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Francis Field

Location	St. Louis, Missouri
Public transit	MetroBus  Blue  At University City-Big Bend
Owner	Washington University in St. Louis
Operator	Washington University in St. Louis
Capacity	3,300 19,000 (previous)
Surface	IronTurf
Construction
Broke ground	1902; 122 years ago (1902)
Opened	1904; 120 years ago (1904)
Architect	Cope and Stewardson
Tenants
Washington University Bears (NCAA) (1905–present) St. Louis Stars (NASL) (1975–77)
Website
bearsports.wustl.edu/facilities/francis-olympic-field

Francis Olympic Field is a stadium at Washington University in St. Louis that was used as the main venue for the 1904 Summer Olympics. It is currently used by the university's track and field, cross country, football, and soccer teams. It is located in St. Louis County, Missouri on the far western edge of the university's Danforth Campus. Built in time for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 St. Louis World's Fair), the stadium once had a 19,000-person seating capacity, but stadium renovations in 1984 reduced the capacity to 3,300 people. It is one of the oldest sports venues west of the Mississippi River that is still in use. Francis Olympic Field now uses artificial turf that can be configured for both soccer and football.

Known at its opening as World's Fair Stadium and then as Washington University Stadium or simply "the Stadium", the venue was renamed as Francis Field in October 1907 for David R. Francis, a former Missouri governor and president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The word "Olympic" was added in 2019 to reflect its role in the 1904 Summer Olympics.

Overview

The 1904 Summer Olympics (the first to be held in the Western Hemisphere) were given to St. Louis, Missouri as a result of the efforts of David Rowland Francis, for whom the stadium and accompanying gymnasium are named. Built in 1902, Francis Olympic Field's permanent stands represent one of the first applications of reinforced concrete technology. Both the stadium and its gymnasium are U.S. National Historic Landmarks. During the 1904 Games, the stadium hosted the archery, athletics, cycling, football, gymnastics, lacrosse, roque, tug of war, weightlifting, and wrestling events. The tennis events took place at some dirt courts located outside the stadium.

Following the 1904 Olympics, the stadium became the permanent home of the Washington University Bears, who were formerly known as the Pikers. From the 1920s through the 1950s, the Bears played before crowds of as many as 19,000 people, competing against universities such as Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Boston College, with half of the spectators in temporary wooden stands. The Bears now play as an NCAA Division III team.

In the summer of 2004, Francis Olympic Field had its natural grass replaced with artificial FieldTurf.

Notable events

Francis Olympic Field is an annual host for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event.

The adjacent Francis Gymnasium has hosted four U.S. presidential debates in 1992, 2000, 2004, and 2016 and the vice-presidential debate in 2008.

During the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Torch relays, the Olympic Flame passed by Francis Olympic Field on its way to the site of the Olympic Games.

Francis Olympic Field hosted the 1986 AAU/USA National Junior Olympic Games, the first and second National Senior Olympic Games, and the 1985 NCAA Division III National Men's Soccer Championship.

In July 1994, Francis Olympic Field served as a centerpiece for the U.S. Olympic Festival as 3,000 athletes were housed on the campus for the country's top amateur sporting events.

The stadium was used by the St. Louis Stars soccer team from 1969 to 1970 and from 1975 to 1977, before their 1978 move to Anaheim, California, where they became the California Surf.

References

1. "Washington Stadium Is Now Called Francis Field". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. October 27, 1907. p. 11, part three. Retrieved January 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
2. "Francis Olympic Field". washubears.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
3. "Francis Field getting 'Olympic' with its name". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 19, 2019. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
4. "Background on the Washington University Athletic Complex". source.wustl.edu. June 14, 2004. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
5. "Spalding's report of the 1904 Summer Olympics" (PDF). la84foundation.org. New York: American Sports Publishing Co. pp. 222–29, 233–47. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2011.
6. "Washington U. Bears – 2004 Preview". d3football.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
7. "American Cancer Society – Relay For Life". acsevents.org. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2007.
8. Clendennen, Andy (November 6, 2003). "Washington University in St. Louis selected to host a 2004 presidential debate". source.wustl.edu.
9. "David R. Francis Field". wustl.edu.

