Miami Orange Bowl facts for kids
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The Sea
Football Heaven The Dock The Old Horseshoe in Little Havana |
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Aerial view of the stadium, c. 1976
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 Miami
Location in the United States
Miami
Location in Florida
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| Former names | Burdine Stadium (1937–1959) |
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| Address | 1501 Northwest 3rd Street Miami, Florida United States |
| Coordinates | 25°46′41″N 80°13′12″W / 25.778°N 80.220°W |
| Owner | City of Miami |
| Operator | City of Miami |
| Type | Stadium |
| Capacity | 72,319 (2003–2007) Former capacity:
List
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| Surface | Natural grass (1976–2008) PolyTurf (1970–1975) Natural grass (1937–1969) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1936 |
| Opened | December 10, 1937 |
| Expanded | 1944, 1947, 1950, 1953, 1955, 1968 |
| Closed | January 26, 2008 |
| Demolished | March 3–May 14, 2008 |
| Construction cost | $340,000 ($6.92 million in 2022 ) |
| Tenants | |
| Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) (1937–2007) Orange Bowl (NCAA) (1938–1996, 1999) Miami Seahawks (AAFC) (1946) Miami Dolphins (AFL / NFL) (1966–1986) Miami Toros (NASL) (1973–1975) Miami Freedom (ASL / APSL) (1988–1992) Miami Tropics (SFL) (2000) FIU Panthers (NCAA) (2007) Miami FC (USL First Division) (2007) |
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The Miami Orange Bowl was a famous outdoor stadium in Miami, Florida. It was open from 1937 until 2008. The stadium was in the Little Havana neighborhood, west of downtown Miami. It was a well-known landmark.
The Orange Bowl was home to the Miami Hurricanes college football team for many years, from 1937 to 2007. It also hosted the Miami Dolphins for their first 21 seasons, until 1987. The stadium was also a temporary home for the FIU Golden Panthers in 2007. This was while their own stadium was being made bigger.
When it first opened in 1937, the stadium was called Burdine Stadium. In 1949, it was renamed the Orange Bowl. This was for the famous Orange Bowl college football game. This game was played there every year from 1938 to 1996. The game moved to a new stadium in 1996. However, it came back to the Orange Bowl one last time in 1999 due to a scheduling issue. The stadium was torn down in 2008. Today, LoanDepot Park, where the Miami Marlins baseball team plays, stands on the same spot.
Contents
What was the Miami Orange Bowl?
Building the Stadium: Early Years
The Miami Orange Bowl was first known as Burdine Stadium. It was named after Roddy Burdine, an important person in Miami's history. The City of Miami built the stadium. Construction started in 1936 and finished in December 1937. It even had stadium lights!
Before it was fully finished, a high school football game was played there on September 24, 1936. The stadium officially opened for the Miami Hurricanes football team on December 10, 1937. Before the Orange Bowl, the University of Miami played at other local parks.
The stadium first had seats for 23,739 people. More seats were added in the 1940s. By the end of the 1950s, the stadium had two levels of seats on the sides. In 1966, the Miami Dolphins football team played their first game there. An upper deck was added in the 1960s, making the stadium able to hold over 80,000 people.
Special Moments and Features
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From 1966 to 1968, and again in the 1970s, a live dolphin was kept in a water tank at one end of the stadium. This dolphin would jump in the tank to celebrate touchdowns and field goals! The dolphin was later removed to save costs and due to stress.
In 1977, some permanent seats were removed, and the stadium was updated. This gave it its final look and seating capacity. You could see the city skyline through the open end of the stadium. The field was natural grass for most of its history. However, for six seasons in the 1970s, it had artificial turf called Poly-Turf. This was changed back to natural grass after Super Bowl X in 1976.
In 1980, the stadium was used to help Cuban refugees who came to South Florida during the Mariel Boatlift.
The Dolphins' Home Field Advantage
Under coach Don Shula, the Miami Dolphins had an amazing winning record at the Orange Bowl. They were especially good against their rivals in the AFC Eastern Division. The Dolphins had a record 31-game home winning streak from 1971 to 1975. This included four playoff wins and their perfect season in 1972.
