Letters: June 4, 1997
The New Stadium
After reading Eric Jones '54's April 2 letter on the new stadium and monitoring Tigernet discussion groups on this issue, I believe the university risks turning gold into dross. We are poised to build a beautiful, first-class structure with amenities that do not match. We have a major "bells and whistles" problem.
The new stadium is going to be a wonderful building. The investment of $45 million and the retention of a world-renowned architect demonstrate the commitment of the administration and trustees to producing the best small football stadium in the country. However, the stadium as currently configured will not have locker rooms, lights, or bench seating throughout, and may have a lower-end scoreboard and speaker system, and minimal TV hookups.
When the university celebrated Charter Day last October, the event was the frosting on the cake of the 18-month-long celebration of the 250th Anniversary. The university didn't withhold the frosting just because it was expensive. Simiarly, when the trustees buy a $45 million Gulfstream V, they shouldn't buy the avionics at Radio Shack. So let's finish the job properly, with all the bells and whistles. We want to love our new stadium.
Richard H. Missner '65
Chicago, Ill.
On September 19, 1998, the Tiger football team will inaugurate a new Princeton stadium. We write to share our enthusiasm for this project with Princetonians everywhere. Moreover, as former trustees and as cochairs of a committee of football and track alumni asked to advise the university on important aspects of the design, we want to attest to the great care that has been taken at every step to ensure the best possible facility for athletes and fans and to capture the spirit that was embodied in Palmer Stadium.
The new stadium will enhance some of the finest qualities of Palmer. The stands will fully enclose the field and will be closer to it, greatly increasing the sense of intimacy spectators will experience, as well as improving sightlines overall. The stadium's permanent seating of just under 28,000 can be extended beyond 30,000 for individual events, and the design will permit the addition of permanent seating if that becomes desirable in the future. The structure surrounding the stands, whose shape will echo Palmer, and the admission of light through small openings in the stands will create a pedestrian concourse beneath the stadium that will be highly attractive on game days, as well as for use during Reunions and other special events. All in all, we think this will be a superb football stadium, as well as an exciting new arena for other field sports and for all kinds of nonathletic events.
The university worked to bring as many members of the community as possible into the process of designing the stadium, and in the end convened three distinct committees to make recommendations and review plans. A specially constituted trustee committee, named in 1994, has been central to each and every decision the university has made regarding this project, from the acknowledgment that Palmer Stadium had deteriorated beyond repair to the selection of the world-renowned architect Rafael Viñoly to design its replacement. This committee has been thoroughly involved in the design process, working not only with Mr. Viñoly, but also with leading sports consultants specializing in particular aspects of stadium design, with the university administration, and with other committees.
A second, campus-based committee that included students, coaches, faculty, and athletics administrators helped set many of the key objectives and planning parameters, recommending rebuilding in the same location, maintaining a natural turf field, and making the facility capable of multifunctional use.
Finally, the alumni committee that we chaired, which was appointed by Director of Athletics Gary Walters '67 in 1995, made several crucial recommendations, including accommodating not only football, but also soccer and lacrosse, as well as important nonathletic uses; situating the track to the south, on the current site of Frelinghuysen Field; and preserving in the architecture and experience of the new stadium a remembrance of Palmer. Our committee also helped establish the relative priority of several specific design features to be considered as possible tradeoffs for purposes of economy. For example, as we weighed the benefits and costs, we stressed the need for a new scoreboard and public-address system; we urged the addition of halftime rooms, and we emphasized the importance of a state-of-the-art press box. We also considered other desirable stadium features, such as a field-lighting system and individual bench-seating.
With so many talented consultants, so many dedicated staff, and so many loyal alumni involved so extensively in the process, members of the Princeton community can be assured that, while some may differ over individual design features, on the whole the university has carefully deliberated its choices and made highly informed decisions.
The university's commitment to athletics in general and football in particular has been evident throughout this project. Both the trustees and the administration believed that to maintain the Palmer setting for the new stadium would reflect the high value attached to the role of athletics in a Princeton education. It is also worth noting that the trustees agreed to spend $45 million on the project, even before the first dollar had been raised in support.
We understand a detailed presentation is being prepared which we hope will give all members of the university community the fullest possible sense of the new facility. With confidence and much enthusiasm, we look forward to the day, not far distant, when we can all enjoy the fruits of this creative and most significant undertaking.
Richard W. Kazmaier '52
Key Largo, Fla.
Ralph D. DeNunzio '53
Riverside, Conn.
