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Soldier Field in 2006The Chicago Bears have played as main tenants of Soldier Field for over 40 years. Here they are playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field September 28, 2008.
Soldier Field is a stadium that opened in 1924. It has primarily served as the home field of the Chicago Bears professional football club for over four decades, but it also hosted numerous other events in its more than 90 years of existence.[1][2][3][4]
Soldier Field opens on September 6, 1924 with a police athletics meet
September 5: The first event at the stadium, a 16-pound hammer throw for the Police Athletic Games" is held a day before the official opening "to avoid any possibility of an accident." Traffic officer John Walsh wins the lone competition with a throw of 132 feet, 10 inches.[9]
September 6: opening day on Saturday for the first dedicatory event at the "Grant Park Stadium" an athletics meet with policemen as participants. This event was a fundraiser for the Chicago Police Benevolent Association, which provided support for police widows and officers disabled in the line of action. The meet's official opening ceremony on the second day featured 1,200 police officers parading through the stadium, fireworks, and music by two police bands, among other entertainment. The contests in the event included a chariot race and a game of motorcycle polo. The opening ceremony was attended by 45,000 spectators. Events raising funds for Chicago's Policemen and Firemen Benevolent funds were a mainstay at Soldier Field until 1971.[1][10][11][12][13] The hammer throw event had been held the previous day, "to avoid any possibility of an accident".[7]
September 10: "Pageant of Music and Light", an additional dedicatory event for the stadium.[1][14][15][16][17][18][19]
On September 27: Chicago Daily News-sponsored women's track meet with more than 500 Chicago-area participants. In addition to traditional track and field events, the competition also included such events as a basketball distance throw.[1]
October 9, 1924 "Chicago Day" event, which featured the formal dedication and opening of the stadiumOctober 9, 1924 "Chicago Day" event
October 9: "Chicago Day" event, marking the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, attended by a crowd of 60,000. The event contained the formal dedication and official opening of the stadium. The event included military troops partaking in a mock battle, equine performances by riders from the 14th Cavalry's Troop A, and a semi re-enactment of the Great Chicago Fire with firemen (including ten who actually had fought the Great Fire) fighting the fire using Fire King No. 1 (Chicago's first pump engine). In the re-enactment, a cow knocked over a lantern (according to lore), a replica of the O'Leary barn was burned down, and firemen used modern equipment to fight a fire in a mock-up of a three-story building. Following this spectacle there were police drills, performances by two police quartets, and a polo match. The teams in the polo match were led by Chicago Tribune owner Robert R. McCormick and Hotel Sherman manager Frank Bering. McCormick's team won 5–4.[1][2][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][4]
November 11: 1924 Midwest Catholic League championship, a College football game between Viator College and Columbia College of Dubuque. The game raised funds for an American Legion fund for disabled veterans. The game ended 0–0. Due to poor weather conditions, its attendance was only 2,000. This was the first college football in the stadium's history.[1]
December: state amateur horseshoe pitching tournament sponsored by the Ogden Park Horseshoe Pitching Club and Chicago Playground Council.[1][34][37][38][39]
October 10 (the 53rd anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire): an additional dedication of the stadium was held.[1]
Late 1924: South Park commissioners erected an ice rink in the stadium.[1]
April 19: Loyola Relays; for the first time, Soldier Field held the Loyola Relays intercollegiate athletics meet. Paavo Nurmi won many of the events.[1][7] Nurmi was in the last several weeks of a five-month US tour (during which he participated in 55 competitions) following his performance while completing for Finland at the 1924 Summer Olympics (where he received five gold medals. Also competing was fellow Finnish Olympian Ville Ritola, who was also a United States resident and had traveled with Nurmi during his tour. Nurmi defeated Ritola in the meet.[1][7][40][41][42][43]
