C-J: Fair Board set to begin demolition of fairgrounds stadium

 

A piece of Kentucky High School football history is set to come down next week.

 

Opening in 1957, "Fairgrounds Stadium", "Cardinal Stadium", "Old Cardinal" or whatever you want to call it hosted numerous state title games between 1964 and 2002 including all of them between 1979 and the end. It was also host to the annual Trinity/St. Xavier rivalry game nearly from its inception until the late 1990s.

 

It also hosted minor league baseball from 1982 until 1999 and University of Louisville football from 1957 to 1997.

 

Let's give this stadium the sendoff it deserves and perhaps eulogize it a bit. So let's hear it BGP: what is your favorite memory of Old Cardinal Stadium?

I know the one a lot of Trinity folks are going to say but I was in college and couldn't make it back for the game.

 

So for me, it was the year before. It was my senior year at Trinity. Hard to think of as it is now, Trinity hadn't won a state title in football for seven years when that game rolled around. We had been absolutely hammered into the ground by Male during a snowstorm the year prior.

 

My all-time favorite memory of Cardinal Stadium: Trinity 45, Male 19, 2001 AAAA Kentucky Football State Championship Game.

I was there for that epic game in 2002. One of the most exciting and heart wrenching games I have evwr witnessed. When Male recovered their second onside kick I thought it was more or less over until Brian Smith picked off Bush at the 1 yard line. What a game and what a great final game to be played there. You couldn't ask for a better ending for that stadium as a sports facility.

I was there for that epic game in 2002. One of the most exciting and heart wrenching games I have evwr witnessed. When Male recovered their second onside kick I thought it was more or less over until Brian Smith picked off Bush at the 1 yard line. What a game and what a great final game to be played there. You couldn't ask for a better ending for that stadium as a sports facility.

 

I have this game on VHS tape somewhere.....An awesome game indeed!

I was there in 95' for the Class A final and I forget who Beechwood was playing that year but the BW QB took the snap with a few seconds on the clock and instead of taking a knee, he threw the ball into the air and the opposing team picked it off. They play however was blown dead by the zebras and BW escaped with the title. The runner-up trophy was left at mid field under protest by the opposing team. That was a wild finish to say the least. Anyone remember who BW played that day?

I have this game on VHS tape somewhere.....An awesome game indeed!

 

You can find that Trinity/Male championship game right here.

 

I was there in 95' for the Class A final and I forget who Beechwood was playing that year but the BW QB took the snap with a few seconds on the clock and instead of taking a knee, he threw the ball into the air and the opposing team picked it off. They play however was blown dead by the zebras and BW escaped with the title. The runner-up trophy was left at mid field under protest by the opposing team. That was a wild finish to say the least. Anyone remember who BW played that day?

 

murray high tigers

I was there in 95' for the Class A final and I forget who Beechwood was playing that year but the BW QB

It was 1994. and the QB ran back towards the endzone

Where is John Tong when you need him.

Where is John Tong when you need him.

 

I have a friend who talks constantly about the fact that they should have some sort of plaque or memorial for John Tong at or near the PA announcers table at UofL basketball games. He was just the best.

murray high tigers

Can't say I blame them. What a crazy finish.

As several have stated, without a doubt, my favorite moment was braving the cold and getting to watch the 2002 state championship with Trinity and Male.

I cut block once on that "turf" (aka concrete covered with a thin carpet), got up, looked down at my hand and realized my ring finger was going in the wrong direction...man that stuff was hard. Also watched our FB break a 60 yard run only to be tackled by the lip of the pitcher's mound.

Story just relayed to me by another lawyer I know:

 

"St. X/Trinity game, 1988. I was playing defensive end. One play in particular I'll never forget. I come up and I've absolutely got this OT beat. I whip around the corner and I've got big, bad Jeff Brohm in my sights and I know he's going down. I'm charging full speed. He just glances over and on a dime he takes a step back, a step to the side and runs around the end. I completely whiff on him. By the time I peel my facemask out of the carpet, I look back and Brohm is 15 yards downfield. I don't know if that's my favorite memory of Old Cardinal, but it sure as heck is the clearest."

I cut block once on that "turf" (aka concrete covered with a thin carpet), got up, looked down at my hand and realized my ring finger was going in the wrong direction...man that stuff was hard. Also watched our FB break a 60 yard run only to be tackled by the lip of the pitcher's mound.

 

I was going to say the same thing. That was the hardest surface I ever played on. I think the parkinig lot may have been softer.