Fans and players often said the Orange Bowl had a special "home field advantage." The seats were very close to the field. The stadium's design, with its closed West End Zone and metal bleachers, made it incredibly loud. Visiting teams often struggled to hear their calls because of the noise. This made the Orange Bowl one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL.
The Hurricanes' Winning Streak
The Orange Bowl was also home to the longest college football home winning streak. Between 1985 and 1994, the Miami Hurricanes won 58 home games in a row there. This streak was finally broken by the Washington Huskies. The West End Zone was known for amplifying fan noise. This section was so loud that some announcers thought it was the student section.
Besides football, the stadium also hosted concerts and other big events. It could hold up to 82,000 people for concerts when extra seats were placed on the field.
Final Years and Demolition
In the early 2000s, there were talks about renovating the stadium. However, these plans changed as Miami focused on keeping the Miami Marlins baseball team in the city. The University of Miami then decided to move their football games to a new stadium.
On August 21, 2007, the University of Miami announced they would move to Dolphin Stadium for the 2008 season. Many Hurricane fans were upset by this decision. They loved the Orange Bowl and its history. Some fans even believed that leaving the Orange Bowl brought bad luck to the team.
The University of Miami lost their last game at the Orange Bowl to Virginia, 48–0. This was one of their biggest home shutout losses ever. The very last college football game played at the Orange Bowl was a win for the FIU Golden Panthers against North Texas. FIU had been using the Orange Bowl as their home field while their own stadium was being built.
The Orange Bowl was officially torn down in May 2008. Today, LoanDepot Park, the home of the Miami Marlins, is on the site.
Before demolition, a "Farewell to the Orange Bowl Stadium" flag football game was held on January 26, 2008. Many famous former players, like Dan Marino, came back to play. The stadium was also open to the public for an auction of artifacts and memorabilia from February 8–10, 2008.
The Orange Bowl is one of eight stadiums that once hosted a Super Bowl but are no longer standing.
Remembering the Orange Bowl
Commemorative Marker at LoanDepot Park
At the new Marlins Park, there is a special art project that remembers the Miami Orange Bowl. An artist used the letters from the original "Miami Orange Bowl" sign. These 10-foot-tall orange concrete letters are now arranged in the east plaza of the new ballpark. As visitors walk around them, the letters form new words. It's a cool way to remember the old stadium!
What Events Were Held at the Orange Bowl?
Football Games and Teams
- Miami Hurricanes – Home stadium from 1937 to 2007
- Orange Bowl game – Played from 1938–1995, and again in 1999
- Miami Dolphins – Home stadium from 1966 to 1986
- Super Bowls – The Orange Bowl hosted five Super Bowls:
- Super Bowl II (1968)
- Super Bowl III (1969)
- Super Bowl V (1971)
- Super Bowl X (1976)
- Super Bowl XIII (1979)
- FIU Golden Panthers – Played home games in 2007 during stadium renovations.
Baseball Games
- Miami Marlins – This minor league team played some games there between 1956 and 1960.
- 1990 Caribbean Series – This international baseball tournament was held at the Orange Bowl.
Miami Field: A Baseball History
Before the Orange Bowl, a baseball field called Tatum Park was built nearby in 1916. It was used for spring training games for six seasons. Then, in 1924, new seating was built on the site, and it was called Miami Field.
Miami Field hosted spring training and was home to the University of Miami baseball team from 1940 to 1965. As the Orange Bowl grew, it took up some of the space where Miami Field was. In 1965, Miami Field's seating was torn down, and the area became parking for the Orange Bowl.
Soccer Matches
- The United States men's national soccer team played 19 international matches there.
- Several professional soccer teams, like the Miami Toros, used the stadium.
- It hosted friendly matches with famous clubs like A.C. Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.
- The Orange Bowl was also a venue for soccer games during the 1996 Summer Olympics.
- The Haiti national team sometimes used the stadium for their "home" matches.
Other Events
- Monster Jam – A popular monster truck show.
- Boxing matches.
- Concerts by famous musicians like The Jacksons, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, and The Rolling Stones.
- Professional wrestling events.
See also
In Spanish: Miami Orange Bowl para niños
