Foreman Field
Encyclopedia
Foreman Field at S. B. Ballard Stadium is a 19,818-seat multi-purpose stadium
on the campus of Old Dominion University
in Norfolk, Virginia
. It opened in 1936 with a football game between the University of Virginia
and the College of William & Mary's Norfolk Division (which is now Old Dominion University). It is currently being used to house Old Dominion Monarchs football
games, along with the Monarch Marching Band
until its 1941
demise, and has undergone remodeling for Old Dominion's new Monarchs college football
team for its start in 2009.
Foreman Field hosted the annual Oyster Bowl
game from 1946
to 1995
, featuring major college football teams. Syracuse
defeated Navy
there in 1959
on its way to winning the national championship. Future NFL stars Fran Tarkenton
, Roger Staubach
, and Don Meredith
played in Oyster Bowl games. It was also the home of the semi-pro Norfolk Neptunes in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Washington Redskins
played several pre-season games there in the 1960s. The Virginia Ambassadors of the World Football League
were to play their games at Foreman Field in 1974 before the franchise was sold and moved to Orlando
. The Shreveport Pirates
of the Canadian Football League
almost moved there for the 1996 season before the franchise folded. A drawing of Foreman Field is featured in the John Grisham
novel Bleachers
.
36–21.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
on the campus of Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. It opened in 1936 with a football game between the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and the College of William & Mary's Norfolk Division (which is now Old Dominion University). It is currently being used to house Old Dominion Monarchs football
Old Dominion Monarchs football
The Old Dominion Monarchs football team is the college football program for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The Monarchs compete at the NCAA Division I-FCS level. The university did not compete between 1941 and 2009. The team was reborn beginning in 2009, competing for two years as an...
games, along with the Monarch Marching Band
Monarch Marching Band
The Old Dominion University Monarch Marching Band is the Marching Band put in place in response to the formation of the Old Dominion Monarchs football program. It was founded in the summer of 2008 and is currently active. It is currently being headed by Dr. Alexander R...
History
The stadium was once the home of the Norfolk Division of William & Mary (now Old Dominion University) football program from 19361936 in sports
-American football:* Minnesota Golden Gophers are the National college football champions* Green Bay Packers defeated Boston Redskins 21–6 for the NFL championship...
until its 1941
1941 in sports
1941 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:* Minnesota Golden Gophers National college football champions....
demise, and has undergone remodeling for Old Dominion's new Monarchs college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team for its start in 2009.
Foreman Field hosted the annual Oyster Bowl
Oyster Bowl
The Oyster Bowl is a regular season college football game played annually in the Hampton Roads-area of Virginia. The game has featured match-ups between high school, NCAA Division III, and at present, NCAA Division I teams at various points in its existence...
game from 1946
1946 in sports
-American football:* All-America Football Conference begins play. Cleveland Browns win the championship by beating New York Yankees 14-9.* Chicago Bears win the NFL crown by defeating the New York Giants 24-14 in New York.-Association football:England...
to 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, featuring major college football teams. Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
defeated Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
there in 1959
1959 in sports
1959 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Baltimore Colts won 31-16 over the New York Giants* August 14 - The American Football League is founded...
on its way to winning the national championship. Future NFL stars Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
, Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
, and Don Meredith
Don Meredith
Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
played in Oyster Bowl games. It was also the home of the semi-pro Norfolk Neptunes in the 1960s and 1970s, and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
played several pre-season games there in the 1960s. The Virginia Ambassadors of the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
were to play their games at Foreman Field in 1974 before the franchise was sold and moved to Orlando
Orlando
Orlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. The Shreveport Pirates
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, in 1994 and 1995....
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
almost moved there for the 1996 season before the franchise folded. A drawing of Foreman Field is featured in the John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
novel Bleachers
Bleachers (novel)
Bleachers was published on June 22, 2004. The hardcover edition was published by Doubleday and the paperback edition by Dell.The book focuses on whether or not the famous Eddie Rake, former coach of the Messina High School football team, was loved or hated by his former players.- Main characters...
.
Old Dominion football
The stadium underwent a $24.8 million renovation in preparation for the start of the 2009 I-AA season. In July 2009, the stadium was renamed Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, in honor of a local contractor, who donated more than $2.5 million for the stadium. On September 5, 2009, the first ODU football game was held at Foreman Field. Old Dominion defeated Chowan UniversityChowan University
- Other Notable Former Students :* Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, confessed architect of the September 11 attacks.- External links :* *...
36–21.