Stadium at St. Louis, Missouri
Francis Olympic Field is a stadium at Washington University in St. Louis that was used as the main venue for the 1904 Summer Olympics . It is currently used by the university's track and field , cross country , football , and soccer teams. It is located in St. Louis County, Missouri on the far western edge of the university's Danforth Campus . Built in time for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 St. Louis World's Fair), the stadium once had a 19,000-person seating capacity , but stadium renovations in 1984 reduced the capacity to 3,300 people. It is one of the oldest sports venues west of the Mississippi River that is still in use. Francis Olympic Field now uses artificial turf that can be configured for both soccer and football.
Known at its opening as World's Fair Stadium and then as Washington University Stadium or simply "the Stadium", the venue was renamed as Francis Field in October 1907 for David R. Francis , a former Missouri governor and president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.[1] The word "Olympic" was added in 2019 to reflect its role in the 1904 Summer Olympics.[2] [3]
Overview
Francis Field during the 1904 Summer Olympics
The
gymnasium are U.S.
National Historic Landmarks . During the 1904 Games, the stadium hosted the
archery ,
athletics ,
cycling ,
football ,
gymnastics ,
lacrosse ,
roque ,
tug of war ,
weightlifting , and
wrestling events. The
tennis events took place at some dirt courts located outside the stadium.
[5]
Following the 1904 Olympics, the stadium became the permanent home of the Washington University Bears , who were formerly known as the Pikers. From the 1920s through the 1950s, the Bears played before crowds of as many as 19,000 people, competing against universities such as Notre Dame , Nebraska , and Boston College , with half of the spectators in temporary wooden stands. The Bears now play as an NCAA Division III team.
In the summer of 2004, Francis Olympic Field had its natural grass replaced with artificial FieldTurf .[6]
Notable events
Francis Field in January 2009.
Francis Olympic Field is an annual host for the
The adjacent
2016 and the vice-presidential debate in 2008.
[8]
During the
1984 and 1996 Olympic Torch relays, the Olympic Flame passed by Francis Olympic Field on its way to the site of the
Olympic Games .
[9]
Francis Olympic Field hosted the 1986 AAU/USA National Junior Olympic Games, the first and second National Senior Olympic Games, and the 1985 NCAA Division III National Men's Soccer Championship.
In July 1994, Francis Olympic Field served as a centerpiece for the U.S. Olympic Festival as 3,000 athletes were housed on the campus for the country's top amateur sporting events.
The stadium was used by the St. Louis Stars soccer team from 1969 to 1970 and from 1975 to 1977, before their 1978 move to Anaheim, California , where they became the California Surf .
References
Newspapers.com
.
^ "Francis Olympic Field" . washubears.com . Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019 .
^ "Francis Field getting 'Olympic' with its name" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . September 19, 2019. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021 .
^ "Background on the Washington University Athletic Complex" . source.wustl.edu . June 14, 2004. Retrieved February 7, 2021 .
^ "Spalding's report of the 1904 Summer Olympics" (PDF) . la84foundation.org . New York: American Sports Publishing Co. pp. 222–29, 233–47. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2011.
^ "Washington U. Bears – 2004 Preview" . d3football.com . Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
^ "American Cancer Society – Relay For Life" . acsevents.org . Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2007 .
^ Clendennen, Andy (November 6, 2003). "Washington University in St. Louis selected to host a 2004 presidential debate" . source.wustl.edu .
^ "David R. Francis Field" . wustl.edu .
