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Palmer Stadium Then the second-oldest football stadium in the nation, the 45,725-seat Palmer Memorial Stadium officially opened on Oct. 24, 1914, when Princeton hosted Dartmouth before an estimated crowd of 7,000. Knowlton Ames Jr., the son of the legendary Knowlton "Snake" Ames, scored the first touchdown in Palmer as the Tigers defeated Dartmouth 16-12 to make the stadium’s opening a success. Heisman trophy winner Dick Kazmaier ’52 performed his football feats to near-perfection here from 1949 through 1951. Princeton was a remarkable 18-1 at Palmer Stadium during Kazmaier’s three years. Undefeated Tiger teams in 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950, 1951 and 1964 left their marks in the arena’s history. In all there have been 14 undefeated seasons at Palmer Stadium. Princeton had an all-time record of 283-161-17 at Palmer Stadium. The 1995 team was the last of eight Ivy League champions to play in the stadium.
All in a Day’s Work The construction of the stadium also was a huge success. The George A. Fuller Co. completed the facility in four months, almost a full month ahead of schedule. In order to expedite construction the workmen were divided into two sections, one assigned to the east and the other to the west side of the structure. Throughout the summer of 1914 there was a friendly race between the east and west crews for the completion of their respective work. Dedication Ceremony Edgar Palmer ’03, the donor of the stadium, was on hand for the opening of this memorial to his father. The stadium officially was dedicated to Stephen S. Palmer Nov. 13, 1914, when Princeton played Yale. In a ceremony on the Friday before the Yale game, Edgar Palmer said that in turning over the stadium to the Trustees of Princeton University in memory of his father, his one wish was that the Princeton teams that play there may play fair and straight and preserve the honor and glory of their alma mater. Other Athletic Events Many athletic spectacles took place in the Princeton horseshoe, among them a stirring series of internationally flavored track meets during the late 1930s. Palmer Stadium also played host to men’s and women’s lacrosse, including the 1981 men’s Final Four, as well as NFL preseason football games. Weather-Beaters Furthermore, Palmer Stadium housed its share of meteorological memories. The Tigers closed out their undefeated 1935 season with the famous "Twelfth Man" snowstorm game. On Nov. 23, 1935, 56,000 people packed Palmer Stadium in near-blizzard conditions to watch the Tigers defeat Dartmouth 26-6. It was the actions of a local cook, however, that made this game memorable. With Princeton well in front in the fourth quarter, a man, later identified as a cook in a local diner, ran onto the field and took a spot on the Dartmouth line. After one play, he was escorted from the field by stadium police. Fifteen years later, in 1950, Princeton and Dartmouth did battle again with an undefeated season on the line for the Tigers. On this occasion, however, it was a hurricane that wreaked havoc on the game. The contest was played in torrential rain, accompanied by 80-mile-per-hour winds with gusts reaching 108. Palmer Stadium had been covered for most of the morning prior to the game. At noon, however, the tarpaulins broke their moorings and an inch of water covered the field from one 20-yard line to the other and to within a few yards of each sideline. Atop the stadium, the tar paper roofing was ripped off the press box and water dripped through in increasing quantities. The gusting winds caused the press box and the radio and public address booths to sway noticeably. Nearly 5,000 Tiger faithful braved the elements and watched Princeton complete its perfect season with a 13-7 victory against Dartmouth. All three touchdowns were scored by the team driving with the wind. On the afternoon, there were 19 fumbles—six by Princeton and 13 by Dartmouth. Princeton completed just two passes and Dartmouth completed just one. It frequently was necessary for the referee to hold the ball on the line of scrimmage until the center moved up to claim possession. From the press box it was impossible to tell whether that was necessary to keep the ball from blowing or floating away. |
