Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium
Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium is an outdoor football stadium located on the campus of the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Commonly known as H. A. Chapman Stadium, it is the home field for the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane of the American Athletic Conference. The venue opened in 1930 and currently seats around 30,000 fans for football, since renovation completed in 2008.[3] [4]
Skelly Stadium | |
 The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane against the Bearkats of Sam Houston State, September 26, 2009 | |
  H. A. Chapman Stadium Location in Oklahoma  H. A. Chapman Stadium Location in the United States | |
| Former names | Skelly Field (1930–1947) Skelly Stadium (1947–2007) |
|---|---|
| Location | 3112 East 8th Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Coordinates | 36°8′55″N 95°56′38″W |
| Owner | University of Tulsa |
| Operator | University of Tulsa |
| Capacity | 30,000 (2008–present) 35,542 (2005–2007) 40,385 (1965–2004) 19,500 (1947–1964) 14,500 (1930–1946) |
| Surface | Grass (1930–1971) Tartan Turf (1972–1981) Astroturf (1982–1990) Stadia Turf (1991–1999) FieldTurf (2000–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 11, 1930 |
| Opened | October 4, 1930 |
| Construction cost | $275,000 (all in tax money) (approximate, original) ($4.21 million in 2019 dollars[1]) |
| Architect | Smith & Senter Architects[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Tulsa Golden Hurricane (NCAA) (1930–present) Tulsa Roughnecks (NASL) (1978–1984) Oklahoma Outlaws (USFL) (1984) Tulsa Tornados (USL) (1985) | |
History
Skelly Field (as it was originally known) was built in 1930 as a 14,500-seat stadium. It was named for its primary benefactor, William Skelly, the founder of Skelly Oil. Tulsa defeated Arkansas 26–6 at the opening game on October 4, 1930.[5]
In 1947, the north stands were added and the stadium was renamed Skelly Stadium. In 1965, the track was removed, the field was lowered, the west stands were expanded and the south stands were added, bringing the total capacity to 40,385 seats. In February 2005, the north stands were demolished to make way for the new Case Athletic Complex, reducing the seating capacity to 35,542.[5] In 2007–2008, the stadium was renovated, reducing capacity to 30,000 [6]
The stadium, located on historic U.S. Route 66, hosted the Oklahoma Outlaws of the USFL in 1984. Skelly was once the principal home field for two American football legends – future NFL Hall-of-Famer (and later U.S. Congressman) Steve Largent when he played for the University of Tulsa and Doug Williams of the Oklahoma Outlaws, who later was a Super Bowl MVP for the Washington Redskins. The stadium was also home to the Tulsa Roughnecks of the North American Soccer League 1978–1984 and the short-lived Tulsa Mustangs of the AFA.
The stadium's attendance record was established on September 26, 1987, when 47,350 fans watched Tulsa lose to Oklahoma, 65–0.[5]
On April 26, 2007 it was reported that, with a renovation project underway, the stadium was renamed as Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium after the primary benefactor of the renovation.[7]
The stadium is also used for Union Public Schools versus Jenks Public Schools football games.
Atttendance records
The highest attended game in stadium history was 47,350 on September 26, 1987 against No. 1 — ranked Oklahoma.[8][9]
Top Ten Single Game Attendance
| Rank | Attendance | Date | Winning team | Losing team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47,350 | September 26, 1987 | No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners | 65 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 0 |
| 2 | 41,235 | September 13, 1985 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 27 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 23 |
| 3 | 40,785 | September 9, 1989 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 20 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 10 |
| 4 | 40,385 | September 9, 1989 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 16 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 10 |
| 5 | 40,385 | September 20, 1997 | Missouri Tigers | 42 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 21 |
| 6 | 40,385 | September 12, 1998 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 35 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 20 |
| 7 | 40,385 | September 9, 2000 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 26 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 26 |
| 8 | 40,385 | August 30, 2002 | No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners | 27 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 0 |
| 9 | 40,385 | November 17, 1990 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 20 | Montana State | 2 |
| 10 | 40,235 | September 29, 1983 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 31 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 7 |
Wins
Tulsa's Victories at Skelly Field
| Win | Date | Opponent | Score | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First win | October 4, 1930 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 26-6 | 30,000 |
| 25th win | October 27, 1934 | Kansas State Wildcats | 21-0 | 12,000 |
| 50th win | October 18, 1941 | Saint Louis Billikens | 33-7 | |
| 75th win | November 22, 1945 | Arkansas Razorbacks | 45-12 | |
| 100th win | November 10, 1951 | Kansas State Wildcats | 42-26 | |
| 125th win | November 15, 1958 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 9-7 | |
| 150th win | October 23, 1965 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 49-8 | |
| 175th win | September 29, 1973 | Cincinnati Bearcats | 16-13 | |
| 200th win | November 3, 1979 | Wichita State Shockers | 28-26 | |
| 225th win | October 20, 1984 | Wichita State Shockers | 55-20 | |
| 250th win | November 16, 1991 | Louisville Cardinals | 40-0 | |
| 275th win | September 20, 2003 | Arkansas State Indians (Red Wolves) | 54-7 | |
| 290th win | November 26, 2006 | Tulane Green Wave | 38-3 | |
| 200th win | October 24, 2008 | UCF Knights | 49-19 | |
Renovation
The stadium was renovated following the end of the 2007 football season. The project included new seating, a new pressbox, club and loge seating, and a new scoreboard. With the removal of the upper section of the west stands, seating capacity dropped to approximately 30,000, which made Chapman Stadium the smallest stadium in Conference USA.
References
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- "Leon Bishop Senter, FAIA (1889–1965)". Tulsa Architecture. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
- https://tulsahurricane.com/news/2015/6/4/FB_0604152438.aspx#:~:text=Ground%2Dbreaking%20ceremonies%20were%20held,hand%20for%20the%20first%20game.
- https://tulsaworld.com/archive/flip-this-house/article_e93d954c-4067-5278-98da-3d0a46062733.html
- "Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium". Retrieved October 21, 2007.
- "TU Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium". Retrieved August 14, 2009.
- Eric Bailey (April 26, 2007). "TU's stadium changes titles, but Skelly name not forgotten". Tulsa World.
- https://tulsahurricane.com/sports/2015/4/21/GEN_201401017.aspx
- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1987
- https://tulsahurricane.com/sports/2015/4/21/GEN_201401017.aspx
- http://www.soonerstats.com/football/seasons/schedule.cfm?seasonid=1987