Question: Anyone miss the Legion Field games?

[Jokrswylde]

I am not talking about the crumbling upper deck, death trap Legion Field, I am talking about the old lady in her prime. As much as I hated making that trip as a UA student, the fact is many of my favorite game day memories include Legion Field. Tailgating all day and playing horseshoes with the smell of some of the world's best BBQ drifted on the air, the Tide n Tiger, the PA announcer calling Southern Miss "Mississippi Southern: or "South Mississippi" (on purpose I believe), all those folks waving those dang white towels...

We had this one house we went to every game. An older black couple that would let you park in their yard for ten bucks (15 if you wanted unlimited access to their bathroom) and would sell you a plate of ribs and white bread that would rival Archibald's any day. After my freshman year, we got their phone number and called them on Friday before the game to reserve a spot. They were always very gracious and friendly, and we never ever worried for a second that anything would happen to our vehicles.

Anyway, as I get older and the years and miles separate me from my time in Tuscaloosa, I often think about things that define what makes me so passionate about the Tide. Maybe going to Legion Field was a hassle and all we could think about was how awesome it would be to play Auburn on campus, and maybe it wasn't in the best part of town, and maybe traffic on 59S was a parking lot all the way to Mcfarland...but dam I had some good times there.

Would love to hear good stories about tailgating or games at legion field.

Anyway, been lurking for a while and really like the community so far. Mods, please move if this post is in the wrong forum...wasn't sure if it belonged in the strip or not. Thanks and Roll Tide!:BigA:

 

[Go Bama]

I much prefer the games in Tuscaloosa but the Iron Bowl at Legion Field was very special.

 

[CrimsonPassion]

I much prefer the games in Tuscaloosa but the Iron Bowl at Legion Field was very special.

Agreed. I hate when the Barn has home field advantage every other year. Plus, I loved hearing Keith Jackson call the '85 Iron Bowl.
The Kick is probably my all-time favorite Bama moment. So, I guess Legion Field will always be a special place for me.

 

[Crimson Speed]

Great memories of the ole gray lady, whether it was witnessing games against the barn, Tennessee, or Nebraska, those were the glory days. While those were wonderful times, I think we have all moved on. The campus venue is perfect today.

 

[boatmax]

I am not talking about the crumbling upper deck, death trap Legion Field, I am talking about the old lady in her prime. As much as I hated making that trip as a UA student, the fact is many of my favorite game day memories include Legion Field. Tailgating all day and playing horseshoes with the smell of some of the world's best BBQ drifted on the air, the Tide n Tiger, the PA announcer calling Southern Miss "Mississippi Southern: or "South Mississippi" (on purpose I believe), all those folks waving those dang white towels...

We had this one house we went to every game. An older black couple that would let you park in their yard for ten bucks (15 if you wanted unlimited access to their bathroom) and would sell you a plate of ribs and white bread that would rival Archibald's any day. After my freshman year, we got their phone number and called them on Friday before the game to reserve a spot. They were always very gracious and friendly, and we never ever worried for a second that anything would happen to our vehicles.

Anyway, as I get older and the years and miles separate me from my time in Tuscaloosa, I often think about things that define what makes me so passionate about the Tide. Maybe going to Legion Field was a hassle and all we could think about was how awesome it would be to play Auburn on campus, and maybe it wasn't in the best part of town, and maybe traffic on 59S was a parking lot all the way to Mcfarland...but dam I had some good times there.

Would love to hear good stories about tailgating or games at legion field.

Anyway, been lurking for a while and really like the community so far. Mods, please move if this post is in the wrong forum...wasn't sure if it belonged in the strip or not. Thanks and Roll Tide!:BigA:

Agreed. I hate when the Barn has home field advantage every other year. Plus, I loved hearing Keith Jackson call the '85 Iron Bowl.
The Kick is probably my all-time favorite Bama moment. So, I guess Legion Field will always be a special place for me.

The Auburn game has never been the same, since ticket sales were split 50/50. No one had the home field advantage, although Auburn claimed that Alabama had the advantage, as Legion Field was closer to the Alabama campus. Yes the neighborhood bbq cooked with a grill over a wash tub in the front yard.

 

[Vinny]

I miss Legion Field. The last game I saw there was the 96 Iron Bowl.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mittman]

I remember a lot of games in my youth there, so there are plenty of fond memories. One of the earliest pictures my family has of me is as a child at a Bama/Ole Miss game in Legion Field. I wish we had what Bryant Denny is now back then though. I don't think we should ever play home games anywhere else. My family growing up was not near as well off as I am now, and we could afford to go to a lot of games including the Legion Field ones. Hopefully someday it will get affordable for me to go more than a game or two a year.

