Tightwad Hill facts for kids

Tightwad Hill is the popular name for Charter Hill, a special spot located east of California Memorial Stadium at the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California. It's famous because it offers a free view of the stadium's field, letting fans watch exciting games without needing a ticket!

About Tightwad Hill: A Free Viewpoint

Tightwad Hill gets its name because it gives people a "tightwad" (meaning someone who doesn't like to spend money) way to watch the games for free. Even when there are empty seats inside the stadium, you can often find people enjoying the game from the hill. This hill is part of a larger area called Charter Hill, which also includes the Big "C", a large concrete letter "C" on the hillside.

The hill rises steeply, about 100 feet (around 30 meters) above the stadium's east side. This creates a flat area where spectators can sit and enjoy the view.

The Hill's Beginning

Tightwad Hill was formed when California Memorial Stadium was built in 1923. It was created from the dirt dug out during the construction of the stadium. The very first time fans watched from the hill was on November 24, 1923. This was during the first game ever played at California Memorial Stadium.

The home team, the Cal Golden Bears, won that game 9–0 against Stanford. It was their fifth win in a row against Stanford and their fourth undefeated season! The stadium was completely sold out for this big game. Because of this, many fans and students climbed up the newly formed hill to catch a glimpse of the action.

Since then, students, staff, and the public have continued to enjoy game days on the hill. They cheer for the Golden Bears and take in the amazing views of the UC Berkeley campus, downtown Berkeley, and the central San Francisco Bay.

Special Spots on Tightwad Hill

Over the years, Tightwad Hill has had many unique features. Some of these include:

• Benches that were built into trees, offering a place to sit and relax.
• Trash cans and recycling bins to help keep the hill clean after games.
• Terraces carved into the steep hillside, making it easier for people to sit comfortably.
• "The Tightwad 50 Club," which was a seating area.
• "The Pit," another area on the hill.

Protecting the View

Around 2006, there were plans to make big changes to Memorial Stadium. One idea was to build new seating that might block the views from Tightwad Hill. This worried many fans who loved the tradition of watching games for free.

A group called "Save Tightwad Hill" worked to protect the hill. They wanted to make sure the university understood how important this spot was. Eventually, the group and the university reached an agreement. The university agreed to try and keep Tightwad Hill as an important part of Cal football tradition. They also agreed to include representatives from Tightwad Hill in future design plans.

The California Victory Cannon

To the right of the fans on Tightwad Hill, you'll find the platform for the California Victory Cannon. This cannon is a big part of game day excitement!

How the Cannon Works

The current cannon platform was built in 2004. It was paid for by donations from people who operate the cannon. This strong concrete and stone structure became the new home for the Victory Cannon in the 2004 season.

At every home game, no matter the weather, the cannon is fired. It booms when the football team runs onto the field, when Cal scores a touchdown, and when Cal wins the game! The loud sound is heard all over the stadium and the surrounding area. Fans call it "Oski's Mighty Thunder," named after the Cal mascot, Oski the Bear.

A Long-Standing Tradition

The California Victory Cannon has been a tradition since the Big Game in 1963. Back then, it was fired inside the stadium. However, in 1972, the Pac-8 Conference (a group of sports teams) banned cannons from stadiums. Other schools stopped using their cannons, but Cal found a clever way to keep the tradition alive.

Since Tightwad Hill is outside the stadium, it was not covered by the ban! So, since 1972, the Victory Cannon has been fired from the hill, bringing joy to fans both inside and outside the stadium. The cannon has only run out of ammunition once, during a game in 1991 where Cal scored 12 touchdowns!

The cannon doesn't just stay at home games. It has traveled to other big games, like bowl games. It even had a stand-in cannon from Australia for a game played in Australia in 2016!

Images for kids

• Tightwad Hill 9 5 09.jpg

  The view from Tightwad Hill before a game against Maryland in 2009.