SKELLY FIELD at H.A. CHAPMAN STADIUM

Capacity: 30,000
Opened: 1930 (renovated 2008)
Sports: Football
First Game: October 4, 1930 (Tulsa defeats Arkansas 26-6)
Named For: H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Trust, independent oil and gas producer
Size: 59,639 (size of field)
Architect: 360 Architects (2008 Renovation) Smith & Senter Architects
Builder: J.E. Dunn Construction (2008 Renovation)
Playing Surface: FieldTurf Revolution Cool Play
Physical Address: 3110 East 8^th Street

Skelly Stadium received a new name in April 2007, changing to Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. The newly renovated stadium opened its gates on Sep. 20, 2008,
as Tulsa defeated New Mexico 56-14.

The stadium renovation included new seating throughout the stadium, restrooms, concession areas, new press box with luxury suites and club level seating, and a new scoreboard on the south side of the stadium, among other amenities.

The steel structure on the stadium's west side was removed substantially improving the aesthetics of the facility. The new structure on the west side now has an exterior finish of pre-cast concrete panels trimmed with cast stone. This returns the façade to the original architecture of the stadium, keeping the traditional look and feel of other campus structures.

The stadium has a new capacity of 30,000.

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On April 24, 2007, University of Tulsa President Steadman Upham announced during his opening remarks at the school's annual All-Sports Awards Gala that the University had, within the past two hours, received the naming gift for renovation of the football stadium.

The H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Trust provided the financial gift for half of the estimated cost for renovation of the H.A. Chapman Stadium. Trustees of the H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Trust are Donne Pitman and Jerry Dickman. The complete renovation of H.A. Chapman Stadium began at the conclusion of the 2007 football season.

When the stadium was constructed in 1930 it was originally named Skelly Field, but was changed to Skelly Stadium in 1947 when 5,000 seats were added to north end zone.

For more than seventy years, Skelly Field has been the home field for University of Tulsa football. Opening Skelly Field was a dream come true for Coach Elmer
"Gloomy Gus" Henderson. Before Skelly Field opened, Tulsa played its home games at McNulty Park, a minor league stadium that was the forerunner of Oiler Park.
McNulty was located near the corner of 11th street and Elgin. 18266

An unprecedented wave of prosperity swept over America in 1928 and wealthy Tulsa oilmen began listening to Henderson's dream. The trustees were proceeding with plans for a stadium on faith that a donor would appear. In April 1930, William Skelly, a long-time friend of the University, gave $125,000 to the stadium fund if another $175,000 could be raised. The remaining stadium funds were raised by Tulsa businessmen under the name of the Stadium Corporation of Tulsa.

Ground-breaking ceremonies were held on May 11, 1930 and the building race was on to complete the stadium with a seating capacity of 14,500 for the upcoming season.

Skelly Field opened on October 4, 1930 against Arkansas as records show that 13,000 spectators were on hand for the first game. On the opening kickoff, Arkansas fumbled and end Johnny Potts recovered for Tulsa. On the first play from scrimmage Billy Boehm scored the first touchdown in the north end zone of the stadium. Later, Chet Benefiel scored the first touchdown in the south end zone. Tulsa went on to win the contest by a score of 26-6.

Skelly Field was the original name, but changed in 1947 to "Stadium" when the north end zone seats were added.

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Since that day, some of college football's greatest stars have graced Skelly Field. Opponents the likes of Sammy Baugh, Ollie Matson, Bob Fenimore, Walt Garrison, Gino Torretta, Keith Jackson, Ladainian Tomlinson are a few of the games' greatest to step on the Skelly Stadium turf.

Tulsa's own Glenn Dobbs in the 1940s, the passing combination of Heisman Trophy runners-up Jerry Rhome and Howard Twilley in the 1960s, reknown receivers Steve Largent and Drew Pearson in the 70s, the 1980s Palomino Express of Micheal Gunter and Ken Lacy and the stars from the 1991 Freedom Bowl Championship team thrilled Hurricane fans through the years.

In 2003, Tulsa's Humanitarian Bowl team excited fans by averaging over 37 points in six home games, while in the 75th anniversary year of Skelly Field the 2005 squad won the Conference USA Championship and advanced to a second bowl game in three years. The 2007 season saw the Hurricane put up nation-leading total offense numbers while scoring 41 points per game, while in 2012 the Golden Hurricane team won the Conference USA Championship game, 33-27, over UCF in overtime at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

SKELLY FIELD at H.A. CHAPMAN STADIUM

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