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All-High Stadium
All-High Stadium
All-High Stadium
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All-High Stadium (Robert E. Rich All-High Stadium) is a football stadium in Buffalo, New York. It was opened in 1926, and received a Memorial Day dedication on May 29, 1929. The stadium was modeled after classic European soccer stadiums of the time. It is part of the Bennett High School complex. It is bounded by the high school and Main Street to the northwest, Manhattan Avenue to the northeast, Hill Street to the southeast, and Mercer Avenue to the southwest.

Key Information

All-High Stadium, altered for use
in The Natural

History

[edit]

Filming

[edit]

The stadium was used in the filming of a key scene in The Natural, a 1984 film set in the 1930s, as a stand-in for Wrigley Field in Chicago, which was unavailable. Although there is some ivy along the walls suggesting Wrigley, the upper deck in the outfield is more suggestive of Chicago's other major ballpark of that era, Comiskey Park. In some portions of the scene, football lines are visible, which is not anomalous, as both Chicago parks served as homes to football teams at that time.

In fact, All-High Stadium has only a single level of stands with a roof. The upper deck in the film appears to have been inserted in post-production, and the scoreboard either matted in or built as a temporary structure over an existing tall smokestack on a building that stands at the north corner of the stadium, presumably part of Bennett High's heating plant. The actual Wrigley does not have smokestacks, but rather houses and small businesses serving as its backdrops.

Most of The Natural's baseball action scenes were filmed in War Memorial Stadium, which has since been demolished. All-High Stadium still stands, albeit substantially remodeled since The Natural filmed there.

Professional tenants

[edit]

All-High Stadium is the former home of USL League 2 team FC Buffalo. It served as the home pitch for the Buffalo Storm of the United Soccer League in 1984. It was utilized by Medaille College's men and women's soccer teams along with its men's and women's lacrosse teams until the end of the 2017–18 academic year. Medaille, did not have their own field prior to 2019 and played its entire 2017–18 season at D'Youville College's Dobson Field. Dobson split time as Medaille's home since it was built in 2015 due to All-High being owned by the City of Buffalo resulting in scheduling conflicts with four of its city high schools that also utilize the facility.

Renovation

[edit]

Renovations on the stadium were completed in 2007. As a result, the stadium lost much of its '30s film appearance during the processes.[1] Currently, All-High is configured for a more intimate setting of nearly 5,000 spectators, 4,500 of which are covered seats.

As of 2010, All-High Stadium is one of three high school stadiums in regular use in the city of Buffalo, the second being one at Riverside Institute of Technology[2] and the third being Johnnie B. Wiley Field at War Memorial Stadium.

In 2022, new turf was installed. Buffalo Public Schools did not allow FC Buffalo to play on the new turf which led to Dobson Field at D'Youville College being the Blitzers' temporary home in 2022 and Williamsville South High School in 2023 before reaching an agreement to continue playing at All-High.

References

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All-High Stadium

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Robert Rich Sr. All-High Stadium, commonly known as All-High Stadium, is a historic multi-purpose athletic facility in , primarily serving as a venue for , , soccer, and events. Located at 2885 behind Bennett High School, the stadium opened in 1926 with a capacity of 5,000 spectators and features amenities including a six-lane track, lighted fields, locker rooms, concessions, and a . Constructed by the district, the stadium received its formal dedication on , May 29, 1929, establishing it as a key community sports hub. It underwent a significant refurbishment in the fall of 2006, modernizing facilities while preserving its role within the Bennett High School complex. The venue is named in honor of Robert Rich Sr., a prominent local athlete, coach, and football captain who was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Over the decades, All-High Stadium has hosted a variety of events beyond high school competitions, including professional and collegiate teams such as the Buffalo Storm soccer club in 1984 and (primarily 2010–2013 and 2015–2023 in the , returning in 2024 for ). It also served as the home field for Medaille College soccer teams until 2023 and continues to support multiple athletic programs. In popular culture, the stadium gained recognition as a filming location for the 1984 film , where it was dressed to represent Chicago's in key baseball scenes. Today, it remains an accessible and vibrant site for community sports, easily reachable via major highways like the 198 and 33.

