The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-06-14
PERSHlNC STADIUM
MONUMENT TO SPORT
(By United Press. }


prise of Caeser's legiondaries, who
the vast coils Gums whose ruins have
been seen by thousands of the Mo-
selle and the Rhine, was not more
audacious than the undertaking of
the A. E. F. to erect monumental
concrete stadium 5000 miles from
home shores for. the benefit of visit
ors to the two weeks program of
Inter-Allied Games, June 22 to
July 6.
The historian of the future who
tells how the structure was rushed
to completion in an amazingly short
time, on the eve of departure of the
Americans from Europe, at the
hands of engineers, pioneers and
doughbOys in khaki, in spite of de-
lays and difficulties which are in
evitably connected with an engineer
ing feat of such proportions, will
present narrative with as many
elements of romance as the striking
chapters in the American war story
While the ground was donated by
the French, and the original plans
were drawn by French engineers, the
completed stadium will be as en-
tirely and genuinely American as
the cOmmander-in-ch of the
\. E. F., whose name it bears. The
money for the work, about 100000
francs, was furnished by the
Y. NJ. C. A.
Pershing Stadium will in shape
resemble an enormous horseshoe, and
will have a seating capacity of 49,
900. Along the south side of the
field the grandstand extends in a
straight line for one hundred meters,
with a seating capacity of 1900.
This is the only part of the stands
which will be covered, and 1t will
contain the boxes which will be oc-
cupied by notables during the time
the games are in progress, from
June 22 to July 6. This "Tribune
d'Honneur'' will be flanked on either
side by other stands. The 220 meter
straightaway is to be laid out in
front Of these stands:
Beneath the grandstand a regular
American sanitary gymnasium will
be installed with ample dressing
room facilities.
The remaining portion of the stands
resemble semi-circle which has
been somewhat flattened, and in
close an arena 21O by 13O meters.
A 500-meter track and 220-
a gridiron, diamond
and full grounds for all field events
are being laid out. 1t will be neces-
sary to remove 5000 cubic meters of
earth in grading and $4,000 cubic
meters of cinders will be rolled to
perfect the track surface.
The entire structure will be of re-
inforced concrete.
In order to give the various ma
tions an opportunity to cheer their
team, blocks of seats will be re-
served for the leading countries.
The site Of the stadium between
Campt. St. Maur and Ecole Join
Vile, two French military training
stations, in pictureque part Of the
Bois de Vincennes, just outside the
Paris we'll, on the road to Joinville,
was formerly field for training in
trench warfare. It's proximity to
the city and it's accessibility COM
bine to make the location ideal.
After the games the stadium will
be turned over to the French govern
ment by America as gift in the in
terest of International sports. 1t
adjoins present French Athletic
grounds The use of the stadium
for the Inter-Allied Games, the most
important athletic event since the
Olympic meet at Stockholm in 1912,
will distinguish Pershing stadium as
the most important sports arena in
Earope.