Chicago's historic Soldier Field celebrated a century of service to its community on October 9, 2024. Before the calendar turns to the year 2025, lets take a look back at the rich history of one of the Windy City's great venues, one unique fact at a time.
Soldier Field officially opened to the public on October 9, 1924, the 53rd anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire.
First Football Game: Notre Dame beat Northwestern 13-7 on November 22, 1924.
Largest Crowd for College Football: 115,000; Notre Dame beat USC 7-6 on November 27, 1927.
Largest High School Crowd: 120,000; Austin beat Leo 26-0 in the annual Prep Bowl on November 28, 1937.
Bears' First Home Game: The Bears beat the Steelers 17-15 on September 19, 1971.
Jack Dempsey lost to Gene Tunney in front of more than 104,000 in 1927.
Franklin D. Roosevelt visited in 1944.
General MacArthur visited in 1957.
Martin Luther King Jr. led the Chicago Freedom Movement in 1966.
Soldier Field hosted a Billy Graham Convention in 1962.
Largest Crowd in Stadium's History: The Marian Year Tribute, a major Catholic event, drew a record crowd of 260,000.
It hosted the opening ceremonies for the 1994 World Cup.
It was originally called "Municipal Grant Park Stadium".
Formally changed its name to "Soldier Field" on November 27, 1926 just before Army kicked off to Navy. A 21-21 tie.
Construction began in 1922 and concluded in 1928.
Original Capacity: 74,000
Original Shape: U
Open end was closed off in 1939.
Bluegrass 1924-1970
AstroTurf 1971-1987
Bluegrass 1988-2022
Bermuda grass 2023-present
Much of the stadium was demolished to make way for extensive renovations in 2002. Only the columns remain.
Originally designed by Holabird & Roche
It's a homage to the ancient Roman Coliseum.
Holabird & Roche also designed the University of Illinois's Memorial Stadium, the Waterman Building as well as Wrigley Field's hand-turned scoreboard and its bleachers.
Was built to showcase events and to be "a playground for the people".
First NFL Game: Bears beat Cardinals 10-0 on November 11, 1926.
Its' grounds were readjusted in 2002 by Lohan and Associates.
Each colonnade is supported by double rows of 32 columns.
To better suite the Bears when they moved in 1971, Soldier Field's capacity shrunk to 57,000 to bring fans closer to the action.
The Chicago Park District has owned it ever since it first opened 100 years ago.
It was home to a miniature ski resort in 1958, complete with two ski jumps and a toboggan slide that spread over the seats under the deluge of fake snow.
The Cardinals played every home game but two there in 1959, going 2-2 in a 2-10 season.
The Chicago Rockets of the AAFC played there from 1946 through 1949.
Jay Cutler's 12,617 was the most passing yards in the stadium's history.
Jay Cutler's 82 touchdowns was the most passing touchdowns in the stadium's history.
Walter Payton's 8,527 rushing yards was the most in Soldier Fields history.
Walter Payton's 65 rushing touchdowns was the most in the stadium's history.
Walter Payton's 2,434 receiving yards was the most in the stadium's history.
Walter Payton's 11 receiving touchdowns was the most in Soldier Field's history.
Walter Payton set the single game record of 275 yards (with a fever) on November 20, 1977.
Alshon Jeffrey set Soldier Field's single-game receiving record with 218 on October 6, 2013.
Jim Miller set the stadium's single game record with 422 passing yards on November 14, 1999.
Walter Payton set the NFL's all-time rushing yards record before adoring fans on October 7, 1984.
Walter Payton broke Jim Brown's all-time touchdown record of 106 on September 20, 1987, a one-yard plunge into the end zone to help the Bears beat Tampa Bay 20-3.
Coldest Game: -2F with a -13F wind chill, December 22, 2008. Chicago beat Green Bay 20-17.
Soldier Field cost $13 million to build.
Soldier Field cost $632 million to renovate in 2002.
It hosted 41 College All-Star Games.
It hosted four 1999 Women's World Cup Games, including America's 7-1 demolition of Nigeria.
It hosted the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final. America beat Panama 1-0 that day.
It hosted the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final. Mexico beat America 1-0 that day.
The first Special Olympics were held there on July 20, 1968.
It first held a rugby match on November 1, 2014 between the United States Eagles and the storied New Zealand All Blacks. New Zealand won 74-6.
Soldier Field held its first concert on August 21, 1937, the Chicagoland Music Festival.
The 28th International Eucharistic Congress held a three day convention from June 21 through June 23, 1926.
While they've played there other years, Notre Dame called Soldier Field "home" for three games in 1929.
The Chicago Circle Chikas (NCAA) football team played there from 1966 through 1973.
The Chicago Spurs (NPSL) played there in 1967.
The Chicago Owls (CFL) played there from 1968 through 1969.
The Chicago Fire (WFL) played there in 1974.
The Chicago Sting (NASL) played there from 1975 through 1976.
The Chicago Fire FC (MLS) played there from 1998 through 2005. After a 15 year hiatus, the Fire returned to Soldier Field in 2020 and they continue to play there to this day.
David Meilahn made the first ever commercial cell phone call there on October 13, 1983.
Soldier Field was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
68, Soldier Field was taken off the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
It became the exercise grounds for the nearby Shedd Aquarium's penguins during COVID-19.
The First Event: A hammer throw for the Police Athletic Games on September 5, 1924.
The First Football Game: Luisville Male High School versus Austin Community Academy High School on October 4, 1924.
It hosted the 1925 NCAA Track and Field Championships from June 13 through June 14, 1925.
The First Night Football Game: Oregon beat Drake 14-7 on October 3, 1930.
Gene Autry and Tex Cooper led a rodeo there in 1942.
Notre Dame tied Great Lakes Naval Academy 13-13 on December 5, 1942.
The Bears held an annual Armed Forces Game beginning in 1945. It was an exhibition for charity.
One of the first televised events at the stadium was a rodeo in July 1947.
The College All-Stars beat the reigning NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles 17-7 in front of 88,885 on August `11, 1950.
The First NASCAR Race: Glenn "Fireball" Roberts beat Jim Paschal on July 21, 1956.
It was originally Bluegrass.
AstroTurf was installed in 1971.
Soldier Field again welcomed the Bluegrass in 1988 after bidding the hazardous AstroTurf adieu.
Bermuda grass was installed in 2023.
Soldier Field has a radiant heating system that helps stretch the growing season and keeps the ground from freezing in the frigid Chicago winters.
The Chicago Enforcers (XFL) played there in 2001.
The Fog Bowl was played there on December 31, 1988.
William "the Refrigerator" Perry scored his first touchdown on October 21, 1985 in a 23-7 Bears triumph over the hated Packers.
Soldier Field is 15 feet away from Lake Michigan.
It opened almost 3.5 years after the nearby Field Museum of Natural History opened.
24,000 seats were removed in 36 hours during the 2002 renovation. It's a record that still stands.
The First Ski Meet: 1936.
The First Playoff Game: The Bears beat the Giants 21-0 on January 5, 1986.
The Strongest Wind: 26 mph on November 13, 2005. A 17-3 Bears win over the49ers.
It was destroyed in the Marvel Comics issue "Siege".
The 1977 documentary Powers of Ten was filmed there.
It appeared in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.
It appeared in four episodes of the television series Chicago Fire.
Current Capacity: 62,500.
Jerry Markbreit began a 23 years career officiating NFL games there on November 23, 1986.
The Keith Magnuson Spirit Award was presented for the first time at the 1988 Special Olympics.
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