H.A. CHAPMAN STADIUM HIGHLIGHTS 1930 — Groundbreaking ceremony for the 14,500 seat Skelly Field occurred on May 11 . The first football game was played on Oct . 4, 1930 in front of a crowd of 13,000 . Tulsa defeated Arkansas 26-6 .
KJRH Television and Getty Refining and Marketing Company . The largest crowd for soccer occurred on April 26 when the Roughnecks met the New York Cosmos before 30,831 fans .
2005 — The north end zone stands were demolished in February, thus clearing way for the new Case Athletic Complex . The stadium seating was reduced from 40,385 to 35,542 .
1938 — TU traded Skelly Field to the Tulsa Public Schools for the Philtower Building lot at 5th and Boston . TU began to lease the stadium from the board of education .
1987 — The largest crowd in Skelly Stadium history, 47,350, saw Tulsa lose to the nation’s number oneranked Oklahoma Sooners, 65-0 .
2007 — The Case Athletic Complex in the north end zone was completed in June; and on April 24, it was announced that the H .A . and Mary K . Chapman Trust has provided the financial gift for half of the estimated cost for renovation of the newly named H .A . Chapman Stadium .
1947 — Lease renewal for Skelly Field was signed . The 5,000 seat north end zone stands were added and the scoreboard moved to the south end zone . Skelly Field was the original name, but changed to Skelly Stadium when the north end zone seats were added .
1982 — A new artificial turf was installed and the lighting system was replaced . 1984 — A new scoreboard above the north end zone and 25-second clocks were added in each end zone .
1953 — In August, former TU star Jim Finks played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in an exhibition game against the Chicago Bears before a crowd of 10,000 .
1991 — Stadia Turf, a new artificial surface, was installed in the summer . The football season had the highest season attendance average in school history with an average of 31,236 fans for seven home games .
1956 — On June 18, Evangelist Reverend Billy Graham held a one-night rally and set what was to that date a stadium record crowd of 28,000 .
1993 — A new scoreboard was erected in the south end zone . It was completed just one day before the home opener on September 18 .
1960 — Newly formed American Football League entries, Houston Oilers and Dallas Texans, met in an exhibition contest in August .
2000 — New FieldTurf was installed in the summer . The synthetic artificial turf looks and feels like natural grass . The visiting team locker room was refurbished .
1964 — The stadium corporation was reorganized and it planned to build two high school stadiums (LaFortune and McLain) in exchange for Skelly Stadium .
2003 — Installed new stadium lighting .
2008 — The H .A Chapman Stadium underwent major renovation and now has a new stadium capacity of 30,000 . 2013 — A new playing surface, FieldTurf Revolution Cool Play featuring cork and rubber, was installed in the spring of 2013, as was an 80-foot LED electronic sign located on the south end zone field level wall . 2017 — A new FieldTurf surface was installed . 2018 — ONEOK Club had a complete renovation and an LED board was added to the north end zone .
1965 — Skelly Stadium was enlarged to 40,235 seats at a cost of $1,250,000 . The track was removed, the field lowered and box seats added . The excavated dirt was used to support the new south end zone stands . Seating was added to the west stands plus a new two story press box, escalator and elevator . Work was completed in August . 1966 — The third story photo deck was added to the press box . Skelly Stadium turned into a baseball field for one game on May 5 . The St . Louis Cardinals baseball club played their triple-A farm team, the Tulsa Oilers, in an exhibition game . The contest drew a crowd of 18,904, which saw the Cards beat Tulsa 5-4 . 1968 — Skelly Stadium was returned to the University . 1972 — Tartan turf was installed in the summer months . 1977 — Professional soccer made its debut at Skelly Stadium with a preseason game . 1978 — The Tulsa Roughnecks, an NASL professional soccer team, moved into Skelly Stadium . 1979 — Getty Oil Company and Getty Refining and Marketing Company made a $350,000 grant for refurbishing and repairs to the Stadium . 1980 — A modern scoreboard and animated message center was installed above the south stands . The sign package was donated by Dr . Pepper,
2 0 20 ye a r b o o k
Case Athletic Complex The Case Athletic Complex opened in June 2007, less than three years after the plans were unveiled for the facility that houses Golden Hurricane football . On November 11, 2004, University of Tulsa President Steadman Upham unveiled plans for the Case Athletic Complex to be located in the north end zone of Skelly Stadium . Excavation began on January 13, 2006 . The 30,000 square foot complex was built at a cost of $10 million, and it began phase one of the renovation of Skelly Field . Phase Two began following the 2007 football campaign, when Skelly Field at H .A . Chapman Stadium underwent major renovations .
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The Case Athletic Complex, named for Mike Case, a developer and philanthropist who made a significant financial gift for the project, houses football coaches offices, meeting rooms, game day suites, academic support center for all student-athletes, football locker room and equipment room, athletic training room, video production suite and Lettermen’s Club suite . A renovation of the locker room was completed in the summer of 2018 . The facility provides the Tulsa football program with an exceptional every-day use facility, as well as providing all TU student-athletes with an area dedicated to academic enhancement .
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