Sirrine Stadium

From ClemsonWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Sirrine Stadium is a sports arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

History

In September 1933, a delegation from the Park and Tree Commission presented the Greenville City Council with a request for a municipal stadium. John A. McPherson (chair), Furman Coach A. P. "Dizzy" McLeod, and R. A. Jolly, president of the then-defunct Greenville baseball club, made up the commission committee. The city council authorized the commission to proceed with plans for a 20,000-seat stadium, and to seek federal funding for the plan.

It was not until the fall of 1935, however, that Works Projects Administration Director Harry Hopkins submitted the proposal to President Franklin Roosevelt. Construction was undertaken by Greenville contractor Henry B. McKoy, with completion on Saturday, November 7, 1936. Christened Sirrine Stadium in honor of Joseph Emory Sirrine, the new facility was dedicated in the presence of U.S. Senator James F. Byrnes, Congressman G. Heyward Mahon and Governor Olin D. Johnston. (Sirrine was a Clemson trustee at this time.) The assembled crowd then witnessed the Furman Homecoming game versus the University of South Carolina.

The Tigers' first visit to the new municipal stadium comes on November 25, 1937 when Clemson and Furman battle to a 0-0 tie. It would serve as Furman's football stadium until 1980. Clemson's last visit to Sirrine came on November 10, 1962 versus Furman, winning, 44-3. All subsequent games with the Paladins will be played in Death Valley. Sirrine Stadium is currently used by the Greenville High School Red Raiders.

  • This is the Clemson Wiki project's 1,332nd article.

Reference

  • Huff, Jr., Archie Vernon, "Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont", University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, South Carolina, 1995, Library of Congress card number 95-4363, ISBN 1-57003-045-6, page 348.