Miles Field and Stadium
Items of Interest
[The genesis of the new athletic field and the source of the name.]
Early in the spring an agitation was begun by the Athletic Association to remodel the old playing field so as to give our teams a first-class diamond, gridiron and track. During the session of 1906-07, a subscription of several hundred dollars had been raised through the efforts of Mr. H. H. Varner, then graduate manager, and this amount was largely increased by student subscriptions during the past session. Plans were drawn up in April providing for a field 550 x 350 ft., within which are to be located the football and baseball grounds, with an oval, 440 yd., cinder track, fifteen feet in width, and a 220-yard tangential straight-away of like dimensions and material. The whole is to be drained by surface slope, tiling and surface ditches on the exterior. About the middle of May, the actual work of grading was begun and at this writing it is progressing rapidly. When completed the new field will be one of the best in this section of the country. It has already been named Miles Field in honor of &ldquot;Sally&rdquot; Miles (1901) who has been successively baseball and football captain, baseball and football coach, and graduate manager of athletics.
From the Bulletin of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute -- The State Agricultural and Mechanical College, Commencement Number, October 1909, pg. 54.
The New Athletic Field
The athletic dream of years, a good playing field, is now nearing realization. A brief statement of what it is, what it is not, and why, will, we think, be of interest to the alumni of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Miles Field, as it stands completed, is 550 feet long by 370 feet wide. It is designed for use in football, baseball, and track athletics. The football field is to be located 60 feet out from the bleachers, with its center directly opposite the center of the stand. The baseball diamond will also have, as its axis, a line perpendicular to the center of the grandstand. Inside the 440-yard cinder track the field slopes one foot in a hundred, laterally from a straight line between the two semicircle centers, and radially from these centers to the track edge. Thus it is possible to have the track dead level all the way around without raising or lowering it above the general level of the field. At present the field is not tile drained, since it is nearly all filled, and the irregular settling to be expected in filled earth would so disarrange any tile line as to render it useless. Later. however, it is proposed to drain by tile either the whole field or any particularly troublesome parts. The field is sown in three varieties of grass, with a special mixture for the new diamond.
The quarter-mile cinder track is composed of two straightaways 236 feet in length, one 19, the other 17 feet wide, and two semicircles 424 feet long, each 19 feet wide. Running into the 17-foot straightaway, on the side of the field nearest the administration building, is a 17I-foot tangential cinder track which gives a 240-yard straightaway. The entire track is tile drained under the center, and the bed of the track is sloped in toward the central drain ditch, which is filled with cinders. As only one-sixth of the track runs over filled earth, it is hoped that trouble with drainage will be limited to that part.
The cost of the field has been moderate, compared to what has been accomplished. It is estimated that 7,000 yards of earth have been moved; about 4 acres have been top dressed with rich soil from 3 to 9 inches in depth and nearly three-eighths of a mile of cinder track will have been built and drained, as soon as sufficient cinders are available from the college power house. The expenditures, an itemized statement of which will be published for the athletic association upon completion of the work, will total between $1,500 and $1,600. This amount was made up about as follows: From contingent fees 1907—$500; from contingent fees 1909—$800; from general fund of the athletic association—$300.
For much valuable and voluntary assistance in the construction of the field, V. P. I. owes its thanks to Dr. Williams, who drew up the plans; to Dr. Lambeth, of the University of Virginia, who made many suggestions of value regarding them; to Mr. H. G. McCormick, Professor J. S. A. Johnson, and Messrs. MacKan and Vawter for almost daily engineering assistance and advice; to Mr. D. O. Matthews, who has been untiring in his efforts to help the work along in every way possible, and to Dr. Barringer, who has been deeply interested and sympathetic in the project since its inception.
And now a few words of thanks and appreciation to the man who, above all others, made Miles Field possible, Professor Hugh S. Worthington, for his untiring energy and perseverance throughout the summer. That his efforts were crowned with success is as it should be, for no man ever worked more unselfishly nor with greater spirit for the completion of a project which was for no personal benefit, but for the good of many, many others, both men here now and those to come. Without his presence on the field, the work would not have progressed; without his spirit behind the enterprise, it would have languished. From six in the morning until after dark did Professor Worthington labor, with pick, shovel, scraper, or transit. Attending carefully to the details, he kept always before him the desired goal of the undertaking, and that it has been reached no one can deny. That it was due to his efforts is equally true, and those efforts merit and will receive the deepest thanks and appreciation on the part of the alumni, faculty, and students of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
From the Bulletin of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (The State Agricultural and Mechanical College) Opening Number, October 1909, pg. 8-9.
