Gridiron Guide: Historic Gridley Stadium still gives goosebumps
The neon glow of the "T" and 100-year anniversary sign highlight part of the midtown-area skyline at Tucson High School's Rollin T. Gridley Stadium.
School: Tucson High
Name: Gridley Stadium
Address: 400 N. Second Ave.
Opened: 1906, though grandstands weren’t installed until 1939. Home players and fans have been located on the east side since 1987, when an addition was completed.
The lowdown: Undoubtedly the most historic venue in town, Gridley Stadium is essentially Tucson’s own Rose Bowl. It has housed numerous local legends, starting with its namesake. Rollin T. Gridley coached the Badgers to five state titles and a 32-game winning streak from 1935-47. The stadium also has been home to some of the most memorable games ever played in Tucson, both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Among the legendary players to call Gridley Stadium home were Mike Dawson, Fred Batiste, Joe Petroshus and Joel Favara, just to name a few. The Badgers installed artificial turf nearly 10 years ago; the surface will likely need to be replaced soon, fifth-year coach Justin Argraves said. The stadium has one quirk: The stands on the west side don’t line up with the current field because the previous setup had the field running up against Sixth Street to the north with Seventh Street bordering the south end zone. The Badgers enter the field from underneath the home stands near the 50-yard line, similar to a college or NFL team.
Don’t miss: The Badger T. Atop the school’s main building to the east of the stadium sits a red “T” that lights up in red and white on game nights. It was a gift from the Class of 1959 and was renovated two years ago to make it bigger and brighter. “That’s a staple for every home game,” Argraves said. “It’s been going on for a long, long time now.”
Biggest game: Tucson put together a 94-yard scoring drive in the final quarter to hold off visiting Palo Verde 28-20 in its final home game of the storied 1970 season, when the Badgers finished 12-0 and won the first of two straight state titles under coach Ollie Mayfield. After Tucson stopped Palo Verde inside their own 10, Allistaire Heartfield helped drive the Badgers down for the go-ahead touchdown, successfully converting two fourth-down attempts along the way. Heartfield plunged in for a 1-yard score with 2:26 left in the game, clinching the win and a state playoff berth for the Badgers.
Performance for the ages: Hayzel Daniels, who became Arizona’s first black All-State player, rushed for a city-record 301 yards and four touchdowns in a 32-7 win at home against Bisbee in 1925. The 5-foot-9-inch, 190-pound Daniels had a similar performance a year later. Playing in his final home game, he rushed for 300 yards and scored five touchdowns as Tucson beat Nogales 66-6.
Quotable: “I get goosebumps every time we take the field; it never gets old. Every home game that we have is a special evening here at Tucson High.” – Argraves
Daniel Gaona
