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30 years ago today Pat Dye and Auburn threw Legion Field and Birmingham "a bone"
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:46 am
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:46 am
The older I get the younger this board seems to get. Quick recap fro 20's and 30's , Alabama and Auburn used to meet every year at Birmingham's Legion Field. Contrary to what Auburn people claim tickets were split 50/50. Regardless for years Auburn hinted and then yelled they wanted to bring their "home game" to Auburn.
After one game in 1974, Tennessee had fallen in line starting in 1980 (which was an absolute disaster for Auburn) and Georgia Tech started coming in 1970 after playing in Birmingham.
As everyone knows the game is pure "home and home" now but in 1987 a deal was hatched where starting in 1988 the game would be at Legion Field as a "home game" for Alabama with Auburn getting a "visitor's allocation." 1989 would be in Auburn for the first time but to expedite things, Auburn agreed to play the 1991 game at Legion Field as 'home team' with Alabama getting the visitor's allocation. Dye addressed the Jefferson County War Eagle club calling this "throwing Birmingham a bone."
After one game in 1974, Tennessee had fallen in line starting in 1980 (which was an absolute disaster for Auburn) and Georgia Tech started coming in 1970 after playing in Birmingham.
As everyone knows the game is pure "home and home" now but in 1987 a deal was hatched where starting in 1988 the game would be at Legion Field as a "home game" for Alabama with Auburn getting a "visitor's allocation." 1989 would be in Auburn for the first time but to expedite things, Auburn agreed to play the 1991 game at Legion Field as 'home team' with Alabama getting the visitor's allocation. Dye addressed the Jefferson County War Eagle club calling this "throwing Birmingham a bone."
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Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:50 am to I-59 Tiger
PD recognized LF was a dump in the 80s. Why wouldn't he want to play home games in the best home field advantage in CFB?
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:52 am to AUCE05
quote:
the best home field advantage in CFB?
How'd that work out for you last Saturday?
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:52 am to AUCE05
Now that there’s a new stadium, I know I’m older, but would like to see the iron bowl go back to neutral site with a 50/50 ticket split again
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:53 am to labamafan
It would need to at a minimum seat 70k
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:54 am to labamafan
quote:
Now that there’s a new stadium, I know I’m older, but would like to see the iron bowl go back to neutral site with a 50/50 ticket split again
That new stadium only seats around 40k people. The game is never coming back to Birmingham.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:54 am to labamafan
quote:UAB's new stadium couldn't hold the average A Day crowd.
Now that there’s a new stadium, I know I’m older, but would like to see the iron bowl go back to neutral site with a 50/50 ticket split again
Posted on 11/30/21 at 10:55 am to 14&Counting
quote:
How'd that work out for you last Saturday?
Covered spread by 18.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:06 am to labamafan
quote:
Now that there’s a new stadium, I know I’m older, but would like to see the iron bowl go back to neutral site with a 50/50 ticket split again
A three year rotation: home, away, 50/50 would be cool but would never happen.
It sure was fun staggering out of the Tide and Tiger and into the stadium. Amazing how generations of people never thought twice about parking in someone’s yard in for $10 in the middle of one of the worst projects in America.
This post was edited on 11/30/21 at 11:09 am
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:06 am to AUCE05
I don’t know and haven’t cared to check what the new stadium’s seating capacity is… I can’t imagine it being on par with BD or JH. I doubt either university would be willing to give up the revenue and move away from campus, not to mention the revenue for the local communities.
TWLOCP is a fun weekend in Jacksonville, but honestly I don’t understand why the teams haven’t moved to G’ville and Athens.
TWLOCP is a fun weekend in Jacksonville, but honestly I don’t understand why the teams haven’t moved to G’ville and Athens.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:09 am to I-59 Tiger
I was there sitting in my uncle's Auburn season tickets and I have that program in a box in my closet.
This post was edited on 11/30/21 at 11:10 am
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:13 am to Sput
quote:
Amazing how generations of people never thought twice about parking in someone’s yard in for $10 in the middle of one of the worst projects in America.
I went to more games at Legion Field in the 80's and 90's than I can remember, and never once felt unsafe. I remember most of the residents there loved the games being there and the crowds. Many opened their doors to us to use their restrooms, even the housing project next to the stadium.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:18 am to I-59 Tiger
quote:
I-59 Tiger
Phil Neel did awesome artwork, even if it was almost exclusively for Auburn. Playing HS basketball in Birmingham, our coach had Neel do commemorative placards for the team's season. He has that very distinctive style that is immediately recognized as his work by fans of our age.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:22 am to BoCam2
quote:
Covered spread by 18.
HUGE moral victory and lots of momemtum going into next year for whats his name. Surely that will help with recruiting.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:27 am to PaulsBunions
No one claims a moral "victory" better than Auburn.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:28 am to 14&Counting
quote:
How'd that work out for you last Saturday?
How did it go for you? You were supposed to win by 3 TDs.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:29 am to The Spleen
quote:
I went to more games at Legion Field in the 80's and 90's than I can remember, and never once felt unsafe. I remember most of the residents there loved the games being there and the crowds. Many opened their doors to us to use their restrooms, even the housing project next to the stadium.
Oh no doubt I never ever felt unsafe. The last Iron Bowl played there I gave the yard guys $10 extra and all out left over beer to pick up the end of a car that had us blocked in and move it emoter could get out.
I just don’t see folks today doing what we use to think nothing of
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:34 am to Sput
quote:
The last Iron Bowl played there I gave the yard guys $10 extra and all out left over beer to pick up the end of a car that had us blocked in and move it emoter could get out
Wow, I don't know how much of a common occurrence this was, but I swear I had the same thing happen to me at Legion Field.
Car blocked us in someone's yard, some guys picked it up from the back and swung it around so we could all get out.
We very well could've been at the same game, in the same lot. I might owe you some beer.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:38 am to paperwasp
The only Iron Bowl I saw there was 96. I did see Pink Floyd there in 94 as well.
Posted on 11/30/21 at 11:39 am to Sput
You knew you were getting a choice spot when the guy would jump on the hood of the car to direct you into his backyard.
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