium%20willamette&pg=2987%2C1234425|accessdate=29 June 2013|newspaper=The Bulletin|date=August 2, 1958|location=Bend, Ore|page=2}} Around 1970 the track surface was converted to an asphalt and rubber surface, which was resurfaced in the 1980s.{{cite news|title=Track back to proper length|last=Gault|first=Roy|date=March 28, 2001|work=Statesman Journal|pages=1B}}
McCulloch Stadium went through a major renovation in 1993.[http://www.salemhistory.net/education/willamette_university.htm Salem Online History: Willamette University] After renovations, the field was named Ted Ogdahl Field in honor of the former coach while the locker rooms were dedicated in the honor of Jeff Knox. In October 1997, Liz Heaston became the first female to play in a college football game, kicking two extra points in the game at McCulloch against Linfield College.{{cite news|title=Called into history|last=Bachman|first=Rachel|date=October 14, 2007|work=The Oregonian|pages=C1}}
A new $300,000 rekotan track surface was installed at the stadium in 2000.{{cite news|title=Willamette gets improvement to athletic facilities|last=English|first=Reid|date=September 22, 2000|work=Statesman Journal}} At that time university officials discovered the previous track was {{convert|6|m|sp=us}} too long. In 2003 the grass field was removed and a new FieldTurf surface was installed at a cost of $500,000.{{cite news|title=Willamette University 2003-04 highlights|date=May 16, 2004|work=Statesman Journal|pages=2J}} Later that year lights were re-installed at McCulloch at a cost of $110,000.{{cite news|title=McCulloch Stadium|last=English|first=Reid|date=October 1, 2003|work=Statesman Journal|pages=4B}} A new video scoreboard was added at the facility in 2007.{{cite news|title=Permit issue slows WU scoreboard plans|last=Hagan|first=Chris|date=September 26, 2007|work=Statesman Journal}}
Sports
The stadium hosts a variety of sports. These include lacrosse,[http://wulax.ialax.com/index.php?section=facilities Willamette University Men's Lacrosse] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929045138/http://wulax.ialax.com/index.php?section=facilities |date=2007-09-29 }} football, soccer, and track meets.[http://www.trackcity.org/meets.htm Track City Track Club - USATF Youth Track & Field Club] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102182109/http://trackcity.org/meets.htm |date=2007-01-02 }} McCulloch can seat 2,500 spectators. All seats at the stadium are in the covered grandstand on the west side of the playing surface. The grandstands include a press box, offices for the coaches, player locker rooms, and athletic training facilities.{{cite web|date=2007|title=Bearcat Football 2007 Media Guide|publisher=Willamette University|page=5|url=http://www.willamette.edu/athletics/teams/football/media_guide/2007-08/2007%20fb%20media%20guide.pdf}}
McCulloch includes the eight lane Charles Bowles Track for the school's track teams. The stadium also host high school football games, including OSAA playoff games.{{cite news|title=Class 5A matchups|date=December 2, 2006|work=Statesman Journal|pages=Sports p. 4}}
References
File:McCulloch Stadium field.JPG
{{Reflist|33em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060901075908/http://www.willamette.edu/dept/scheduling/facilities/outdoor/mcculloch/ Information and photos at Willamette University]
{{Willamette Bearcats football navbox}}
{{Willamette University}}
{{Oregon college football venues}}
{{Premier Development League stadiums}}
Category:College football venues in Oregon
Category:Willamette Bearcats football
Category:Athletics (track and field) venues in Oregon
Category:College track and field venues in the United States
Category:Soccer venues in Oregon
Category:Sports venues completed in 1950
Category:Willamette University campus