May 9: Soldier Field hosted the South Parks Marble Championship. The tournament included both adult and juvenile competitions.[1]
May 22–25: the 65th Reserves and its superior outfit, the Army's Sixth Corps, sponsored the first of numerous military pageants held at Soldier Field. There were two shows a day, airplane fights in the afternoon, searchlights and antiaircraft-mimicking fireworks in the evening. The highlight of the day shows was a radio-dispatched arrangement of warplanes flying over the stadium. Audience members could hear the air-to-ground radio communication via the stadium's state-of-the-art loudspeaker system, and watch the planes respond to the ground command and perform stunts. 25,000 attended the first afternoon show, among them Vice PresidentCharles G. Dawes. The temperature was 92 degrees. The show reenacted the Battle of the Argonne utilizing, among other things, a smoke screen and four tanks. In the first night show's reenactment an infantryman was injured when he was trampled by horses, and prior to that show a policeman partaking in a Roman-style horse race was thrown from his horse and also injured. For the final day wind kept the planes grounded, and the crowd was small due to chilly temperature that peaked near 40 degrees. Nonetheless, entire event was deemed a success.[1][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51]
May: Soldier Field held and event dubbed the "first annual Chicago Olympics", an athletics event sponsored by the Finnish-American Athletic Association. Notable male competitors include Finnish five-time Olympic gold medalist (and three-time silver medalist) Ville Ritola, Finnish two-time Olympic gold medalist Jonni Myyrä, American two-time Olympic gold medalist Harold Osborne. Notable female competitors included US Women's Athletics legends Helen Filkey, Norma Zilk, and Nellie Todd (who, along with Zilk, was a protégé of University of Chicago track coach Tom Eck). Norma Filkey set a record in hurdles at the event, Jonni Myyrä set a javelin record at the event, Harold Osborne won as the best overall athlete of the competition, and Ville Ritola won the 2-mile race. Due largely to 90-degree heat only 2,500 spectators attended this event.[1][42][43][52][53][54][55][56]
August 15–24, 1925 the Chicago Association of Commerce sponsored the 1925 Chicago Roundup, a Tex Austin-organized nine-day professional rodeo competition at Soldier Field. Vice President of the United StatesCharles G. Dawes at the opening ceremonies. The ceremonies were initiated with a parade of participants and officials. Among the officials was Anti-Cruelty Society director Chauncey McCormick, and among the competitors was Pete Knight. 30,000 spectators watched the opening ceremonies, and 100,000 spectators attended the two competitive events held August 15. Daily attendance averaged 70,000 for the competition, one day the combined attendance for two events was 170,000.[1]
September 20: Chicago's German-American community held its first annual German Day event at Soldier Field, featuring a soccer match, athletics, performances and ceremonies. The event raised funds for numerous charities. German Day events were held annually at Soldier Field until 1937, regularly drawing crowds in excess of 40,000.[1]
November 7 Northwestern played Michigan at Soldier Field. 70,000 tickets had been sold, but just over 40,000 spectators attended due to severely inclement weather. Northwestern won 3–2.[33]
November 11: the American Legion and South Park commissioners organized a commemoration of Armistice Day marking the stadium's name change from "Grant Park Municipal Stadium" to "Soldier Field". The day began the firing of guns at sunrise. At eleven in the morning, a 21-gun salute was fired in Chicago's Grant Park and people in the 'Chicago Loop' paused, men removing their hats, and held moment of silent prayer and reflection. In the afternoon, former Governor of IllinoisFrank Lowden and naval officer John A. Rodgers were the guests of honor in the ceremonies held at Soldier Field. At the time Rodgers was a national hero, following his attempted nonstop flight two months earlier, and was all-over the news.