As a member of the Alumni Stadium Advisory Committee, I was involved in all its deliberations. I was the only member to examine the much-maligned engineers' report recommending razing Palmer and to receive up-to-date architectural drawings, which were analyzed with construction, architectural, and engineering professionals in my business. I had numerous meetings, phone conversations, and correspondence with Richard Spies *72, the vice-president in charge of the stadium project; Gary Walters '67, the director of athletics, and other members of his administrative and coaching staffs; architect Rafael Viñoly and his staff; facilities personnel; the stadium/sports facilities consultant; the contractor, Turner Construction; other independent contractors; independent architects and engineers with in-depth stadium experience and expertise; other universities that have built, expanded, or renovated stadiums; NCAA staff and committee heads for football, soccer, and lacrosse; and Princeton trustees and numerous alumni. My independent studies, research, and reports prepared on various elements of the stadium were made available to and utilized by the university.
Notwithstanding my sentimental attachment to Palmer Stadium, from the first stadium meeting two and a half years ago I have viewed its departure as an opportunity for Princeton to create a significantly better facility in every respect. As we enter the construction and final design stage, various meetings I've had-with President Shapiro on April 23 (following up one in January), and with Dick Spies and Gary Walters-and discussions with trustees have increased my confidence that this opportunity will become a reality.
I hope that this letter, by addressing the issues raised in PAW and on Tigernet, will clear the air so that we can focus attention on finishing the stadium. Alumni concerns about the stadium design can be placed into the following three categories.
(1) Elements too late to change:
€ The height of the first few rows of seats. Because the first rows are too low, players on the sidelines will obstruct views of the action. The suggestion to correct this by lowering the field was almost implemented, thanks to President Shapiro's and the trustees' involvement, but site conditions ultimately prevented it.
€ See-through bleachers. The design calls for openings in the upper grandstands. The actual openings are in the vertical risers and are 7.8125 inches from top to bottom. To address safety concerns about large items falling or being pushed through the openings, the architect decided to install a horizontal bar made of galvanized pipe. Actual stadium conditions will test this solution, and we should all pull for its success.
€ Field length and width. The current field dimensions of 245 by 395 feet aren't ideal for football, but overall, the flexibility they give makes them acceptable.
(2) Essential elements included in the stadium budget, with details that still must be worked out:
€ Keeping rain from entering the concourse. The architect is addressing the gap between the upper grandstands and the wall building (the part of the stadium that will house concessions and restrooms), and an awning system is being considered to prevent, or at least minimize, rain and debris falling on people waiting in lines.
€ Scoreboards. The plan calls for a main scoreboard in the south end and an auxiliary scoreboard in the north end. A video display and other special features ought to be considered for the main scoreboard.
€ Public address system. The plan now specifies a single-point system that will be similar to Palmer's, but improved. However, a multiple-point system dispersed throughout the stadium is being designed and considered; it would provide much better sound.
€ Media systems. More outlets for television equipment are imperative to attract and secure proper media coverage.
(3) Essential elements being designed, but not yet budgeted:
€ Full locker rooms and showers. These are a must for athletic and civic uses.
€ Bench seats in the upper grandstands. Without these, people will sit on hard concrete. Every spectator deserves a real seat.
€ Lights. These aren't a priority for football, but they will increase the stadium's flexibility for hosting athletic and civic events.
Regarding the elements in Category 1: Princetonians always play until the last tick of the clock, but it's my hope that-because the clock has run out-concerned alumni can understand that it is too late to change these. We accept the outcome of the game with dignity and sportsmanship, recognizing that people may have significantly different objectives and viewpoints. In that spirit, all of us want the decisions that are too late to change to work out. But as I said to President Shapiro in a humorous but also serious way, "The see-through bleachers will stand on their own merits. If they don't work, we can always board them up!"
Regarding the "essential elements" in Categories 2 and 3: To finish the stadium properly, all seven elements-and especially the three in Category 3-must be incorporated, come hell or high water. The $45 million budgeted for the stadium should be adequate to accomplish this. My discussions with President Shapiro and various trustees lead me to believe that all seven will be part of the stadium when it hosts its inaugural game on September 19, 1998, against Cornell.
The administration has promised to keep me in the loop. With 15 months to the stadium's completion, many items still need attention, and I am anxious to continue working with all involved in this effort. Messrs. Spies and Walters have assured me that they share my sentiments in working together to bring about the best possible result.
The stadium will be an exciting addition to the Princeton athletic scene and to the university in general. Assuming that it incorporates all essential elements, no stadium in the Ivy League will compare to it. As a former player, my only regret is that I will never have the chance to enter the playing field through the tunnel that is part of the new stadium's design. That will be a special thrill for both players and spectators for years to come.
