Spiders outlast Tribe: Ending an era at UR Stadium
Officers with riot gear force people from the stands and toward the stadium's infield ... 1974 CHERRY BLOSSOM MUSIC FESTIVAL AT CITY STADIUM.
The football series between the College of William & Mary and the University of Richmond is said to be the fourth oldest rivalry in college football. What was the 119th match-up between the green and yellow Tribe from Williamsburg and the red and blue Spiders from the West End played out on a splendid Saturday afternoon (Nov. 21) at University of Richmond Stadium.
The last Wm. & Mary Richmond game at UR Stadium was a battle for field position. Neither team dominated. There weren’t many mistakes. Before a crowd of 17,527 Richmond won by way of a 48-yard field goal on the last play of the game: UR 13, W&M 10.
After missing two field goal attempts earlier in the game and other struggles in recent games, for place-kicker Andrew Howard and holder Jared Decker, hitting the winning three-pointer was especially sweet.
Richmond’s senior quarterback, Eric Ward, passed for 221 yards and was named by the media as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Richmond began playing its home games at what was then called City Stadium in 1929. In 2010 the Spiders will unveil their new on-campus football stadium.
In 1983 City Stadium came to be called University of Richmond Stadium. Since then an agreement has existed between The City of Richmond and the university that has had the school leasing the stadium for $1 per year and maintaining the facility at its own expense.
Joe Herring, 61, grew up across the street from City Stadium and played quarterback at Thomas Jefferson High School in the mid-’60s; he played on that same field at least a dozen times in his teens. Herring recalled mammoth crowds to see high school football games in the 1950s and ‘60s for "TJ vs. John Marshall games and Maggie Walker vs. Armstrong games."
Herring laughed, remembering his parents signed a petition to put an end to "midget racing," because of the noise the small race cars made.
Others at Saturday’s football game remembered big Tobacco Bowl games of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Frank Sinatra was grand marshal of the National Tobacco Festival in 1948. The Tobacco Festival’s annual parade was a major local event in those sepia-toned days.
Surely the wildest happening in the 81 years of history at the stadium took place on April 27, 1974, when the Cherry Blossom Music Festival exploded into a riot. On the live music bill were: Steve Miller Band, Boz Scaggs, Dr. John, the Funkadelics and several other acts.
The advance notices for the two-day rock festival announced it would be a "No Hassles" event, which in the vernacular of the day meant marijuana-smoking would be ignored by the authorities.
However, it seems nobody told The City's policemen on duty at the stadium about ignoring anything, especially marijuana smoking. So, on the event’s first day there were hassles aplenty.
When the cops began pulling what they saw as law-breaking pot smokers out of the stands, some of the bare-chested hippies resisted. Other young attendees came to the rescue and a battle started. A full-fledged four-hour riot ensued. Police cars were destroyed and heads were bloodied.
In recent years the Richmond Kickers have used UR Stadium for most of their home soccer games. The NCAA Division I men's soccer championship games were staged on that same field in the mid-’90s.
Herring also remembered the Richmond Rebels (professional minor league football) seasons and Washington Redskins exhibition games in the ‘60s at the stadium. The oddest show Joe could recall at the old facility?
"Maybe Ice Capades, or Water Follies."
At halftime an all-time UR Stadium Team was announced, as former Spiders greats waved and walked onto the field for one last stand. Among them were Barty Smith, John Hilton and Buster O’Brien.
What did the former quarterback for TJ think about the last regular season Wm. & Mary vs. Richmond game football game at the stadium in his old neighborhood?
"A defensive standoff … absolute, complete redemption for Andrew Howard." Joe mentioned he is friends with the happy place-kicker’s parents.
As a result of its 10-1 season the Spiders have been seeded No. 4 in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Thus, the reigning national champions will host Elon (9-2) on Sat., Nov. 28 at (1 p.m. kickoff) UR Stadium. Which could be the last football game ever to be played on that field.
However, if Richmond wins, a second playoff game on Dec. 5 would follow.
The Spiders spring exhibition football game that will end off-season practices in 2010 will be likely the last gridiron event ever staged at that facility.
What will happen when the stadium reverts back to being The City’s responsibility?
At this writing no plan has been announced.
Could midget racing or the Icecapades return? Or, might Virginia Commonwealth University decide to launch a football program and use the old football field again?
Yes, it looks like a new stadium controversy may be about to begin in Richmond.
F.T. Rea is a freelance artist and writer based in the Fan District. He publishes SLANTblog and the Fan District Hub, an independent community news Web site. Rea's work has been seen under a variety of local mastheads since 1972.
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