Overview

Location and access

All-High Stadium is situated at 2885 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14214, as part of the Bennett High School complex. The facility occupies a site at coordinates 42.9430°N 78.8310°W and is bounded by to the northwest, Manhattan Avenue to the northeast, Hill Street to the southeast, and Mercer Avenue to the southwest. Located in Buffalo's University Heights neighborhood, the stadium is integrated into a public school campus, providing a convenient venue within an educational setting. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Buffalo. Public transportation access is available via the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Metro Rail, with the Amherst Street station situated approximately 0.5 miles away and depicted in proximity on official system maps. For visitors arriving by car, parking options include on-site lots such as the Bennett parking lot and the dedicated Hill Street lot on the south end of the stadium. These facilities support easy access for events while maintaining the site's integration with the surrounding school grounds.

Naming

All-High Stadium was originally named to reflect its primary role as a venue for Buffalo's public high school athletic programs, particularly football games involving multiple schools from the district. On June 28, 2007, the stadium was officially renamed Robert E. Rich Sr. All-High Stadium to honor Robert E. Rich Sr., a Bennett High School alumnus and the founder of Corporation, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to Buffalo's sports community and educational initiatives. Rich, who graduated from Bennett High School and later excelled as an athlete and coach at the , supported local youth sports through philanthropy, including funding facilities and programs that benefited public education and athletics in the region. In common usage, the stadium is often shortened to Robert Rich Sr. All-High Stadium in local media reports, event signage, and public references, while retaining the full official designation in formal contexts.

Facilities

Design and architecture

All-High Stadium exemplifies a Neoclassical architectural style, drawing inspiration from classic European designs of the 1920s, with its single-level stands enveloped by a continuous roof that provides shelter while maintaining an open, intimate atmosphere. This design choice reflects the era's emphasis on functional elegance and community-oriented public spaces, prioritizing spectator proximity to the field over monumental scale. The features a of Doric columns. The , Ernest Crimi, who served as the Buffalo Board of Education's lead designer for numerous educational facilities, crafted the stadium to harmonize with the adjacent Bennett High School, creating a cohesive campus landmark. The stadium is integrated seamlessly into the Buffalo Public School District's campus at 2885 , fostering a sense of without isolation, allowing it to serve as both a sports venue and an extension of educational activities. This thoughtful placement underscores the design's role in promoting and within an urban educational setting. Constructed by the Buffalo Public School District with local labor, the stadium's original framework utilizes for its foundations and walls, paired with beams for structural support, creating a durable yet understated form that emphasizes intimacy and functionality over opulent grandeur. These materials, chosen for their availability and cost-effectiveness in the late , have contributed to the venue's longevity despite subsequent updates. While the core aesthetic persists, later modernizations have gradually altered aspects of the original appearance, transitioning the stadium toward contemporary standards while preserving its foundational character.

Capacity and features

All-High Stadium has a of 5,000 spectators, with approximately 4,500 seats located under covered roofing to provide protection from weather elements. The stadium's field measures 120 yards in length by 53.3 yards in width, adhering to standard National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) dimensions for and compatible with soccer and other field sports. In 2022, the field surface was upgraded to a multi-sport synthetic turf system, replacing earlier natural grass, which supports versatile athletic use and was completed as part of broader facility improvements. Key amenities include a for media operations, a video installed for game visibility, and lighting systems enabling night events across the field and adjacent soccer areas. The facility offers restrooms, concessions stands integrated with school operations, and rooms for attendee support. features, such as ramps added following the 2006 refurbishment, ensure compliance with standards for individuals with disabilities. The stadium meets current NFHS athletic standards for high school and semi-professional events, including safety protocols for synthetic surfaces and structural integrity verified through post-renovation assessments.

History

Construction and opening

In the early 1920s, the initiated planning for a centralized athletic facility to consolidate activities across the city's high schools, addressing the growing need for dedicated amid post-World War I urban expansion. The project gained momentum through the donation of land by local philanthropist Lewis J. Bennett, who provided the site behind the newly constructed Bennett High at 2885 , reflecting his broader commitment to educational and recreational infrastructure in Buffalo's neighborhood. Construction of All-High Stadium was overseen by the Buffalo Public Schools district, utilizing local contractors to erect a Neoclassical-style structure modeled after European soccer venues of the era, emphasizing durable concrete and stone elements for longevity. Groundbreaking occurred in 1925, with the project progressing rapidly to meet the demands of the school system's athletic programs. The stadium was completed and opened to the public in 1926, marking an early milestone in Buffalo's investment in public education facilities. From its inception, All-High Stadium was designed primarily as a multi-purpose venue for football and track-and-field events, serving the needs of all Buffalo public high schools and fostering interscholastic competition without the limitations of scattered school grounds. The facility's layout included a single-level with a roof and an oval track surrounding the playing field, accommodating crowds for both daytime practices and evening games. This centralization enhanced and promoted across the district, establishing the stadium as a cornerstone of local youth athletics.