[59][60][61][62][63][64] Lowden had been heavily involved in the effort to rename Soldier Field. Much like Rodgers, Lowden was also a prominent national political figure at the time. The event at Soldier Field began with decorated war veterans escorting Gold Star Mothers to their seats, and a salute fired by field artillery. The Flag of the United States was then raised, followed with a large banner baring the words 'Soldier Field' that had been carried into the stadium by the Gold Star Mothers. This was followed with a parade led by an Army general. The parade featured sailors from the nearby Great Lakes Naval Station, Reserve Officers' Training Corps units, and various veterans groups (including the Grand Army of the Republic). Following the procession of the parade, Rodgers spoke about his attempted non-stop flight. Other speakers included South Park Board-member, and future-mayor, Edward J. Kelley. The ceremony was attended by over 20,000 spectators.[1][3][4][30][65][66][67][68][69]
After success of the 1925 Chicago Roundup, Soldier Field hosted another Chicago Roundup in 1926. The 1926 Chicago Roundup was also a great success, even managing to draw 35,000 spectators on a rainy day.[1]
June 21–23: 28th International Eucharistic Congress held three days of outdoor day and evening events at Soldier Field.[1] Mass was held for a total of 30,000 gathered both in and outside of Soldier Field's gates (150,000 inside the stadium, and a further 150,000 outside of it).[7]
July 4: marking the nation's sesquicentennial (150th anniversary), the Loyal Order of Moose arranged an Independence Day program for Soldier Field.[1]
July 27: 50,000 people attended a program held by the Lutherans from the Missouri Synod to commemorate the USA's sesquicentennial.[1]
10,000 spectators watched as Soldier Field hosted its first professional American football game, a match between the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL. The Bears defeated an injury-ridden Cardinals. Cardinals halfbackRed Dunn breaking his leg above the ankle. The first Bears touchdown in Soldier Field History occurred second quarter when quarterbackPaddy Driscoll (who incidentally had previously played for the Cardinals) threw a forty-yard pass to Duke Hanny, the game's sole touchdown. Driscoll also kicked for the extra point, and scoring a field goal later in the second period. The game benefited the construction of Rosary College, which today is known as Dominican University.[1][71][72][73]
November 26: the stadium was officially rededicated as "Soldier Field" at a free public event held at the stadium. Among those participating in the ceremony was Vice President of the United StatesCharles G. Dawes.[1]
November 27: 1926 Army-Navy Game, attended by over 110,000 spectators. The game was the deciding game for who would be named the national collegiate football champion, as Navy entered undefeated and Army had lost only to Notre Dame. The game was considered to have lived up to its hype, and ended in a 21–21 tie. Navy was awarded the national championship. Amongst the 110,000 in attendance (which at the time was the largest crowd for a football game) were the Vice President of the United States Charles G. Dawes as well as the United States Secretary of the NavyCurtis D. Wilbur. Also in attendance was legendary Notre Dame Fighting Irish football coach Knute Rockne, who considered the game at Soldier Field important enough to warrant his missing his own team's game against Carnegie Tech that day (a game which Rockne's undefeated Fighting Irish lost in an upset that was ranked the fourth-greatest upset in college football history by ESPN[74][75]) The game was also broadcast nationally on radio, a notable early use of the rising broadcast medium. Walter Eckersdall of the Chicago Tribune dubbed it to be "one of the greatest football games ever played", and proclaimed that it had been seen by "the largest crowd that ever saw a football game in this country". More than a decade later, the readers of Esquire magazine voted this the best football game of all time. Even today many revere this as the greatest Army-Navy game ever.[1][2][3][30][35][76][77][78][79][80][81][82]
November 28: 12,000 spectators saw the Kansas City Cowboys defeat the Chicago Cardinals 7-2 at Soldier Field.[1][83] This marked the first Time in which a football game benefiting causes related to the Chicago Sisters of Mercy (amongst them the order's Catholic high schools and Mercy Hospital) was held. It would be held annually thereafter until 1951. Most often it featured a matchup of two Catholic League schools (commonly Saint Rita and Leo). Some years the game included professional or college teams. The game usually attracted between 20,000 and 30,000 spectators. It was started by Sister Mary Ricardo, who decided a football game would be a good annual fundraiser after a meeting with Chris O'Brien. O'Brien suggested that a game against the Kansas City Cowboys could be moved from Comiskey Park to Soldier Field.[1][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94]
