Martin Stadium History

The athletic field in that spot dates to March 1892, when the state college defeated Pullman's military college there, 26-0 in baseball. The first bleachers were built in 1900, on the southeast corner. A south grandstand was built in 1921, and a north grandstand in 1926.

Originally the field, carved out of a sloping hillside, was called Soldiers Field. Soldiers Field became Rogers Field in 1902, named after Washington’s third Governor John R. Rogers (1897-1901). Rogers handed out diplomas at the commencement in June 1897.

The stadium finally became the mighty Martin Stadium of today in 1972. The son and daughter-in-law of Clarence D. Martin, former governor of Washington (1932-1940) and former mayor of Cheney, Washington, donated $250,000 in his name to cap off a new stadium drive.

The south stands were severely damaged by arson on April 4th, 1970. After the Sweney Fire, in 1970, that burned down the wood stadium, WSU had to play their home games in Spokane’s Albi Stadium. The dedication game taking place in Martin Stadium was on September 30, 1972 against Utah. Unfortunately, WSU lost to Utah 44-25.

The original Martin Stadium offered 27,600 seats, and an Astroturf field. It was further updated and expanded in 1979. Sam Jankovich, Athletic Director, announced his plan to expand Martin by 11,000 seats in 1978. This plan entailed lowering the stadium and adding 11 additional rows of seating using mostly volunteer labor to do so. The track was to be moved out of the stadium and take up new residency out near the University’s golf course. Unfortunately, upon inspection the dirt at the new location was too frozen to be able to be used for building a track surface. The new solution was to move the baseball fields to the new location and have the track and field complex built in its present day location just outside of Martin Stadium.

For more about Martin Stadium see WSU Athletics’ site[1], or read Stadium on the Rise. You can read more about the Rogers Field arson in A burning mystery.

<gallery> image: Martinstadium1936.jpg|Rogers Field, now Martin Stadium, in 1936. Photo courtesy of WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. image: Majorettes1962.jpg|Majorettes inside of Rogers Field, now Martin Stadium, in 1962. Photo courtesy of WSU Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. image: Womensponsorsclub1930-39.jpg| Women Sponsors Club inside of Rogers Field in 1930.