Dedication and early years

All-High Stadium received its formal dedication on Memorial Day, May 29, 1929. This dedication underscored the facility's role as a symbol of post-World War I civic pride, reflecting the city's investment in youth and physical development amid a period of urban expansion. In its early years, the stadium primarily served as the home field for Bennett High School's football team, as well as other squads, hosting regular games that drew significant local crowds. Beyond football, it accommodated track meets, performances, and various community events throughout and , fostering and neighborhood engagement. Constructed on land donated by civic leader Lewis J. Bennett, the venue exemplified early 20th-century efforts to integrate sports infrastructure with public , positioning it among the pioneering dedicated high school stadiums in the United States. With an original capacity of 5,000 seats, it supported these diverse uses without major expansions in the initial decades. The Great Depression posed significant challenges during this period, with limited municipal funding leading to minimal maintenance and accelerated wear from harsh Buffalo weather, including heavy snow and wind exposure. Despite these constraints, the stadium remained a vital asset for high school athletics, enduring as a testament to community resilience until post-war improvements began addressing its deterioration.

Sports usage

High school athletics

All-High Stadium serves as the primary venue for high school athletic programs within the Buffalo Public Schools district, particularly for football, track and field, soccer, and lacrosse events. It is the home field for the Bennett High School Tigers football team, which competes in Section VI of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA), as well as for the school's track and field and soccer squads. The stadium also accommodates games for other district schools, such as Hutchinson-Central Technical High School, especially for overflow matches in football and soccer when their primary facilities are unavailable. The facility hosts a range of regular-season contests, playoff games, and championships for Section VI athletics, including Far West Regional tournaments for football and the annual Buffalo Public Schools All-High Championships. As one of the main high school stadiums in Buffalo, All-High supports both boys' and girls' programs, fostering competitive opportunities across multiple sports. Football at the stadium carries traditions rooted in the 1920s, when Bennett's program began utilizing the venue shortly after its opening, emphasizing team rivalries and community engagement that continue today. By providing a dedicated space for over 30,000 students across the district, All-High Stadium plays a vital role in youth athletic development, promoting , , and through accessible, high-quality facilities integrated with the Bennett High School campus.

Professional and college tenants

All-High Stadium has primarily served as a venue for semi-professional and professional soccer teams, with no major league professional tenants due to its scale and facilities suited for lower-division play. The stadium's central urban location and cost-effective access as a public educational facility have made it attractive for these teams seeking affordable, community-oriented venues. The earliest professional tenant was the Buffalo Storm of the , which played its home games at the stadium during its single season in 1984. Following a period of limited professional use, Queen City FC of the adopted All-High Stadium as its home from 2007 to 2008, achieving a strong 7-2-1 record in its inaugural 2007 season to claim the Northeast Division title. FC Buffalo has had the longest association with the stadium among professional teams. The club, founded in 2009 and competing initially in the before transitioning to , used All-High Stadium as its primary home venue from 2010 to 2013 and again from 2015 to 2021, hosting notable events such as the 2011 Lord Bedlington Cup international friendly against England's Bedlington Terriers, which drew over 3,700 fans. The team temporarily relocated for the 2023 and 2025 seasons but returned to All-High Stadium for its 2024 campaign. For the 2025 season, relocated its home matches to Coyer Field at due to restrictions on turf usage at facilities. Women's professional soccer has also featured at the stadium, with the of the W-League (later ) playing select home matches there in 2017 and 2018, including a May 2017 matchup against the New York Surf. More recently, FC Women, competing in , utilized the stadium for its 2021 season and returned for 2024, hosting the UWS semifinals and final that year in a bid for the club's first national title. The team transitioned to the for the 2025 season and played home matches at Coyer Field. On the collegiate level, Medaille College made extensive use of All-High Stadium for its men's and women's soccer and teams through the 2017–18 , relying on the venue as its primary off-campus facility before transitioning to a new dedicated in 2019. The institution closed in 2023. The stadium has occasionally accommodated other local semi-professional teams for matches and events, reflecting its versatility for regional sports programming without establishing long-term residencies.