v t e Venues of the 1904 Summer Olympics (St. Louis)
Creve Coeur Lake Francis Field Francis Gymnasium Forest Park Glen Echo Country Club

v t e Olympic venues in archery
1900s	1900: Bois de Vincennes 1904: Francis Field 1908: White City Stadium 1920: Nachtegalen Park 1972: Bogenschießanlage 1976: Olympic Archery Field, Joliette 1980: Krylatskoye Sports Complex Archery Field 1984: El Dorado Park 1988: Hwarang Archery Field 1992: Olympic Archery Field 1996: Stone Mountain Park Archery Center and Velodrome
2000s	2000: Sydney International Archery Park 2004: Panathenaic Stadium 2008: Olympic Green Archery Field 2012: Lord's 2016: Sambódromo 2020: Yumenoshima Park 2024: Les Invalides 2028: Sepulveda Dam 2032: South Bank Parklands

v t e Olympic venues in athletics
19th century	1896: Marathon (city), Panathenaic Stadium
20th century	1900: Croix-Catelan Stadium 1904: Francis Field 1908: White City Stadium 1912: Stockholm Olympic Stadium 1920: Olympisch Stadion 1924: Stade Yves-du-Manoir 1928: Olympic Stadium 1932: Olympic Stadium, Riverside Drive at Griffith Park 1936: Avus Motor Road, Olympic Stadium 1948: Empire Stadium 1952: Olympic Stadium 1956: Melbourne Cricket Ground 1960: Arch of Constantine, Raccordo Anulare, Stadio Olimpico, Via Appia Antica, Via Cristoforo Colombo 1964: Fuchu City, Karasuyama-machi, National Stadium, Sasazuka-machi, Shinjuku 1968: Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Zócalo 1972: Olympiastadion 1976: Montreal Botanical Garden, Olympic Stadium, Streets of Montreal 1980: Grand Arena, Streets of Moscow 1984: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Santa Monica College, Streets of Los Angeles, Streets of Santa Monica 1988: Seoul Olympic Stadium, Streets of Seoul 1992: Estadi Olímpic de Monjuïc, Marathon course, Mataró, Walking course 1996: Marathon course, Olympic Stadium, Walking course
21st century	2000: Marathon course, North Sydney, Olympic Stadium 2004: Marathon (city), Olympic Stadium, Panathenaic Stadium, Stadium at Olympia 2008: Beijing National Stadium, Olympic Green Promenade Walking course, Streets of Beijing Marathon course 2012: Marathon Course, Olympic Stadium 2016: Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, Pontal, Sambódromo 2020: Japan National Stadium, Odori Park 2024: Stade de France, Champs-Élysées 2028: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, BMO Stadium, Grand Park 2032: Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre, Alexandra Headland

v t e Olympic venues in cycling
19th century	1896 Marathon (city), Neo Phaliron Velodrome
20th century	1900 Vélodrome de Vincennes 1904 Francis Olympic Field 1908 White City Stadium 1912 Liljeholmen, Mälaren 1920 Antwerp, Vélodrome d'Anvers Zuremborg 1924 Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Vélodrome de Vincennes 1928 Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium 1932 Los Angeles Avenue, Pacific Coast Highway, Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Vineyard Avenue 1936 Avus Motor Road, BSV 92 Field & Stadium 1948 Herne Hill Velodrome, Windsor Great Park 1952 Käpylä, Maunula, Pakila, Velodrome 1956 Broadmeadows, Velodrome 1960 Olympic Velodrome, Via Cassia, Via Flaminia, Via Cristoforo Colombo, Via di Grottarossa 1964 Hachioji City, Hachioji Velodrome 1968 Agustín Melgar Olympic Velodrome, Satellite Circuit 1972 Bundesautobahn 96, Grünwald, Radstadion 1976 Mount Royal Park, Olympic Velodrome, Quebec Autoroute 40 1980 Krylatskoye Sports Complex Cycling Circuit, Krylatskoye Sports Complex Velodrome, Moscow-Minsk Highway 1984 Artesia Freeway, Olympic Velodrome, Streets of Mission Viejo 1988 Olympic Velodrome, Tongillo Road Course 1992 A-17 highway, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Sant Sadurní Cycling Circuit, Velòdrom d'Horta 1996 Cycling road course, Georgia International Horse Park, Stone Mountain Park Archery Center and Velodrome
21st century	2000 Centennial Parklands, Dunc Gray Velodrome, Western Sydney Parklands 2004 Athens Olympic Velodrome, Kotzia Square, Parnitha Olympic Mountain Bike Venue, Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre 2008 Laoshan Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX) Venue, Laoshan Mountain Bike Course, Laoshan Velodrome, Urban Road Cycling Course 2012 BMX Circuit, Hadleigh Farm, London Velodrome, Hampton Court Palace 2016 Fort Copacabana, Mountain Bike Centre, Olympic BMX Centre, Pontal, Rio Olympic Velodrome 2020 Izu Velodrome, Izu MTB Course, Fuji Speedway, Ariake Urban Sports Park 2024 Vélodrome de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Champs-Élysées, Colline d'Élancourt 2028 VELO Sports Center, Los Angeles Convention Center, Grand Park, Downtown Long Beach, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park 2032 Sunshine Coast Region, Alexandra Headland, Queensland, Sleeman Centre, Victoria Park