Miles Stadium
In the mid 1920s President Julian Burruss worked with the architectural firm Carneal, Johnston, and Wright to develop a long-range plan for the university. The 1926 report of the president said:
The plan contemplates a central recreation and drill field, approximately three times the area of the old athletic field, which forms the eastern end. This expanse is to be left open forever, and around it are to be grouped the buildings of the new plant. These structures are being designed in the modified Tudor type of architecture, with walls of limestone quarried on the campus. With the exception of the buildings already in place at the time the plan was adopted, all members of this group will be strictly fireproof.
This led to the move of Miles Field from its location on what is today's Drillfield to a corn field to the south of the War Memorial Gymnasium. This was also reported in the 1926 report:
Memorial Hall And Stadium
The most notable addition to the physical plant in the history of the institution was the completion and dedication during the year of the world war memorial hall and the stadium. The building was accepted by the alumni committee on July 30, and dedicated on October 23, 1926. While not yet equipped, except in a meagre and temporary way, this building has been used extensively during the college year. The stadium also has been used thruout the fall and spring for athletic events, although only about one-third of the seats have been constructed in permanent form. Dedication day was made the occasion of a home-coming for the alumni and during the football game in the afternoon practically all of the 3,750 permanent and 4,750 temporary seats were filled. The dedication exercises were interesting and impressive. A bulletin containing the addresses was published and widely distributed.
These two splendid additions to our physical plant represent together an outlay of approximately $450,000. The stadium was financed by the college athletic association, while the memorial hall is the result of the contributions of hundreds of students, alumni, and friends of the college. Some of our alumni contributed very large amounts for this purpose. During the latter part of the year we received two contributions of $2,000 each for equipment for the gymnasium, and within the closing days of the year a contribution of $25,000 from an alumnus, who had already contributed liberally, this to be used for equipment for the building.
The first game in the new stadium was played on Sept. 25, 1926, and resulted in a victory over Roanoke College. A dedication game was played on Oct. 23, 1926, with Virginia Tech beating the University of Virginia 6-0. The seating capacity increased to 16,000 by using temporary bleachers. The last game was played on Nov. 7, 1964, then the stadium was razed in 1964-65 after being replaced by Lane Stadium. Of the 95 games played in the stadium, Tech won 66, lost 25, and tied 4. The site is now surrounded by O’Shaughnessy, Lee, Pritchard, and Payne halls. This stadium was also named for Clarence P. “Sally” Miles ’01, former director of athletics, graduate athletic manager, professor, and dean; old Miles Field and Miles Dormitory also named for C. P. Miles.
There were improvements made to the stadium in the post-war years, as this article from The Virginia Tech relates:
New Additions To Miles Stadium To Include Press Box
Much needed toilet facilities will be added to Miles stadium as part of the new press box which is to be constructed on the west side of the field. In addition, some 1800 additional seats will be provided, W. L. (Monk) Younger, director of athletics, has estimated. The contract has been awarded to Jimmy Turner, Roanoke contractor, at $80,618. Work is expected to be started early in April.
The new facilities have been needed for some time. The present box is inadquate and because it faces the late afternoon sun, it is hard for the observers to see the play. Need has also been great for better booths for broadcasting and the public address system. Last fall when a Washington, DC station broadcast the Maryland game, the announcer and his spotter were permitted to use the shed generally used for the public address system. It is opposite the 10-yard line, which the announcer didn't appreciate. Insult was added to injury when all six of the touchdowns scored were tallied at the south goal, 90 yards away. In the new press box no observer will be futher away from the center of the field than the 35-yard line.
The ground floor of the new addition will contain two storage rooms, one at each end; a concession stand in the center for soft drinks; and the toilets. Its overall length will be 241 feet. On the level above will be some of the additional stands and the press box, which will extend 88 feet. At the south end will be a president's box, providing space for the VPI president and special guests. Next will come the space, provided with benches and chairs, for the working press. A public address and radio broadcasting booth also have been provided at the north end. A photographer's deck for the use of still and movie lensmen also is provided above the press box. The addition will be enclosed with windows. Wooden shutters will be provided to protect the windows when not in use and to protect against long-hit baseballs during the spring. The height of the new construction will be 19 feet 8 inches and its width at the base will be 32 feet. Flagpoles will be provided so that pennants, the American and Virginia flags, or other emblems may be flown.
The Virginia Tech
Vol. XLIV, No. 22
April 2, 1948