30,000 attended a game between Prague's AC Sparta and a Chicago all-star team.[1]
December 19: Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers game, attended by 10,000 spectators. Ended in a 3–3 tie.[95] Proceeds of the game benefited the P.J. Carr Christmas Fund. The game had the potential of determining the champion of the 1926 NFL season if the Frankford Yellow Jackets (from Philadelphia) lost their final game of the season, but the Yellow Jackets won their last game and were named the season's champions.[1]
November 26 the all-time collegiate attendance record of 123,000 plus was established as Notre Dame beat USC 7–6.[1][30][39][103] Amongst those in attendance was Los Angeles mayorGeorge E. Cryer. In preparation for this game a thousand seats were added by the South Park Board to the venue, and a proclamation was issued by Chicago mayorBig Bill Thomson encouraging residents to decorate their houses with the Flag of the United States and the colors of the two opposing teams.[1]
June: a Women's track meet sponsored by the Chicago Evening American was held at Soldier Field, The meet featured many notable participants, but it is best remembered as the debut of future Olympic legend Betty Robinson. In the 100-meter race, Robinson set a world-record with a time of 12 seconds (the previous record was 12.6) in a semi-final qualifying heat (despite a strong north wind), and finished with the same time in the final, defeating Helen Filkey by 1 yard. Robinson was only 16 years of age at the time.[1][113][114][115][116][117][118]
In 1928 Tex Austin staged his final Soldier Field rodeo event. The event featured celebrities such as Hoot Gibson and Tom Mix. During the event Gibson shot scenes for his movie King of the Rodeo.[1][2]
October 13: Notre Dame defeated Navy in a 7–0 game.[32] This game was attended by 120,000 spectators. This game is argued to have until the 2016 Battle at Bristol[119] held the all-time collegiate attendance record, as some sources (such as the Chicago Tribune) reported the November 25, 1927 match at Soldier Field to have had a then all-time high attendance of 117,000, while the NCAA recorded the attendance as 120,000, which it deems to be the 'largest pre-1948 regular season college football attendance'. A figure of 123,000 was reported by the official Park District attendance count.[1][39][120][121][122]
In 1929 Soldier Field hosted its first national Sokol slet, a sports gathering. In the USA the national slets are held every four years. The 1929 slet drew 25,000. Slets included gymnastics competitions and track and field events amongst other sports. At the 1929 slet athletes from 1,200 US Sokol organizations participated in Olympic-style individual gymnastic events. Also, in the 1929 slet 2,000 Chicago youth partook in a mass gymnastic drill timed to orchestral music.[1][125][126]
In 1929 Soldier Field again hosted the South Parks Marble Championship.[1][127]
In 1929 Soldier Field held its second-ever firefighting demonstration.[1]
October 26 was the first time that a long-running football rivalry game between Tuskegree and Wilberforce University (both historically black colleges) was held at Soldier Field. This was second time that this rivalry was ever played. The 1929 game also provided a championship among historically black colleges. Tuskegee's star player was College Football Hall of Fame-inducted running backBen Stevenson. The game was attended by 12,000 spectators. The game was thereafter played annually at Soldier Field until 1942, the only three exceptions being 1931 when game held at Mills Stadium in Chicago, 1932 when in place of this matchup Wilberforce played a different team at another venue in Chicago, and 1937 when the game was cancelled. After 1942 the game was moved Chicago's Comiskey Park, where it was played annually until 1949. Overall, Wilberforce recorded nine victories, Tuskegee recorded eight victories, and three games were tied in the rivalry series. The rivalry series was remembered endearingly by many in Chicago's African-American community, notably singer Lou Rawls.[1][130][131][132][133][134][135]