v t e Olympic venues in association football
1890s 1896 Neo Phaliron Velodrome 1900s 1900 Vélodrome de Vincennes 1904 Francis Olympic Field 1908 White City Stadium 1910s 1912 Råsunda IP, Stockholm Olympic Stadium (final), Tranebergs Idrottsplats 1920s 1920 Jules Ottenstadion, Olympisch Stadion (final), Stade Joseph Marien, Stadion Broodstraat 1924 Stade Bergeyre, Stade Yves-du-Manoir (final), Stade de Paris, Stade Pershing 1928 Monnikenhuize, Olympic Stadium (final), Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel 1930s 1936 Hertha-BSC Field, Mommsenstadion, Olympiastadion (final), Poststadion 1940s 1948 Arsenal Stadium, Champion Hill, Craven Cottage, Empire Stadium (medal matches), Fratton Park, Goldstone Ground, Green Pond Road, Griffin Park, Lynn Road, Selhurst Park, White Hart Lane 1950s 1952 Kotkan urheilukeskus, Kupittaan jalkapallostadion, Lahden kisapuisto, Olympic Stadium (final), Ratina Stadion, Töölön Pallokenttä 1956 Melbourne Cricket Ground (final), Olympic Park Stadium 1960s 1960 Florence Communal Stadium, Grosseto Communal Stadium, L'Aquila Communal Stadium, Livorno Ardenza Stadium, Naples Saint Paul's Stadium, Pescara Adriatic Stadium, Stadio Flaminio (final) 1964 Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium, Mitsuzawa Football Field, Nagai Stadium, Tokyo National Stadium (final), Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium, Ōmiya Football Field, Prince Chichibu Memorial Football Field 1968 Estadio Azteca (final), Estadio Cuauhtémoc, Estadio Nou Camp, Jalisco Stadium 1970s 1972 Dreiflüssestadion, ESV-Stadion, Jahnstadion, Olympiastadion (final), Rosenaustadion, Urban Stadium 1976 Lansdowne Park, Olympic Stadium (final), Sherbrooke Stadium, Varsity Stadium 1980s 1980 Dinamo Stadium, Dynamo Central Stadium – Grand Arena, Central Lenin Stadium – Grand Arena (final), Kirov Stadium, Republican Stadium 1984 Harvard Stadium, Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Rose Bowl (final), Stanford Stadium 1988 Busan Stadium, Daegu Stadium, Daejeon Stadium, Dongdaemun Stadium, Gwangju Stadium, Olympic Stadium (final) 1990s 1992 Estadi de la Nova Creu Alta, Camp Nou (final), Estadio Luís Casanova, La Romareda, Sarrià Stadium 1996 Florida Citrus Bowl, Legion Field, Orange Bowl, RFK Memorial Stadium, Sanford Stadium (both finals) 2000s 2000 Brisbane Cricket Ground, Bruce Stadium, Hindmarsh Stadium, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Olympic Stadium (men's final), Sydney Football Stadium (women's final) 2004 Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Karaiskakis Stadium (women's final), Olympic Stadium (men's final), Pampeloponnisiako Stadium, Pankritio Stadium, Panthessaliko Stadium 2008 Beijing National Stadium (men's final), Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Shanghai Stadium, Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Workers' Stadium (women's final) 2010s 2012 Coventry Arena, Hampden Park, Millennium Stadium, St James' Park, Old Trafford, Wembley Stadium (both finals) 2016 Estádio Nacional de Brasília, Arena Fonte Nova, Mineirão, Arena Corinthians, Arena da Amazônia, Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, Maracanã (both finals) 2020s 2020 International Stadium Yokohama (both finals), Kashima Soccer Stadium, Miyagi Stadium, Saitama Stadium, Sapporo Dome, Tokyo Stadium 2024 Parc des Princes (both finals), Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Stade de la Beaujoire, Stade de Nice, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Stade Matmut Atlantique, Stade Vélodrome 2028 Rose Bowl (both finals), BMO Stadium, Levi's Stadium, PayPal Park, Stanford Stadium, California Memorial Stadium, Snapdragon Stadium 2030s 2032 Lang Park (both finals), Barlow Park, Melbourne Cricket Ground, North Queensland Stadium, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Stadium Australia, Robina Stadium

