Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-08-17
HISTORIC OLD GRID STANDS
ARE RELOCATED TO VAHALLA
BY GAYLE TALBOT. Jr.,
Associated Press Sports Writer


DALLAS. Aug. 16.-Pl-Martyrs
10 the march Of progress and the
increasing popularity OF football,
three historic old wooden bowls that
have echoed with cheers at many
a bitterly fought Southwest Con-
ference Duel will have passed into
the gridiron's Valhalla when the
whistles shrill in September.
The historic old Cotton Palace
stands at Waco, home Of the Baylor
Bears for many a year. are the
latest to fall behind the march.
The venerable grandstand, erected
way back yonder when the archi-
tects believed in giving the GUS
toners plenty OF leg room. probably
will stand for a few more years, but
the Golden Bears have announced
they will abandon it in favor IF
their own Carroll Field this season.
Seating capacity at Carroll Is be-
ing trebled in order to accommodate
the crowds at conference games.
Two sites Of many a legendary
conflict already have felt the
wreckers' hammers this summer. 70
be replaced by larger. more modern
structures. Clarke Field. which
housed the Texas Christian Horned
Frogs through many q lean year
until they finally achieved a con-
ference championship last fall, is
no more. Fair Park Stadium al
Dallas, first of the sections mod
ern" bowls. with what was at one
time a tremendous seating capacity
Of $4,000, is being replaced by a
coliseum which, when completed,
will seat close TO $4,000.
Loss Is Felt
There IS a sense Of loss in the
easing Of the old Cotton Palace
Field at Waco. 1t has been, in a
way, q connecting link with another
era When 1t finally Is RACED, as
ft undoubtedly will be before so
very long. now that its chief source
of revenue has moved over to more
modern quarters, the wreckers will
ply their blows on hallowed tim
bers. The structure that rises In its
place might seat fans more COM
fortably, but something win be
missing.
For one thing. the Cotton Palace
gridiron probably is the only one
IN the world encircled by a race
track. Rows Of bedraggled stables
recall memories Of the days when
visitors to the Central Texas expo
sition witnessed the we'll known
sport OF kings. That was many !
year ago, before Texas became con-
scious Of the evils surrounding the
sport.
Many a football championship has
been decided on the chalk-lined turf
of the infield and many a prodiei-
Gus feat performed. Baylor o its
Southwest Conference titles there.
and the Waco High School Tigers
have won national recognition thru
their glorious record at the Cotton
Palace Since 1920, when Tvson's 1
Tigers first came into their own.
they have never lost a game on
what Is regarded as their home
field Last winter the Brecken-
ridge Buckaroos and Port Arthur
Yellcwiackets battled over its .
covered surface 10 q scoreless tie
for the state high school crown. II
SaSLS 4AdS DtCn the site OF more Fl
titular struggles than any plot of
ground in the state.
Net So For Baylor
While the Waco TIGERS have
found its enchanted ground for a
decade, their big brothers. the
Baylor Bears. have had far less
luck. Perhaps they feel In need OF
q change OF scenery. Anyway. their
shift to Carroll Field will enable
them t. play their annual Thanks
giving Dav bout AGAINST the Rice
Owls at Waco every other wear.
The game has been played At
Houston for six straight seasons.
due TO the inadequate seating ca
at the Cotton Palace.
Departure Of BAYLOR from the old
h~ttle site also might act as an
opening wedge toward renewal of
football relations between the Bears
and the Texas Aggies. broken off
four or five years ago. A free
for-all scrap between the Cadets
and the Baylor student body. re-
In one death. married their
last meeting at the Cotton Palace
and caused a severence Of relations.