Sooners played in Yankee Stadium
The final game at Yankee Stadium last Sunday produced all kinds of memories and celebrations. The Stadium was home to some of America’s greatest sporting events, including dozens of World Serieses, the 1958 NFL title game epic and championship boxing bouts from Joe Louis to Muhammad Ali, not to mention repeated papal visits and concerts by the likes of Billy Joel.
Yankee Stadium also hosted the Sooners. In 1961, OU beat Army 14-8 at the Stadium. A lot of references list the 1946 OU-Army game as also being played at Yankee Stadium, but not so. That game was at West Point.
But in the same year that Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle staged their great home run derby, the Sooners played on the same Bronx grass.
On Nov. 18, 1961, OU played an Army team that retained high status in college football. The Cadets were 6-2; the Sooners were 2-5. That was the famous season in which OU lost its first five games, and coach Bud Wilkinson uncharacteristically predicted the Sooners would rebound and win their final five.
And they did, with that Army conquest right in the middle.
Thinking about that Army game made me wonder how many other baseball stadiums had hosted the OU football team. I found eight, counting Yankee Stadium. The others:
Braves Field, 1949: OU beat Boston College 46-0 with those legendary ‘49ers, perhaps the Sooners’ greatest team. Braves Field was home of the Boston Braves from 1915-52.
Metrodome, 1985: OU beat Minnesota 13-7 in the dome, on the same day, in fact, that the Twins played an afternoon baseball game.
Qualcomm Stadium, 1996 & 2005: In the home of the Padres, the Sooners lost 51-31 to San Diego State in 1996 but beat Oregon 17-14 in the Holiday Bowl.
Sportsman’s Park, 1909: Bennie Owen’s early-day Sooners beat Washington U. of St. Louis 11-5 at the home of the St. Louis Browns. That’s right, the Browns. The Cardinals didn’t move over to Sportsman’s Park until the ’20s, as tenants of the Browns, though the Redbirds eventually took over the stadium. OU played at Washington U. in St. Louis three times in the ’20s, but I can’t find documentation on where exactly those games were played.
Astrodome, 1968 & 1970: A modern wonder of the world when it was built in the late ’60s as home to the Astros and Oilers, the Astrodome hosted OU in two Bluebonnet Bowls. A 28-27 loss to SMU in 1968 and a 24-24 tie with Alabama in 1970.
Dolphins Stadium, 2001: OU beat Florida State 13-2 in the national-championship Orange Bowl on the field where the Marlins still play.
Griffith Stadium, 1932: OU tied George Washington U. 7-7 in 1932 at the home of the Washington Senators. OU also played at GWU in 1934, losing 3-0, but I can’t find for sure where that game was played. Griffith Stadium was home to the Senators from 1911-60.
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Yesterday you said there were 10 baseball stadiums that had hosted the OU football teams.
What were your other two? I was thinking of one that I did not hear you mention.
Robert