War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo, New York)
"The Rockpile" | |
Main entrance (left field corner) in 2011 | |
Location in the United States Location in New York | |
| Former names | Roesch Memorial Stadium (1937) Grover Cleveland Stadium (1937–1938) Civic Stadium (1938–1960) |
|---|---|
| Address | 285 Dodge Street |
| Location | Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°54′18″N 78°51′22″W / 42.905°N 78.856°W |
| Elevation | 650 ft (200 m) AMSL |
| Owner | City of Buffalo |
| Operator | City of Buffalo |
| Capacity | 1,882 (since 1992) 46,206 (1965–1989) 36,500 (1937–1964) |
| Record attendance | 50,988 Bennett vs. Kensington, October 21, 1948 |
| Field size | Left field: 330 ft (101 m) Left-center: 362 ft (110 m) Center field: 420 ft (128 m) Right-center: 333 ft (101 m) Right field: 310 ft (94 m) Backstop: 50 ft (15 m) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1935 |
| Opened | October 16, 1937 |
| Renovated | 1960 |
| Expanded | 1965 |
| Closed | May 5, 1989 |
| Demolished | 1989 |
| Construction cost | $3 million ($65.6 million in 2024 dollars) |
| Tenants | |
| Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA) 1937–1949, 1978–1988 Buffalo Indians-Tigers (AFL) 1940–1941 Buffalo Bills (AAFC) 1946–1949 Buffalo Bulls (NCAA) 1946–1954 Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL) 1960–1972 Buffalo Bisons (IL) 1961–1970 Buffalo White Eagles (ECPSL) 1962 Buffalo Blazers (NSL) 1976–1980 Buffalo Bisons (EL/AA) 1979–1987 Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA) 1979–1989 | |
War Memorial Stadium, colloquially known as The Rockpile, was an outdoor football, baseball and soccer stadium in Buffalo, New York. Opened in 1937 as Roesch Memorial Stadium, the venue was later known as Grover Cleveland Stadium and Civic Stadium. The stadium was home to the Canisius Golden Griffins football and baseball (NCAA), Buffalo Bulls football (NCAA), Buffalo Indians-Tigers (AFL), Buffalo Bills (AAFC), Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL), Buffalo Bisons (IL), Buffalo White Eagles (ECPSL), Buffalo Blazers (NSL), and Buffalo Bisons (EL/AA). It also had a race track and hosted several NASCAR events. The venue was demolished in 1989 and replaced with the Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletic Sports Pavilion, which retains entrances from the original stadium.