| Blaik Field at Michie Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Location | 700 Mills Rd, West Point, NY 10996 |
| Broke ground | 1924 |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Owner | United States Military Academy |
| Operator | U.S. Military Academy |
| Surface | FieldTurf (2008-present) AstroPlay (2001-2007) AstroTurf (1977-2000) Grass (1924-1976) |
| Construction cost | $300,000 USD |
| Capacity | 38,000 |
| Tenants | |
| Army Black Knights football (NCAA) (1924-present) | |
Michie Stadium (pronounced /ˈmaɪki/) is an outdoor football stadium located on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York. It is the home field for the Army Black Knights. It opened in 1924 and has a current seating capacity of 38,000.[1]
The stadium sits at the upper portion of campus, directly west of Lusk Reservoir. The field is at an elevation of 335 feet (102 m) above sea level and runs in the traditional north-south configuration, with the press box above the west sideline. Because of the view offered by its location overlooking the Hudson River and the medieval-style campus below, it was rated as Sports Illustrated's #3 sports venue of the 20th century.[2]
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Michie Stadium is dedicated to the memory of Dennis Michie, who was instrumental in starting football at the Academy in 1890. Michie organized, managed, and coached the first football team in history at West Point. He was later killed during the Spanish–American War in 1898. There have been several renovations since the stadium's first game in October 1924, when Army defeated Saint Louis, 17–0.
On September 25, 1999 the football field at Michie Stadium was named Blaik Field, in honor of Earl "Red" Blaik, the head coach at West Point from 1941 to 1958. Blaik led Army to two national titles, in 1944 and 1945.
Since 2008, the playing surface has been FieldTurf. This replaced AstroPlay, which had been used since 2001. The stadium's playing field was natural grass until AstroTurf was installed in 1977.[1]
Michie Stadium has hosted the Army–Navy Game only once, in 1943. The rivalry game is normally played at a neutral site between the campuses on the East Coast, usually in Philadelphia in early December.
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