Cultural significance

Filming in The Natural

All-High Stadium served as a key filming location for the 1984 film , directed by and starring as Roy Hobbs, standing in for Chicago's in several exterior shots. The stadium's vintage architecture provided an authentic backdrop for the film's – setting. Principal photography for these scenes occurred between August 1983 and early 1984, utilizing the stadium's intimate bowl design to capture crowd reactions and atmospheric exterior sequences. In , transformed the modest venue to mimic a major league , enhancing its scale for the . Unlike the bulk of the action, which was shot at Buffalo's now-demolished War Memorial Stadium to represent the fictional New York Knights' home field, All-High Stadium contributed its urban, historic aesthetic to evoke Wrigley's ivy-covered charm. The stadium's role in has endured as a point of local pride, contributing to a surge in film-related tourism in Buffalo during the 1980s and beyond. Today, it remains a featured stop on Forgotten Buffalo's guided tours of movie locations, highlighting its cinematic legacy for visitors exploring the city's film history.

Other notable events

In April 2024, All-High Stadium hosted the unveiling of a New York State historical marker commemorating the site's pivotal role in women's sports history, specifically the first professional women's tackle football game in the state, played there on December 5, 1970, when the Buffalo All-Stars defeated the Toledo Troopers 17-10. The dedication ceremony, attended by community leaders, Buffalo Bills players, and descendants of the original team, underscored the stadium's contribution to gender equity in Buffalo's athletic landscape, as the venue—owned by Buffalo Public Schools—has long supported the integration and promotion of girls' and women's sports programs in the region. Throughout the mid-20th century, All-High Stadium served as a hub for civic and cultural gatherings, including outdoor concerts by the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra that attracted growing audiences and reinforced the city's musical traditions. The venue also hosted occasional band competitions, such as the Drum Corps International Tour of Champions event on August 3, 2014, featuring world-class ensembles like the Blue Devils and Cadets, which drew enthusiasts for performances blending music and pageantry. These non-athletic uses highlight the stadium's broader significance in fostering community milestones and beyond its primary role in high school sports.

Renovations

2007 renovation

The 2007 renovation of All-High Stadium was a major overhaul completed in 2006, in time for the 2007 season, transforming the aging 1920s-era venue into a modern facility while preserving its historic footprint behind Bennett High School in . The project, costing approximately $6.5 million (though estimates vary from $5.2 to $9 million), was funded through a combination of public resources from the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Public School District—part of a broader $1 billion district-wide reconstruction initiative—as well as private contributions, including a $200,000 grant from the National Football League's Grassroots Community Football Fields Program and donations from the Rich family. Key upgrades focused on enhancing safety, comfort, and functionality, including the installation of a new synthetic turf field to replace the original natural grass surface, modernized chair-back seating and bleachers, upgraded lighting and electrical systems, a new scoreboard, an improved sound system, and additional concessions and restroom facilities. These changes shifted the stadium's character from its original open-air, cinematic aesthetic—familiar from its use in the 1984 film —to a more intimate and covered venue better suited for contemporary athletic events. As part of the , the stadium's was reduced to approximately 4,200 (later reported as 5,000) from historical highs exceeding 12,000, prioritizing spectator , sightlines, and overall comfort over maximum attendance. The project coincided with a honoring local philanthropist and Bennett High alumnus E. Rich Sr., facilitated by a $1 million donation from the Rich family through their foundation.

Subsequent upgrades

Following the major 2007 renovation, All-High Stadium underwent targeted improvements to maintain its functionality for high school athletics and community events. In 2022, the stadium's aging synthetic turf field and surrounding track were replaced with a new multi-sport synthetic infill turf system (), enhancing durability and playability for football, soccer, and track events. Additional enhancements in the early 2020s focused on safety and operations. By 2023, an Evolv weapons detection security system was installed at the stadium's entrances, along with stricter entry protocols such as closing gates 30 minutes after game start and requiring adult accompaniment for students, to address prior incidents at football games. These upgrades have prolonged the venue's viability for diverse sports, particularly by improving field conditions that support both and soccer. The 2022 turf replacement directly facilitated the return of , a professional soccer club, to the stadium as its home venue starting in the 2024 season after two years of relocation due to the construction. However, for the 2025 season, hosted home matches at . Indications suggest further renovations were underway at All-High Stadium as of September 2025.

References

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