2008 Woodie Awards
Athletic facility houses decades of strong history
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 10/7/05 Section: Sports Extra
Whenever a fan walks up the hill to the three-decade-old N. Kerr Thompson to attend a Slippery Rock University football game, they may be hard pressed to believe the facility lies on what was once part of a 255-acre farm.
Named after legendary football coach N. Kerr Thompson, the stadium was originally part of a campus-wide rebuilding project.
Until the 1950's, when the 14-school state system was created, the university was a State College. Former SRU president Norman Weisenfluh (1956-64), along with Pennsylvania's General State Authority and the Department of Public Instruction, called for a massive rebuilding program on the campus.
Old Thompson Field, which was the football team's playing surface prior to 1974, remains untouched to this day. Across the road from Old Thompson and Morrow Field House was the site of the Gerlock farm. From Spotts World Culture building all the way to the Stadium and beyond was part of the major expansion project, said Robert Watson, SRU vice president of student life.
The summer of 1961 was the first public mention of building a new football stadium, but construction didn't begin for another nine years. Al Watrel, the SRU president in 1968, was feverish in his quest to build the facility. The first game wasn't played until 1974 because there was no playing surface at the time it was originally built.
Watson said the trouble began two years later.
"Al wanted a stadium lodge to be built as well, because he wanted to entertain important people in the community while watching the games," Watson said. "However, the commissioner of higher education didn't want Dr. Watrel to build it so he halted the construction."
The administration was concerned about using tax payer's money to build a lodge to complement the stadium. Using what little resources he possessed through the university, Watrel built the lodge anyway. The Gail Rose Lodge, which overlooks the stadium today, was the downfall of Watrel's presidency at the university.
Named after legendary football coach N. Kerr Thompson, the stadium was originally part of a campus-wide rebuilding project.
Until the 1950's, when the 14-school state system was created, the university was a State College. Former SRU president Norman Weisenfluh (1956-64), along with Pennsylvania's General State Authority and the Department of Public Instruction, called for a massive rebuilding program on the campus.
Old Thompson Field, which was the football team's playing surface prior to 1974, remains untouched to this day. Across the road from Old Thompson and Morrow Field House was the site of the Gerlock farm. From Spotts World Culture building all the way to the Stadium and beyond was part of the major expansion project, said Robert Watson, SRU vice president of student life.
The summer of 1961 was the first public mention of building a new football stadium, but construction didn't begin for another nine years. Al Watrel, the SRU president in 1968, was feverish in his quest to build the facility. The first game wasn't played until 1974 because there was no playing surface at the time it was originally built.
Watson said the trouble began two years later.
"Al wanted a stadium lodge to be built as well, because he wanted to entertain important people in the community while watching the games," Watson said. "However, the commissioner of higher education didn't want Dr. Watrel to build it so he halted the construction."
The administration was concerned about using tax payer's money to build a lodge to complement the stadium. Using what little resources he possessed through the university, Watrel built the lodge anyway. The Gail Rose Lodge, which overlooks the stadium today, was the downfall of Watrel's presidency at the university.
