Title
Night View of Denny Stadium, circa 1960
Subject
University of Alabama
Description
A photo of a night game at Denny Stadium.
The stadium opened in 1929 and was originally named Denny Stadium in honor of George H. Denny, the school's president from 1912 to 1932. In 1975, the Alabama legislature added longtime football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's name to the stadium. Bryant would coach the remaining seven seasons of his career in the stadium, making him one of the few collegiate coaches to have coached in an arena or stadium that is (partially) named for him.
Serving as a replacement for Denny Field, Denny Stadium opened on September 28, 1929, with 6,000 in attendance for a 55–0 victory over Mississippi College.[5] It was officially dedicated the following week at Homecoming ceremonies against Ole Miss, a game the Crimson Tide would win 22–7.[6] Originally, the stadium had a capacity of 12,000—the lower half of the current stadium's east grandstand. However, President Denny initially envisioned a full bowl stadium capable of seating 66,000 people.[7] In 1937, the first expansion of the stadium added 6,000 seats along the east sideline to increase the capacity to 18,000.[7] Further expansions in 1950, 1961, and 1966 raised capacity to 25,000, 43,000, and 60,000, respectively. A 10,000-seat upper deck was added in 1987–88 for a capacity of 70,123. During the construction, the Crimson Tide was forced to play its entire 1987 home schedule at Birmingham's Legion Field, 56 miles (90 km) from the Tuscaloosa campus.[8]
The stadium opened in 1929 and was originally named Denny Stadium in honor of George H. Denny, the school's president from 1912 to 1932. In 1975, the Alabama legislature added longtime football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's name to the stadium. Bryant would coach the remaining seven seasons of his career in the stadium, making him one of the few collegiate coaches to have coached in an arena or stadium that is (partially) named for him.
Serving as a replacement for Denny Field, Denny Stadium opened on September 28, 1929, with 6,000 in attendance for a 55–0 victory over Mississippi College.[5] It was officially dedicated the following week at Homecoming ceremonies against Ole Miss, a game the Crimson Tide would win 22–7.[6] Originally, the stadium had a capacity of 12,000—the lower half of the current stadium's east grandstand. However, President Denny initially envisioned a full bowl stadium capable of seating 66,000 people.[7] In 1937, the first expansion of the stadium added 6,000 seats along the east sideline to increase the capacity to 18,000.[7] Further expansions in 1950, 1961, and 1966 raised capacity to 25,000, 43,000, and 60,000, respectively. A 10,000-seat upper deck was added in 1987–88 for a capacity of 70,123. During the construction, the Crimson Tide was forced to play its entire 1987 home schedule at Birmingham's Legion Field, 56 miles (90 km) from the Tuscaloosa campus.[8]
Source
Historical Commission of Tuscaloosa County
Date
1950s-1965
Contributor
Tuscaloosa Public Library
Type
Photograph
Identifier
581
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Original Format
Photograph
Physical Dimensions
8 inches by 10 inches