Anyone know of Murphy Stadium in Mobile??

[kfo9494]

I was going through some old Alabama clippings and saw one that said Alabama played Mississippi in Murphy Stadium in Mobile in 1944.
Not being aware of Murphy Stadium, I was interested to find out if the stadium is still around.
Unless they are talking about Murphy High school. Does anyone know if Alabama played college ball at that high school's field?

 

[CornBiscuit]

That was Murphy's stadium.

The first night game in Alabama history was there. I think the only teams they played there were Spring Hill College and Miss and maybe a couple others. Murphy Stadium burned down many years ago and the high school now plays at Ladd.

The stadium was on the campus of Murphy high school.

 

[TommyMac]

I went to Murphy, class of 59 and they played at Ladd back then and even before.

Let the fossil jokes begin.

 

[Proxigean Tide]

Murphy Class of '79. Graduated with Joey Jones. Have very fond memories of that place. RTR.

 

[tholder4585]

MHS Class of 2003

I would love to see the day when the stadium at Murphy could be rebuilt. Playing at Ladd was fun, but there is not much fun about getting stuck with a Saturday night game when the tide is playing.

 

[crimsonoldtimer]

I graduated from Murphy in 1970. Great school!

 

[BamaArrived2006]

I went to Murphy, class of 59 and they played at Ladd back then and even before.

Let the fossil jokes begin.

Dang...So what was it like when dirt was created?? HAHAHA!! T-Mac You're The Man! :biggrin2:

:biga2:

 

[GrayTide]

No fossil jokes from me. You got a few years on me but too close to call.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

My wife and I...

spent last weekend with a friend in Mobile who was a Murphy '62 grad. As we passed the turnoff to Ladd, driving east on Government, I commented that I was in Ladd in '58 when Bama played LSU and Cannon made his historic run. Oh, BTW, the endzone bleachers collapsed...

 

[BamerDave]

i am a 1977 grad of Murphy. i miss those days but also glad i was able to survive. i dreamed a many a day that i would be good enough to play for Coach Bryant.
Roll Tide to all and i hope you had a safe and happy 4th

 

[BAMMAR]

There is a pic of the LADD stadium in the 69 media guide. It looks about as big as my high school field.

 

[jimbofisher2]

Murphy never really had a stadium. It had a small set of old wooden bleachers that overlooked the football field (which is still in existence and used for practice & it has a track surrounding it). The wooden bleachers were burned down by a student smoking a cigarette about 15-20 years ago. Pretty soon after, the school installed a small set of aluminum bleachers. So it never really was a stadium, but I suppose they had to give it a name...so they called it 'Murphy Stadium'.

 

[GrayTide]

Re: My wife and I...

spent last weekend with a friend in Mobile who was a Murphy '62 grad. As we passed the turnoff to Ladd, driving east on Government, I commented that I was in Ladd in '58 when Bama played LSU and Cannon made his historic run. Oh, BTW, the endzone bleachers collapsed...

Alabama used to play a couple of games there each year, Tulane and Southern Miss as I recall. The first Alabama game I ever saw was the Bama vs Tulane game. I think it was the 1956 game and we got drilled 33-0. Then Tulane was still an SEC member.

 

[TommyMac]

Murphy never really had a stadium. It had a small set of old wooden bleachers that overlooked the football field (which is still in existence and used for practice & it has a track surrounding it). The wooden bleachers were burned down by a student smoking a cigarette about 15-20 years ago. Pretty soon after, the school installed a small set of aluminum bleachers. So it never really was a stadium, but I suppose they had to give it a name...so they called it 'Murphy Stadium'.

We used to go behind the cafeteria to smoke. The school sorta turned a blind eye towards it. One time, Dean Seymour, the dean of boys paid us a visit back there and someone dropped a lit cigarette in his suit pocket, he never came back.

That was also the place of choice for settling disagreements too. There was a lot of busted knuckles, black eyes and missing teeth passed out back there.

 

[FitToBeTide]

Re: My wife and I...

Alabama used to play a couple of games there each year, Tulane and Southern Miss as I recall. The first Alabama game I ever saw was the Bama vs Tulane game. I think it was the 1956 game and we got drilled 33-0. Then Tulane was still an SEC member.

My first ever was the 1961 game against Tulane that we won 9-0.

:biga2:

 

[LCN]

Ladd-Peebles Stadium is the present official name but , was it ever Ladd-Murphy Stadium ? :conf3:

RTR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kfo9494]

Here is a cover of a 1944 program,

 

[BamaHerb]

I am a Murphy grad. class of 1970. I have seen old pics of Murphy and there were wooden bleachers on both sides of what is now the practice field. There were bleachers only on one side when I was there. They did burn about 10 years ago and new metal ones were constucted a few years ago. This is where the Bama game in question was played. Bama played many games at Ladd (LSU, Tulane and Sou Miss). The last game played at ladd (which seats about 45,000) was the 17-14 victory over Sou. Miss in 1968. That was also the first Bama game that I attended in person. Ladd was never named anthing else until it was recently renamed Ladd-Peebles.