Martin Stadium Pullman
Martin Stadium Pullman
Epic Martin Stadium Pullman Aerial Flyover Stadium Way Northeast, Pullman, WA, United States. Since its inception in 1894, Washington State University students, fans, and alumni have paid witness to over a century of greatness when it comes to the football program. Cougar football has had its share of renowned coaches such as William H. "Lonestar" Dietz, Orin E. "Babe" Hollingberry, and Mike Price. Additionally, the program has produced a phenomenal number of legends when it comes to playing the game. A small sampling of these players include: Glen "Turk" Edwards, Mel Hein, Jack Thompson, Mark Rypien, Rueben Mayes, Mike Utley, Drew Bledsoe, Jason Hanson, Ryan Leaf and Jason Gesser.However, Cougar fans will probably say it's not only the vast number of great coaches and players who have made Cougar football unforgettable, but also the memories of where the games were played: Martin Stadium. Just as the great coaches and players of the gridiron program have changed so has Martin Stadium.The history of the stadium dates back to 1892, when it was built and named Soldier Field. The first football game at the stadium took place, Nov. 9, 1895 when WSU defeated Idaho 10-4.In 1902, Soldier Field was renamed Rogers Field in honor of the governor of the state of Washington, John R. Rogers.WSU, then named Washington State College, built a completely new football stadium in 1936, but retained the same name. The new stadium was an all-wood structure built on concrete pilings. The field also featured new stands, an enlarged press box and an electronic scoreboard.Thirty-four years later (April 4, 1970) fire destroyed the south stands (about 6,000 seats) and the press box. For the next two seasons, WSU called Spokane's Joe Albi Stadium home.In the interim, a one-million dollar fund drive began after the decision was made to rebuild the stands rather than relocate or build an entirely new stadium. WSU launched a two-phase renovation plan that created a two-tiered structure that held 17,500, replacing the old seating capacity of 10,000 and increasing the total seating capacity to 30,000. www.wsucougars.com
Myk Crawford
