Stagg Stadium

Stagg Stadium. . University of the Pacific initially played football on the campus in 10,000 seat Baxter Stadium, with several featured contests moved to the larger Grape Bowl in Lodi. Following the undefeated 1949 season, the enthusiasm for the Tigers playing against the “big-time” football opponents prompted Lowell Berry, President of the Best Fertilizer Co. and a Pacific Regent, to lead the effort to build tha largest stadium in the Valley. With help from the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, the Quarterback Club, COP students, and other volunteers, a script drive was launched in February 1950 to raise $150,000. By April, more than $165,000 was secured and the college engineering department began drawing up the plans., The land was donated by Mr. Stagg himself, and groundbreaking ceremonies were held on April 20, 1950. The 24 hour construction schedule was a team effort by the college and Stockton businesses, with Berry lending his top manager full time to oversee the project. On October 21 of that year the new stadium was the scene of the Homecoming Game against Loyola University of Los Angeles. Some 32,000 spectators listened to the dedication speeches by Governor Earl Warren, General Albert Wedemeyer, Admiral R.J. Rogers, and actor Dick Powell. They also watched an exciting game but unfortunately Loyola defeated the Tigers 35-33., The stadium was originally named Pacific Memorial Stadium to honor those from the college, city, and region who perished in World War II. In 1988, the stadium was renamed Amos Alonzo Stagg Memorial Stadium in honor of the 100th anniversary of Mr. Stagg’s coaching career and the 50th anniversary of his 1938 Golden Tigers 32-0 defeat of his former school, the University of Chicago. At the same time, there was a rededication of the stadium to the memory of the men women who served out country., The stadium was built with a capacity of 36,000 with room to expand to 44,000, but several structural modifications reduced its size to 30,000. The largest attended football game was in 1951 when 41,607 fans watched the Tigers compete against the University of San Francisco. For over half a century the stadium was the largest outdoor public gathering place in the region, with dozens of events per year including graduations, high school football games, CIF championships, band revues, rock concerts, summer camps, religious revivals, professional soccer, and the San Francisco 49ers summer training camps.