v t e Olympic venues in gymnastics
19th century	1896: Panathenaic Stadium
20th century	1900: Vélodrome de Vincennes 1904: Francis Field 1908: White City Stadium 1912: Stockholm Olympic Stadium 1920: Olympisch Stadion 1924: Stade Yves-du-Manoir 1928: Olympic Stadium 1932: Olympic Stadium 1936: Dietrich Eckart Open-Air Theatre 1948: Empress Hall, Earl's Court 1952: Messuhalli 1956: West Melbourne Stadium 1960: Baths of Caracalla 1964: Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium 1968: National Auditorium 1972: Olympiahalle 1976: Montreal Forum 1980: Sports Palace 1984: Pauley Pavilion 1988: Olympic Gymnastics Hall 1992: Palau dels Esports de Barcelona (rhythmic), Palau Sant Jordi (artistic) 1996: Georgia Dome (artistic), Stegeman Coliseum (rhythmic)
21st century	2000: Sydney SuperDome (artistic, trampolining), The Dome & Exhibition Complex (rhythmic) 2004: Galatsi Olympic Hall (rhythmic), Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall (artistic, trampolining) 2008: Beijing National Indoor Stadium (artistic, trampolining), Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium (rhythmic) 2012: North Greenwich Arena (artistic, trampolining), Wembley Arena (rhythmic) 2016: Arena Olímpica do Rio 2020: Ariake Gymnastics Centre 2024: Bercy Arena (artistic, trampolining), Porte de La Chapelle Arena (rhythmic) 2028: Crypto.com Arena 2032: Chandler Indoor Sports Centre

v t e Olympic venues in tennis
19th century	1896: Athens Lawn Tennis Club
20th century	1900: Puteaux 1904: Francis Olympic Field 1908: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Queen's Club 1912: Östermalms IP 1920: Beerschot Tennis Club 1924: Stade Yves-du-Manoir 1984: Los Angeles Tennis Center 1988: Olympic Tennis Center 1992: Tennis de la Vall d'Hebron 1996: Stone Mountain Tennis Center
21st century	2000: NSW Tennis Centre 2004: Athens Olympic Tennis Centre (The Main Court) 2008: Olympic Green Tennis Center 2012: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club 2016: Olympic Tennis Centre 2020: Ariake Tennis Park (Ariake Coliseum) 2024: Stade Roland Garros 2028: Dignity Health Sports Park 2032: Queensland Tennis Centre

v t e Olympic venues in weightlifting
19th century	1896: Panathenaic Stadium
20th century	1904: Francis Field 1920: Olympisch Stadion 1924: Vélodrome d'hiver 1928: Krachtsportgebouw 1932: Olympic Auditorium 1936: Deutschlandhalle 1948: Empress Hall, Earl's Court 1952: Messuhalli 1956: Royal Exhibition Building 1960: Palazzetto dello Sport 1964: Shibuya Public Hall 1968: Insurgentes Theatre 1972: Messegelände, Gewichtheberhalle 1976: St. Michel Arena 1980: Izmailovo Sports Palace 1984: Albert Gersten Pavilion 1988: Olympic Weightlifting Gymnasium 1992: Pavelló de l'Espanya Industrial 1996: Georgia World Congress Center
21st century	2000: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre 2004: Nikaia Olympic Weightlifting Hall 2008: Beihang University Gymnasium 2012: ExCeL 2016: Riocentro – Pavilion 2 2020: Tokyo International Forum 2024: Paris Expo Porte de Versailles 2028: Peacock Theater 2032: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

v t e Olympic venues in wrestling
19th century	1896: Panathenaic Stadium
20th century	1904: Francis Field 1908: White City Stadium 1912: Stockholm Olympic Stadium 1920: Antwerp Zoo 1924: Vélodrome d'hiver 1928: Krachtsportgebouw 1932: Olympic Auditorium 1936: Deutschlandhalle 1948: Empress Hall, Earl's Court, Harringay Arena 1952: Messuhalli 1956: Royal Exhibition Building 1960: Basilica of Maxentius 1964: Komazawa Gymnasium 1968: Insurgentes Ice Rink 1972: Messegelände, Judo- und Ringerhalle 1976: Centre Pierre Charbonneau, Maurice Richard Arena 1980: CSKA Athletics Fieldhouse 1984: Anaheim Convention Center 1988: Sangmu Gymnasium 1992: Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya 1996: Georgia World Congress Center
21st century	2000: Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre 2004: Ano Liosia Olympic Hall 2008: China Agricultural University Gymnasium 2012: ExCeL 2016: Carioca Arena 2 2020: Makuhari Messe 2024: Champ de Mars Arena 2028: Los Angeles Convention Center 2032: Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre

38°38′52″N 90°18′49″W / 38.64778°N 90.31361°W / 38.64778; -90.31361

• College football venues in Missouri
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