In 1930 a multiple-day track meet at held at Soldier Field attracted over 40,000 spectators to its last night of events. The event was a multinational competition between athletes from the British Empire a team of US competitors. Similar events had been hosted in England, but the one at Soldier Field being the first hosted in the United States. Notable participants included Ralph Metcalfe.[1][138]
In 1930 the Chicago Daily News sponsored an event benefitting the Chicago firefighter's benevolent association. This would become an annual event.[1]
20,000 spectators attended the 1930 Public League championship, which substituted for the Prep Bowl (which was not played in either 1929 nor in 1930, and was decided by forfeit in 1928).[1][108][109][110][139]
Advertisement for the stadium's night football game on October 3, 1930
May 12: Soldier Field held its first amateur boxing event. This event was a Golden Gloves tournament sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. The tournament had outgrown its former home at the Chicago Stadium, and was moved to Soldier Field that year. The Chicago-based Golden Gloves tournament was the brain-child of Arch Ward, and was first held in 1923, before a brief state ban, and again was revived in 1928. It had begun as a local contest, but quickly became a regional Midwestern and finally a national amateur championship. In 1931 it became an international event, with the addition of international competitors, in the case of the 1931 tournament 10 young Frenchmen were invited to participate. To ensure that in the case of rain the event could be moved to the Chicago Stadium, only 21,000 tickets were sold in advance, but on the day of the fights 40,000 showed up at Soldier Field. The ring was placed in the center of Soldier Field's arena, and was surrounded by 22,000 'ringside seats' placed on a giant, slightly sloped, floor. The bouts were kicked off following a band and fireworks. In the first bout Leo Rodak defeated André Perrier for the flyweight title.[1]
August: the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus perform in Soldier Field's parking lot.[1] For decades thereafter, the circus would hold summer performances in the stadium's parking lot.[7]
November 28: Purdue defeated Northwestern 7-0 in a special post-season collegiate football game at Soldier Field. Proceeds of the match went to charity.[33]
June 24-July 4: United States Army Military Tournament is held to celebrate the bicentennial of George Washington's birth. The event included aerial demonstrations, combat enactments, artillery demonstrations, Olympic-style athletics competition, a parade, and pyrotechnic displays. Involved in the aerial demonstrations was Major Gerald E. Brower.[2] The June 24 show at the start of the eleven-day run was opened at 8pm with a flyover by four squadrons of fighter planes escorting a plane being flown by Amelia Earhart. The planers were painted to resemble a red and white eagle. Earhart later landed and made her way to the stadium, where she was given a gold medal and then developed a speech to the crowd about her flight across the atlantic the previous year. The event was cover over radio.[1][4][157][158][159]
July 27: Soldier Field held the second-ever Chicago Golden Gloves tournament. More than 45,000 spectators attended (organizers of the event lauded it as the largest crowd in the world to have ever seen an amateur boxing tournament). This tournament featured Olympic-caliber participants from Germany. American participants won 4 of the matches, and German participants won four as well. Three of the German participants (bantamweightHans Ziglarski, featherweightJosef Schleinkofer, and welterweightErich Campe) would go on to win silver in the boxing competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles several weeks later.[1]
A 1932 post-Olympic track meet was held at Soldier Field featuring teams from 15 nations. Notable participants included US Olympian Ralph Metcalfe.[1][160]
At the 1933 German Day Festival, George Seibel, a Pittsburgh lawyer, writer, friend of the novelist Willa Cather, and the national president of the American Turnerbund (a Turnerist group) spoke about the contributions of German immigrants to American democracy.[1]
In conjunction with Texas Day at the World's Fair, an all-Texan cast performed a production of Aida.[1][4]
June 25, 1933: 50,000 attended a national Sokol slet (gymnastics festival) with more than 1000 participants at Soldier Field.[164]