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Host of the College Cup
1962 1965 1967
Succeeded by
Club history Sports facilities Important figures Other topics
Honors
NASL Championship (1)NASL Division titles
(4)
1972 (Southern Division)
1975 (Central Division)
1979 (Western Division, American Conference)
NASL Indoor Division titles
(1)
1980–81
(Southern Division)
Seasons
North American Soccer League (1966–85)
North American Soccer League Indoor (1971, 1975–84)
19th century 20th century 21st century
19th century 20th century 21st century
2000 : Marathon course, North Sydney , Olympic Stadium
2004 : Marathon (city) , Olympic Stadium , Panathenaic Stadium , Stadium at Olympia
2008 : Beijing National Stadium , Olympic Green Promenade Walking course, Streets of Beijing Marathon course
2012 : Marathon Course , Olympic Stadium
2016 : Estádio Olímpico João Havelange , Pontal , Sambódromo
2020 : Japan National Stadium , Odori Park
2024 : Stade de France , Champs-Élysées
2028 : Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , BMO Stadium , Grand Park
2032 : Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre , Alexandra Headland
19th century 20th century
1900
Vélodrome de Vincennes
1904
Francis Olympic Field
1908
White City Stadium
1912
Liljeholmen , Mälaren
1920
Vélodrome d'Anvers Zuremborg
1924
Stade Yves-du-Manoir , Vélodrome de Vincennes
1928
Amsterdam , Olympic Stadium
1932
Los Angeles Avenue , Pacific Coast Highway , Rose Bowl in Pasadena , Vineyard Avenue
1936
Avus Motor Road , BSV 92 Field & Stadium
1948
Herne Hill Velodrome , Windsor Great Park
1952
Käpylä , Maunula , Pakila , Velodrome
1956
Velodrome
1960
Olympic Velodrome , Via Cassia , Via Flaminia , Via Cristoforo Colombo , Via di Grottarossa
1964
1968
Satellite Circuit
1972
Bundesautobahn 96 , Grünwald , Radstadion
1976
Mount Royal Park , Olympic Velodrome , Quebec Autoroute 40
1980
Krylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling Circuit , Krylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome , Moscow-Minsk Highway
1984
Artesia Freeway , Olympic Velodrome , Streets of Mission Viejo
1988
Olympic Velodrome , Tongillo Road Course
1992
A-17 highway , Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya , Sant Sadurní Cycling Circuit , Velòdrom d'Horta
1996
Cycling road course, Georgia International Horse Park , Stone Mountain Park Archery Center and Velodrome
21st century
2000
Centennial Parklands , Dunc Gray Velodrome , Western Sydney Parklands
2004
Athens Olympic Velodrome , Kotzia Square , Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue , Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre
2008
Urban Road Cycling Course
2012
2016
Fort Copacabana , Mountain Bike Centre , Olympic BMX Centre , Pontal , Rio Olympic Velodrome
2020
Izu Velodrome , Izu MTB Course , Fuji Speedway , Ariake Urban Sports Park
2024
2028
2032
Sunshine Coast Region , Alexandra Headland, Queensland , Sleeman Centre , Victoria Park
1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
1948
Arsenal Stadium , Champion Hill , Craven Cottage , Empire Stadium (medal matches), Fratton Park , Goldstone Ground , Green Pond Road , Griffin Park , Lynn Road , Selhurst Park , White Hart Lane
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
1980
Dinamo Stadium , Dynamo Central Stadium – Grand Arena , Central Lenin Stadium – Grand Arena (final), Kirov Stadium , Republican Stadium
1984
Harvard Stadium , Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium , Rose Bowl (final), Stanford Stadium
1988
Busan Stadium , Daegu Stadium , Daejeon Stadium , Dongdaemun Stadium , Gwangju Stadium , Olympic Stadium (final)
1990s 2000s
2000
Brisbane Cricket Ground , Bruce Stadium , Hindmarsh Stadium , Melbourne Cricket Ground , Olympic Stadium (men's final), Sydney Football Stadium (women's final)
2004
Kaftanzoglio Stadium , Karaiskakis Stadium (women's final), Olympic Stadium (men's final), Pampeloponnisiako Stadium , Pankritio Stadium , Panthessaliko Stadium
2008
(women's final)
2010s 2020s
2020
International Stadium Yokohama (both finals), Kashima Soccer Stadium , Miyagi Stadium , Saitama Stadium , Sapporo Dome , Tokyo Stadium
2024
Parc des Princes (both finals), Parc Olympique Lyonnais , Stade de la Beaujoire , Stade de Nice , Stade Geoffroy-Guichard , Stade Matmut Atlantique , Stade Vélodrome
2028
SoFi Stadium (men's final), BMO Stadium , Rose Bowl (women's final), Levi's Stadium , PayPal Park , Stanford Stadium , California Memorial Stadium , Snapdragon Stadium
2030s
2032
Toowoomba Sports Ground
19th century 20th century 21st century
19th century 20th century 21st century
19th century 20th century 21st century
19th century 20th century 21st century
Baseball Basque pelota Cricket Croquet Jeu de paume Lacrosse Polo Rackets Roque Softball Tug of war Water motorsports
38°38′52″N 90°18′49″W / 38.64778°N 90.31361°W / 38.64778; -90.31361