Michie Stadium
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U.S. Military Academy West Point, NY (914) 938-3062 Tenant: U.S. Army Black Knights (NCAA)
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Michie Stadium
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U.S. Military Academy West Point, NY (914) 938-3062 Tenant: U.S. Army Black Knights (NCAA)
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Michie Stadium, splendid in its scenic beauty and long recognized as one of the more popular stadiums in the country, was constructed in 1924 on meadow land just a few hundred yards from historic Fort Putnam. This year it celebrates its 72nd birthday as the home of Army football.
Own Your Own Michie Stadium sculpture of extraordinary realism...meticulously detailed and skillfully hand painted.
- At the famous U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the entire student body floods historic Michie Stadium every football Saturday to cheer on their beloved Black Knights -- a team that boasts a combined winning percentage of more than .620 and has won three National Championships.
- Officially licensed by the U.S. Military AcademyŽ, this magnificent sculpture features extraordinary accuracy and fine detail.
- From the stadium's press box and black and yellow donor stands, to the precisely scaled goal posts and field markings, every detail of this memorable college gridiron is authentically reproduced.
- Superbly crafted and carefully hand painted by skilled artisans, the sculpture comes mounted on a handsome display base.
- Actual size approximately 11 1/2" long x 8 3/4" wide.
Order Your Own
Michie StadiumThe original structure was completed for the 1924 season and formally dedicated to the memory of Dennis Mahan Michie, who was instrumental in starting the game of football at the U.S. Military Academy in 1890. It was Michie who organized, managed and coached the first football team in history at West Point. There have been several facelifts since that first game in 1924 when Army defeated St. Louis University 17-0.
Temporary East stands and upper stands were added before construction of permanent East stands was completed in 1962. In the summer of 1969 an upper deck on the West side was added, bringing the seating capacity to 41,684. Capacity has since been adjusted to 39,929.
A major change occurred on the playing field in 1977 when AstroTurf replaced the natural grass surface. The artificial turf greatly reduced maintenance costs and guaranteed the Army team an excellent practice facility for use all fall while providing for multiple uses. SuperTurf replaced the AstroTurf in 1984, which was in turn replaced by AstroTurf 8 three years ago.
Army teams have experienced great success while playing at Michie. In 71 years, the Cadets have won 281 while losing only 95 and tying six. There have been 27 undefeated home seasons and two undefeated but tied campaigns. From the time of that first game in 1924, Army teams played 39 games at home without losing, spanning seven years.
The wishbone offense certainly has had a lot to do with the recent success of Army football--winning seasons in seven of the last 11 years, the only three postseason bowl appearances in school history, and three Commander in Chief's Trophy titles outright (while sharing another) during that span. But much of the prosperity can be directly related to the exceptional athletic facilities in place at West Point.
Michie Stadium, with its recently installed artificial playing surface, offers an excellent practice field in all types of weather. Directly adjacent to the stadium is Howze Field, spacious and well-groomed with its natural grass surface. It is big enough to allow the offense to work at one end and the defense at the other, without the fear of one interfering with the other.
A year-round weight and strength development program is another important plus, offering players the very best in modern equipment. Under the supervision of Tim Swanger, the weight room is second to none with its wide variety of apparatus.
Each player has his own locker in a luxurious, carpeted locker room located one floor below the weight room and one floor above the equipment and training rooms. Here the players are free to unwind from a busy academic schedule before putting on the pads for practice.
Blend all of the above together, and it's easy to see why Army teams have combined to win anaverage of nearly seven games per season over the past decade.
Michie Facts
Army's Record at Michie: 284-97-7 (.741)
Stadium Resources
Other Resources Amazon.COM Stadium Books
First Game: October 4, 1924 -- Army 17, St. Louis University 0
Dedication: November 15, 1924 -- Army 14, Columbia 14
First Loss: October 17, 1931 -- Harvard 14, Army 13
Longest Home Winning Streak: 42 games (1941-50)
Largest Home Crowd: 42,765 (Missouri, Oct. 2, 1971)
Michie Through the Years
1924 -- Original structure completed and dedicated. Seating capacity of permanent stands: 16,000 with temporary seating for an additional 5,000. Temporary East stands and upper stands were later added, increasing capacity to 26,491.1962 -- Construction of permanent East stands completed.
1969 -- Upper deck on West side added, increasing seating capacity to 41,684.
1977 -- AstroTurf installed, replacing original natural grass playing surface.
1984 -- SuperTurf installed, replacing AstroTurf playing surface.
1992 -- Third resurfacing procedure completed with AstroTurf 8 newly installed.
Source: U.S. Army Sports Information Office
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