July 3: 150,000 spectators attended A Romance of a People, an immensely elaborate Jewish pageant telling the history of the Jewish people, staged at Soldier Field. The event was coordinated by Meyer Weisgal. Chaim Weizmann (head of the World Zionist Organization and would later become the first President of Israel) gave a speech to open the show. The show required over 6,000 performers. The event was so successful that it was given a repeat performance a few days later at Soldier Field[1][4][165][166][167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174][175][176][177][178] 75,000 spectators attended the repeat performance.[1][177]
A celebration the 300th anniversary of the first Swedish to immigrate to the United States was held at Soldier Field.[1]
Balloon taking off before and audience of 44,000 at Soldier Field
August 3: Soldier Field held its final Chicago Golden Gloves tournament. This tournament was held in conjunction of Chicago's 1933–1934 Century of Progress World's Fair. More than 48,000 people attended the matches, despite a one-day postponement due to rain. This tournament featured participants from Ireland. The first two bouts were won by Irish participants, but the next six were won by American participants. Irish heavyweight champion Patrick Mulligan was knocked out broke his ankle during his bout. This was the last edition of the Chicago Golden Gloves to be held at Soldier Field. The tournament has been held at other Chicago venues ever-since.[1]
August 12, coinciding with the Fair's Negro Day, an African American pageant entitled Epic of a Race was performed at Soldier Field. Chandler Owen, who headed the organization of Negro Day events, employed author and WJJD radio staffer Andrew Dobson as the author and theatrical producer and dance instructor Sammy Dyer as the director of the production. Carl Sandburg was consulted by Dobson on the historical accuracy of his script. Renowned actor Richard B. Harrison was the master of ceremonies for the event, which featured 1,500 performers, about 3,000 singers, music by the 8th Infantry Regiment Band, and portrayed 11 different historic episodes.[1][4]
Summer of 1933: Forty-Sixth annual National Amateur Athletic Union meet. The track and field event only managed to attract just over 8,000 spectators. A commentator wrote, "Judged solely by the caliber of its athletes, (it) was one of the best in the history of the modern games", but added "By the standards of attendance....the games flopped."[1][185]
85,000 spectators attended the fourth annual Chicagoland Music Festival in 1933.[186]
The Canadian professional soccer champion Toronto Scots played St. Louis' Stix, Baer and Fuller team, the U.S. champions, for the North American soccer title in 1933. The Scots won 2–1. This event was one of many Soldier Field sporting events that was tied-into the ongoing Worlds Fair.[1]
April 1, 1934: the stadium held its first nondenominational Protestant Easter sunrise service.[1][7] A year earlier a similar event had been held near the stadium at the site of the adjacent World's Fair.[1]
In 1934 attendance for the annual war show was high. Every night the show would end with a re-enactment of the World War I Battle of Cantigny.[1]
A Celtic cultural pageant, Pageant of the Celt, was performed at Soldier Field. It was narrated by Micheál MacLiammoir. The pageant required a 1,000-person choir. It proved so popular that a second performance was given at Soldier Field.[1]
August 24: 45,000 spectators attended an all-star college football matchup between an East and a West all-star team. Harry Newman of Michigan threw a touchdown pass to Gene Ronzani of Marquette in last minutes of play, giving the East team a victory.[191]
Easter of 1935: 23,000 people attended the nondenominational Protestant Easter sunrise service held at Soldier Field.[1]
May 19: a Midwestern Auto Racing Association race[7] begins a long tradition of midget automobile races at the stadium. Midget racing star Marshall Lewis finished first-place in the main event. 20,000 spectators attended the event.[1][31]
August 1935: when the west tower of the 1933 World Fair's Sky Ride was demolished, it fell into a portion of Soldier Field's exterior walls, requiring $50,000 in repairs.[1][4]
Football signed by all of the 1933 College All-Stars