 

[Tide1986]

Yes, the lower level at Legion Field offers a much better game viewing experience than BDS because the seats are closer to the field and you are closer to the action as a result.

 

[92tide]

was a student when we played all of the home games there. went to tons of games there, but a few stand out.

got to watch the sack and the long awaited beating of nd. one of the few times my grandmother tagged along with my grand dad, my brother and i to a game. we sat right next to the flagpole in the corner of the end zone and the sack happened right in front of us. i can still see the play unfolding like it was yesterday.

and one of the late 80s tn games where we held a track meet on their butts. we were in the stadium a good 2-3 hours before the game and legion field was electric before the game even started. after the beatdown started, the place was just crazy.

i have attended several iron bowls, the only victory i have witnessed was ib 92

 

[tide96]

I mean, if you live in Birmingham, it is more convenient but that is about it. (The 50/50 Alabama-Auburn games were great, but that is a different issue)

Between the towel waving parking guys in a terrible part of town and horrible facilities, there are no other redeeming qualities over Tuscaloosa.

 

[92tide]

I mean, if you live in Birmingham, it is more convenient but that is about it.

Between the towel waving parking guys in a terrible part of town and horrible facilities, there are no other redeeming qualities over Tuscaloosa.

at least through most of the 80's i found it to be a much better game environment than bds (this was pre-deck), jmho of course. many of our biggest games during the 80s were played there.

 

[Alabama22]

Yes, I miss Legion Field games. The last Alabama game I saw there in person was against Texas El Paso in 2001. We won 56-7. However, I really miss the Iron Bowl being there. For all the aubies who say Alabama had the home field advantage in the Iron Bowl every year, don't listen to them. The tickets were split 50/50. The atmosphere was phenomenal. Back then, AU played 2-4 games in Legion Field each year just like Alabama. I know because I went to some of those AU games, as well. But that was before the rivalry was "out of control" like it is now. Don't get me wrong, it was still a bitter rivalry. But opposing fan bases, for the most part, respected each other and behaved. I believe social media and other factors have certainly contributed to a lot of the poor behavior we see today. I really enjoy attending games in Bryant-Denny Stadium, though. That brings back a lot of great memories from my days in Tuscaloosa as a student! Hope to go back and see one this year since I haven't been to Tuscaloosa since 2011. A brief stint in the Midwest with my job took me far away from home. We moved back to Huntsville this year. YES!!!

 

[Mke4Bama]

Anybody brave enough to say they made it over to Sammy's before the game. :cool2:

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

I've always wanted to visit but never have.


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus RTR

 

[92tide]

Anybody brave enough to say they made it over to Sammy's before the game. :cool2:

 

[jabcmb]

I don't miss going to Bama games there, but I cherish the memories. One of the last things my Dad and I did together was go to a game there. We walked up the ramp to the upper deck and had to stop and rest several minutes at each turn of the ramp.

And unfortunately, that is where much of the misbehavior of my misspent college days was displayed. Those Nebraska fans were correct in calling me a drunk bleepin bleep.

 

[lowend]

No. My first game in MDB was the last game there in 2003. I hated every moment of it. It was so hot that day that so many people left the stands during halftime that it looked like pregame.

 

[thunderz7]

If frogs had wings,
1-and B'ham had maintained an SEC caliber stadium, capacity and facility wise,
2-Bama & the Barn both have what they now have.
3-I would love to have this plan
a-1st year game at Auburn
b-2nd year game at T'town
c-3rd year game in B'ham with 50/50 split
d- start again
Now, everyone hold your breath, till I get what I want.

 

[GP for Bama]

When we first quit playing there I thought it was a mistake, but I was wrong. The game day in Tuscaloosa is fantastic!!

 

[TiderMan]

Legion Field was the place to watch Bama play when I was younger in the 70's and 80's. All the big conference games (Auburn, UT, LSU) were there and all the big OOC games (USC, Nebraska, Note Dame, Texas A&M). All my favorite memories of Bama football was at Legion Field. My first trip to Bryant Denny was the 1986 game against Penn State. I was really disappointed in BDS and Legion Field was the better and bigger stadium at that time. As we all know, the University starting pouring money into facility upgrades at BDS in the late 80's and before long, BDS became the place for Bama football. The last Bama game at Legion Field that I went to was the Southern Miss game in 2001. It was re-scheduled to a late November Thursday night game due to 9/11 and it rained the whole game. We won and secured a bowl bid. It was Coach Fran's first year at Bama.

I will always have fond memories of Legion Field and the games that I attended there.