Carroll Field
 | |
| Location | Waco, Texas |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°32′49″N 97°07′15″W / 31.546867°N 97.120866°W |
| Owner | Baylor University |
| Capacity | 15,000 (1930s) |
| Surface | grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1902 |
| Renovated | 1915 (Lee Carroll Field's Athletic Building) |
| Closed | 1935 |
| Demolished | 1939–1940 |
| Tenants | |
| Baylor Bears (1902–1925, 1930–1935) | |
Carroll Field was an exhibition ground in Waco, Texas, owned by Baylor University; the Baylor Bears football program played games there from 1902 to 1925, with the exception of 1906 when football was banned on campus, and from 1930 to 1935.[1] Following the construction of the Carroll Science Building in 1902, the field was located between the building and Waco Creek; the field took over as the location of football games from an unnamed field adjacent to and northwest of Old Main.[2] Lee Carroll made a donation for the field to be constructed, and his father and grandfather had also donated to build the Carroll Science Building and Carroll Library.[3] From 1926 to 1929, Baylor football games were played at the Cotton Palace in Waco. During Baylor's first season, they were beat 33–0 by Texas A&M, but the Waco Times-Herald attempted to make the loss positive, saying, "For an eleven many of whose players did not know the shape of the oval until this season, Baylor put up a fair exhibition.”[4]
During Thanksgiving Day 1909, Carroll Field was the location of Baylor's first Homecoming football game; the 5,000 attendees to the football game paid US$1 each and, at the time, the crowd was known as the largest ever[clarification needed]. In the football game, Baylor defeated Texas Christian University, who had shut out Baylor in their last two games, 6–3.[5]
Student Union Building[edit]
In 1940, groundbreaking began for Baylor University's Student Union Building on the location of Carroll Field,[6] but since 1935, the new Waco Stadium had hosted Baylor football games. The Student Union Building now has the Carroll Field sign proudly displayed on a wall inside.
References[edit]
- ^ "2023 Baylor Football Media Almanac (PDF)" (PDF). Baylor Bears. Baylor University. 2023-08-25. p. 179 (p. 182, PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
- ^ "The Baylor University Annual Published by the Senior Class of Ninety-Six at Waco, Texas". The Texas Collection (Baylor University). 1996. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
- ^ "Farewell to Floyd Casey". Giving to Baylor | Baylor University. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
- ^ Fiedler, Randy. "Waco, Strange but True: Football had tentative start at Baylor". WacoTrib.com. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
- ^ Mendez, Elizabeth (2004-10-22). "1909 brought new event to campus: homecoming". The Baylor Lariat. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
- ^ Kent Keeth. "Student Union Building History". Looking Back at Baylor, The Baylor Line (Texas Collection). Baylor University. Retrieved 2009-09-20.