Breese Stevens Field facts for kids
The fieldhouse (c.2009)
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| Address | 917 E Mifflin St Madison, WI 53703-2831 |
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| Location | Tenney-Lapham |
| Owner | City of Madison Parks Division |
| Operator | Big Top Sports & Entertainment |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | May 5, 1926 |
| Renovated |
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| Architect | Claude & Starck |
| Tenants | |
| Madison Blues (WIL/WSL/TSL/IIIL) (1926-42) Madison Muskies (MWL) (1982-83) Edgewood College Eagles (NCAA) (1990-2019) Madison 56ers (UPSL) (2005–present) Madison Radicals (AUDL) (2013–present) Madison East High School (WIAA) (2015–present) Forward Madison FC (USL1) (2019–present) |
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Breese Stevens Field is a sports stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. It's located near the Wisconsin State Capitol. This field is special because it has the oldest brick grandstand in Wisconsin.
The stadium is named after Breese J. Stevens, who was a mayor of Madison. His wife sold the land to the city and asked for it to be named after him. In 1995, Breese Stevens Field was recognized as a Madison Landmark. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
Today, the stadium can hold about 5,000 people for sports events. For concerts, it can even expand to fit over 9,000 fans!
Many teams call Breese Stevens Field home. These include teams from Edgewood College and Madison East High School. It's also home to the Madison 56ers soccer team. The professional Ultimate frisbee team, the Madison Radicals, plays here too. And the professional soccer team, Forward Madison FC, also uses the field.
Over the years, the field has hosted many different events. These include soccer tournaments, ice skating, boxing, and even circuses. It's truly a multi-purpose venue!
Contents
History of Breese Stevens Field
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How the Park Was Acquired
In 1922, Madison city leaders wanted a new sports field. They thought the city didn't have enough good places for sports. After looking at different spots, they chose a block of land owned by Breese Stevens's widow.
She agreed to sell the land for $35,000. But she had one condition: the new field had to be named after her late husband, Breese Stevens. The city council agreed to this on September 28, 1923.
Building the Stadium
The city of Madison started building the stadium in 1925. The main grandstand, which is the seating area, was finished in 1926. It was designed in a special style called Mediterranean Revival.
In 1934, a stone wall was built around the field. This was part of a project by the Civil Works Administration. Concrete bleachers were also added that year. A wooden press box, where reporters sit, was built in 1939. Later, in the 1940s, heating units and a new electric scoreboard were installed.
Adding Lights to the Field
The first night baseball game in Wisconsin happened here on July 7, 1930. A touring team called the California Owls played. Many people came to watch!
Because of this success, a group of local businesses decided to install permanent floodlights. They put up 90 lights on ten tall towers. This cost about $29,100. The company made back its money by taking a share of ticket sales. Once the cost was covered, the lights became the city's property.
A public address system was also added. This allowed announcements and music to be played. The new lights officially debuted on May 15, 1931, with a Madison Blues baseball game.
Having lights meant events could happen at night. This was a big deal for high school sports. It also helped the Madison Blues baseball team attract more fans. The field could now host many more games and events.
Sporting Events at Breese Stevens Field
Breese Stevens Field quickly became the main place for big sports events in Madison. It had a track and was used all year for many different sports. Today, it's the home field for the Forward Madison FC soccer team.
Baseball History
The Madison Blues semi-professional baseball team played here from 1926 to 1942. They even won a championship in 1938.
The field also hosted special games with famous teams. These included the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. Even Negro league teams like the Kansas City Monarchs played here. In 1947, the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige played a game at Breese Stevens Field.
Warren Spahn, who later became a star pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves, played here in 1941. Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch, a famous football player, hit a grand slam home run in a baseball game here in 1944. In 1946, the New York Yankees even held a tryout camp at the field.
The field was also used for amateur baseball leagues. The University of Wisconsin Badger baseball team played here too. Softball games started in 1933, and girls' softball games were held as early as 1944.
Football Games
High school football games were a regular event at the field. Many local high schools played their home games here. Madison East and Central High Schools often played each other on Armistice Day.
Only three National Football League (NFL) games have been played at Breese Stevens Field. In 1929, Red Grange and the Chicago Bears played here. In 1931, Ernie Nevers led his Chicago Cardinals to a win.
High school football returned in 2015. Madison East High School now plays its home varsity games at the field again.
Other Sports and Events
Jesse Owens, a gold medalist from the 1936 Summer Olympics, ran in exhibition races here in 1938.
In 1931, a rodeo event called the Madison Stampede was held for six days.
Midget auto races took place in 1938. However, they were banned the next year due to noise and track damage.
The stadium hosted high school soccer tournaments from 1989 to 2002. It was also the home field for Madison East and Madison La Follette high school teams.
Since 2013, the Madison Radicals of the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) have played their home games here. The Radicals even won their first league title at Breese Stevens Field in 2018.
Breese Stevens Field is also home to several soccer teams. The Madison 56ers have played at the stadium since 2005. Forward Madison FC began playing here in 2019.
Decline and Comeback
By the late 1960s, Breese Stevens Field started to lose its importance. Newer sports facilities were built in other parts of Madison.
In 1968, an incident occurred during a teen dance at the field. This led to a city investigation into local community relations.
As the field got older, there were ideas to use the land for other things. Some even suggested tearing down the grandstand. In 1981, the city council voted to spend money to demolish it. Officials were worried about safety issues.
But people spoke up and wanted to save the field. In 1982, it was decided to keep it as a soccer venue. Minor league baseball also returned briefly that year. In 1983, the city council voted to spend money to fix the park. They repaired the grandstand roof, walls, and restrooms.
In 2014, the original grass field was replaced with artificial turf. This made it easier to use the field for many different sports.
Before Forward Madison FC arrived in 2018, the field got more upgrades. These included new bathrooms, a concession stand, and more seating. These improvements brought the capacity to about 5,000 people.
