Can someone tell me what happened to the open North Endzone of Shields-Watkins Field?

#1

DougAtkins91

DougAtkins91
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#1
Intense Vol fanship. The thrown toilet paper, shakers shaking, singing Down the Field, the Walking Horse, singing the Alma Mater, not fighting with fellow Vol fans, standing for 3/4 quarters of the game, staying till the last play, not depending on a JumboTron to know what happened, no third down for what so the partial fans know the down and distance, knowing every player by number home town and and jersey, and showing up early and staying late? Have our football fans changed that much, sadly!93E7A1CA-2B89-4EE6-B0F7-34AE8984182D.jpeg5AAAC0D9-DDA2-406B-A4DA-C03DFB1A136C.jpeg7CE1F541-5E3D-44B5-9909-2C7A78437788.jpeg3B69BB78-C02F-42EA-81D4-2A6D7B143F9C.jpeg7C2D5489-EE8D-441F-A799-6B3A387D389C.jpeg
 
#2
#2
That end zone, by wishes of Shields- Watkins Field and agreement with the University was to never be closed. What part of polity was violated for the almighty dollar? I’m not incorrect on this post. Sad and forever wrong..
 
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#3
#3
That end zone, by wishes of Shields- Watkins Field and agreement with the University was to never be closed. What part of polity was violated for the almighty dollar? I’m not incorrect on this post. Sad and forever wrong..
My dear old Dad drilled that into me in the 60’s as a young child. And as they closed in the first phase of the north end zone, it was lower bowl only, and it just did away with the wooden bleachers. Then the upper deck was placed and sealed the deal. As long as you can see Ayers hall from the pressbox the spirit of the agreement is still valid, right???? Kinda like an Indian treaty, so maybe we can open a casino in the new student center as a compromise.
Actually , I’m good with it. Enclosed Neyland is one of the most intimidating and loudest stadiums in the country. Get a touchdown ahead on Bama or Florida and the place gives you goosebumps. We didn’t have Rocky Top in the 60’s either, and that is one of the most signature songs ever. Things evolve.
 
#7
#7
The old way= fans in the stands.
The new way= a place to see and be seen
take a selfie and post how great life is
Pipe in music/noise
flash the lights
Narrow the seats
Skyboxes for the wealthy
Progress?
Widening butts + narrow seats= MurphyVol at home. Along with parking this had been my biggest complaint over the years. We are too fat for our current seating arrangement and I can't handle sitting sideways for 3 hours while Bertha takes up 70% of my seat.
 
#11
#11
I remember going to the Vols v Vandy game in 77 and sitting in those wooden beachers in the endzone. It was a cold, cold game and the wind blew right up your butt.

I saw enough of Ayers Hall while I was in school. I dont need to see it at a football game
 
#12
#12
What is fascinating to me about the photos (which i really appreciate you posting them) is the very last black and white photo. Look at the Tennessee river in the background. I am not sure if it is the angle of the photo but it looks like a creek almost. I guess that makes sense since Ft Loudon Dam was not built until 1943 but it explains something I have always been curious about. Why initially close the view of the water, it is a beautiful view. Looking at that photo suggests that before the dam was built it was not the same view back in the day.
 
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#13
#13
Ignore my post above. I just went and checked. The South endzone was closed in 1948, after Ft Loudon dam and a full reservoir. I guess I am more impressed with the river view than most.

BTW, here is a photo from 1921 of the river. Still quite beautiful at that level:

5cf92dc88c4d96bef3c0e2fed67e54a0.jpg
 
#15
#15
Intense Vol fanship. The thrown toilet paper, shakers shaking, singing Down the Field, the Walking Horse, singing the Alma Mater, not fighting with fellow Vol fans, standing for 3/4 quarters of the game, staying till the last play, not depending on a JumboTron to know what happened, no third down for what so the partial fans know the down and distance, knowing every player by number home town and and jersey, and showing up early and staying late? Have our football fans changed that much, sadly!View attachment 305080View attachment 305081View attachment 305082View attachment 305083View attachment 305084

First things first. Butch Jones is NOT part of this tradition.

Carry on.
 
#16
#16
That end zone, by wishes of Shields- Watkins Field and agreement with the University was to never be closed. What part of polity was violated for the almighty dollar? I’m not incorrect on this post. Sad and forever wrong..
Guess they got tired of free lawn seats. $$$ > old agreements.
 
#17
#17
The old way= fans in the stands.
The new way= a place to see and be seen
take a selfie and post how great life is
Pipe in music/noise (South Carolina)
flash the lights (Bama)
Narrow the seats (OK true)

Skyboxes for the wealthy
Progress?
At least we don't win the prize for piped in music and lights...
 
#18
#18
There is a lot more water in the TN River since TVA. It used to fluctuate from very little to flood regularly. My grandfather has photos of him and his friends driving their trucks on it when it would freeze in the winter. (1920s)
 
#21
#21
Ignore my post above. I just went and checked. The South endzone was closed in 1948, after Ft Loudon dam and a full reservoir. I guess I am more impressed with the river view than most.

BTW, here is a photo from 1921 of the river. Still quite beautiful at that level:

Ahhh...Commodore Stadium last week.

5cf92dc88c4d96bef3c0e2fed67e54a0.jpg
 
#22
#22
I sat in the bleachers in the north end zone and watched Herschel Walker steam roll Bill Bates right in front of me in 1980! He was a freshman and no one had even heard about him!

You mean the South endzone? That's where the TD happened when he ran over Bates in the 3rd quarter. Prior to that drive was one of the oddest safeties you will ever see when Bates fumbled a punt and it rolled about 40 yards through the endzone. Ball must've have Vaseline on it.

Walker did score in the 4th going to the N. endzone but was untouched for the most part.
 
#23
#23
You mean the South endzone? That's where the TD happened when he ran over Bates in the 3rd quarter. Prior to that drive was one of the oddest safeties you will ever see when Bates fumbled a punt and it rolled about 40 yards through the endzone. Ball must've have Vaseline on it.

Walker did score in the 4th going to the N. endzone but was untouched for the most part.
Yeah, as part of the Pride of the Southland Band, we were taught that the S in the VOLS letters in the endzone stood for "South" if you need a reminder. Too bad those letters are gone.
 
#24
#24
I remember hearing that the endzone could never be filled in when I was a student in the 1980's but I wonder if that's more urban legend than truth. When the athletic field was originally built along with the west stands, baseball was also played there so it wasn't solely thought of as a football facility. I'm just not sure in 1921 anyone conceived of a full bowl ever being built, even just the lower level.

But I do like that along with the threads complaining about the seating capacity being reduced by recent/future renovations, we now have one complaining about filling in the endzone and making the seating capacity too high
 

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