War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo, New York)

War Memorial Stadium
"The Rockpile"
Main entrance (left field corner) in 2011
Map
Buffalo is located in the United States
Buffalo
Buffalo
Location in the United States
Buffalo is located in New York
Buffalo
Buffalo
Location in New York
Former namesRoesch Memorial Stadium (1937)
Grover Cleveland Stadium (1937–1938)
Civic Stadium (1938–1960)
Address285 Dodge Street
LocationBuffalo, New York, U.S.
Coordinates42°54′18″N 78°51′22″W / 42.905°N 78.856°W / 42.905; -78.856
Elevation650 ft (200 m) AMSL
OwnerCity of Buffalo
OperatorCity of Buffalo
Capacity46,206 (1965–1989)
36,500 (1937–1964)
Record attendance50,988
Bennett vs. Kensington, October 21, 1948
Field sizeLeft field: 330 ft (101 m)
Left-center: 362 ft (110 m)
Center field: 420 ft (128 m)
Right-center: 333 ft (101 m)
Right field: 310 ft (94 m)
Backstop: 50 ft (15 m)
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
Broke ground1935
OpenedOctober 16, 1937;
87 years ago
 (October 16, 1937)
Renovated1960
Expanded1965
ClosedMay 5, 1989;
35 years ago
 (May 5, 1989)
Demolished1989
Construction cost$3 million
($63.6 million in 2023 dollars[1])
Tenants
Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA)
1937–1949, 1978–1988
Buffalo Indians-Tigers (AFL) 1940–1941
Buffalo Bills (AAFC) 1946–1949
Buffalo Bulls (NCAA) 1946–1954
Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL) 1960–1972
Buffalo Bisons (IL) 1961–1970
Buffalo White Eagles (ECPSL) 1962
Buffalo Blazers (NSL) 1976–1980
Buffalo Bisons (EL/AA) 1979–1987
Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA) 1979–1989

War Memorial Stadium, colloquially known as The Rockpile, was an outdoor football, baseball and soccer stadium in Buffalo, New York. Opened in 1937 as Roesch Memorial Stadium, the venue was later known as Grover Cleveland Stadium and Civic Stadium. The stadium was home to the Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA), Buffalo Indians-Tigers (AFL), Buffalo Bills (AAFC), Buffalo Bulls (NCAA), Buffalo Bills (AFL/NFL), Buffalo Bisons (IL), Buffalo White Eagles (ECPSL), Buffalo Blazers (NSL), Buffalo Bisons (EL/AA) and Canisius Golden Griffins (NCAA). It also had a race track and hosted several NASCAR events. The venue was demolished in 1989 and replaced with the Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletic Sports Pavilion, which retains entrances from the original stadium.

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.