U.S.M.C.BUTLER STADIUM QUANTICO, VA POSTER

U.S.M.C.BUTLER STADIUM QUANTICO, VA Marine Corps football and track teams MCB QUANTICO, Va. -- Some know it as the place to meet before physical training, others call it the field behind the gym, and most have heard the rumour that it was dug by Marines using their e-tools. Despite how it is known, there is no doubt about its origin. Butler Stadium began as an ambitious plan in Gen. Smedley Butler’s head, sparked by his passion for the new “Quantico Marines” football team, which was formed in 1919. He believed the team deserved its own stadium at Quantico and the faithful fans, who showed immense support for their team, deserved a home field to watch the Marines. When Butler voiced his plans for the stadium, he was told there was no extra funding available for the construction of the stadium. This did not stop Butler from pushing forward with his plans to build what he referred to as “the world’s largest stadium,” which he envisioned to be capable of seating 30,000 spectators. Butler managed to pull together a budget of $5,000 for the entire project. The Marines did use steam shovels, trucks, picks and shovels to complete the manual labour. Alexander A. Vandegrift, a young officer at Quantico in 1921, wrote of the work it took to carve the stadium out of the forest, rock and earth: “… we had to excavate a large quantity of earth with old-fashioned steam shovels. Together with about 150 men from my battalion we worked some 80 days on the stadium. A fitness report of mine detailed our accomplishment: we moved 19,307 cubic yards of earth, 200 excavations for concrete pillars were dug, 197 pillars were poured, 30 rails were laid, 381 concrete slabs were placed, and concrete footings were poured for all stone walls. Grass seed was planted over the sanded field, and the field was levelled from side to base wall.” The Marines also solved the problem of a stream running through the site by installing a six-foot concrete pipe to divert the water’s route and carry it out of the playing field. Over the years, Butler Stadium has been used for a variety of events besides sports, such as concerts and ceremonies, including a twilight ceremony to celebrate the United States’ Bicentennial July 4, 1976. For nearly 20 years, the track at Butler Stadium served as the location for one of the largest track meets for collegiate and club teams on the East Coast. The last of these competitions, the Marine Corps Relays, was held in May 1975. Although Butler Stadium is not “the world’s largest stadium,” nor does it serve as the stadium for a Marine Corps football or track teams, the determination of Butler and his Marines forever changed the face of Quantico history.