Stanislaw Maliszewski '66
Hinsdale, Ill.
Crew Celebration
On April 5, along with 650 other alumni from classes as far back as 1927, I returned to Lake Carnegie for the anniversary celebration of rowing at Princeton (Sports, May 7).
A former coxswain on two varsity lightweight crews, I ventured onto the lake with some of my former teammates. Most of them have remained superb athletes, and I had to hold them back for the benefit of the few whose fitness did not match their spirit.
Twenty-five years seemed to vanish in a second as names and faces came back, along with memories of the bittersweet competition for places in boats and the familiar "Forward on the left foot. . . . Countdown from the bow. . . . Forward all, ready, row!" I realized that, distracted by the flip of an oar past square or the rush of a slide, I still cannot count accurately from one to ten.
It was a remarkable experience, and to think that I almost missed it: I had a bathroom leak to fix, a lawn to lime, and some windfall from the previous week's snowstorm to clear, and I faced the prospect of a long drive down the New Jersey Turnpike. Thank you, Princeton rowing, for a glorious day.
Charles P. Whitin '73
South Salem, N.Y.
Bill Bradley '65
Reading writer John McPhee '53's vivid description of Bill Bradley '65's warmup routine as a Princeton basketball player (paw, March 19), younger alumni may not believe he actually accomplished this feat. But McPhee's account may actually understate Bradley's virtuoso performance that night in Philadelphia. As I recall, Bradley didn't miss a single shot, including about 10 swish freethrows to wrap up. These shots were all dropping through air filled with balls thrown up by other Princeton players.
Gus Maffry '65
Lagos, Nigeria
How to Read
Re James McPherson's January 22 article "What's the Matter With History" and letters in response to it: laymen who want to pursue an interest in history are not without resources. I suggest the following:
Find an area and specialize in it. Once you've chosen a narrow area and begun to delve deeply into it, characters and events will appear and reappear, making further reading easier and more enjoyable. In a bookstore 15 years ago, I found a propaganda pamphlet published in 1685 dealing with an unsuccessful insurrection in the reign of Charles II. I knew nothing about the period, but because the pamphlet referred repeatedly to the first Earl of Shaftsbury, I read his biography and was intrigued by it. One book led to another, and I have been reading early modern English and European history ever since.
Subscribe to a magazine that provides reviews of newly printed books. The British magazine History Today is an excellent source for reviews of new books on English, European, and American history. Many small bookstores and some chains are willing to place special orders for books not in stock. As an alternative to buying books in print, some university libraries will allow nonuniversity members to use their facilities.
It is amazing how much can be accomplished over time devoting only a brief period per day to reading. You may think that after a hard day you can only manage popular fiction, but over time one builds tolerance to reading "against resistance." Ultimately, one loses tolerance for trivia.
Roger Lester '50
Atlanta, Ga.
Tom O'Connell
As noted in the April 2 Sports, baseball coach Tom O'Connell will be retiring after 17 years at Princeton. Although it was not always apparent while we played under him, in retrospect it is clear that Coach O'Connell gave back to his players so much more than he asked in return-by demanding that his players be unselfish, that they play and work as a team, and that they sacrifice now in order to reap more later.
As a coach he always stressed the fundamentals, which he drilled into his players like a grade-school teacher does the multiplication tables. Over and over, we practiced bunt defense, hitting the cutoff man, and proper base running. In his view, execution on the baseball field is never an accident. We never had a wasted moment; multiple drills took place simultaneously. It was always game conditions.
Pride was the value he instilled in us above all others. He demanded it, but first taught us how to obtain it. Pride in the way the game is played, practice is approached, and the uniform worn. This teaching has carried over into our post-Princeton lives-into the board rooms and the client meetings. Pride in family and accomplishments and friendships.
O'Connell symbolized everything positive in a Princeton education. He was a true educator, a throwback, yet a visionary. He defines "coach" in all aspects of the word. Princeton baseball will miss him.
Drew Stratton '87
Plainsboro, N.J.
Todd Tuckner '87
Forest Hills, N.Y.
Internet Info
I was amused to read in the April 16 Notebook that the Wilson School has become a halfway house for former office holders. Leaving aside the quarrels of former Representatives Schroeder and Zimmer as to who shall be robbed of how much to pay for whose upkeep, I found extremely fatuous Zimmer's statement that on the Internet "inaccurate and accurate information have the same dignity." The same might be said of the utterances of professors, the publications of university presses, or even the articles and letters in PAW. It is not the provenance of information that lends dignity but the accuracy.
Jeffrey P. Gottlieb '89
Fort Polk, La.