August 29: 1935 Chicago College All-Star Game; 77,450 saw the Chicago Bears defeat the College All-Stars 5–0. Fans voted Frank Thomas of Alabama the collegiate all-stars' head coach. Over seven million votes were placed in the race for the position head coach. The vote became political, with numerous state governors publicly endorsing coaches. Other members of the coaching staff were Charles Bachman of Michigan State, Slip Madigan of St. Mary's, and Dr. C.W. Spears of Wisconsin. Amongst the alumni of the 1935 College All-Star team best known for their achievements outside of sports Irv Kupcinet of North Dakota (who would become a notable journalist and media personality) and Gerald Ford of Michigan (who would later serve as the President of the United States).[1][3][191]
February 16:[7] the U.S. Central Ski Association held its annual ski meet at Soldier Field. They built a temporary ski jump that was 13-stories,[1][30] the world's tallest man-made ski jump at the time. More than 57,000 spectators attended the ski meet.[7]
July 22: the Chicago Catholic Youth Organization held its first boxing tournament at Soldier Field. This was an intercity boxing meet against New York's Catholic Youth Association. The proceeds of the tournament went to the CYO Mil Fund to help feed 35,000 students in nonsectarian summer schools run at Chicago Catholic schools.[201] The Catholic Youth Organization would hold numerous intercity and international boxing tournaments at Soldier Field over the next several years.[1]
The 1936 edition of the German Day Festival was had a greater focus on pageantry and dancing versus the sports that were the focus of previous editions.[1]
In 1936, national softball championships for both men and women were held at Soldier Field. The stadium's arena was big enough to hold five softball diamonds with their home plates along the west stands (on the running track). All five were used simultaneously during the day, but only three were used at the same time for night games. Teams from 40 states and Canada participated, but rain delayed the tournament so it started two days late. A game that stood out was one attended by 15,000 spectators that featured the teams from Rochester and Cleveland facing off (Rochester, led by amateur softball legend Harold "Shifty" Gears, defeated Cleveland 2–0 in that game).[1]
In 1936 a game was held at Soldier Field between rival high schools Tilden and Austin was held at Soldier Field. During the game Tilden player Lou Rymkus blocked a kick and scored a touchdown. Rymkus would later refer to this as the most memorable game of his high school career.[204]
In late 1936 an ice rink was erected in Soldier Field.[1]
February 7, 1937, the Chicago Daily Times sponsored a ski jump meet of the U.S. Central Ski Association at Soldier Field. The meet attracted 57,000 spectators, believed to be the largest crowd to ever see a ski jumping competition in the U.S. The temporary 180-foot tall all-wood ski jump tower was constructed by the Timber Engineering Company (TECO).[205]
In 1937 Soldier Field held many events in honor of Chicago's Charter Jubilee, which was a celebration of the centennial of Chicago's 1837 incorporation as a city. The events were held between March 4 (the date of Chicago's incorporation) and October 9 (the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire) Amongst the events Soldier Field held in celebration of the Jubilee were boxing matches.[1]
Only 12,000 attended the 1937 Easter sunrise service at Soldier Field due to cold weather. The service that year was counted as a Charter Jubilee event.[1]
50,000 attended a pageant celebrating the contributions of Polish Chicagoans held as part of the Charter Jubilee.[1]
In 1937 attendance for the annual war show was high.[1]
In 1937 Soldier Field again held national softball championships for both men and women.[1]
In 1937 the Norge Ski Club held a ski meet at Soldier Field. A 13-story 50m ski jump was erected at Soldier Field for the event. The Norge Ski Club, which is based out of Fox River, Illinois, is the oldest continuously operating ski club in the United States.[4][213][214]
April 17: 50,000 attended the 1938 Easter sunrise service at Soldier Field. The service had Charles E. Fuller as its chief minister.
July 4: as part of the American Legion Fourth of July show held at Soldier Field, a 124th Artillery team played a Cuban army team to a 3–3 tie in a polo match. Also featured in the event were color guards as well as drum and bugle corps.[1][216]
August 17: a jitterbug concert held at Soldier Field resulted in the so-called 'Jitterbug Riot' after crowds of about 200,000 overwhelmed the event's organizers. Performers at the event included Jimmy Dorsey, Earl Hines, Shep Fields. It featured a battle of the bands with 50 amateur bands and a number of the city's leading dance orchestras.[1]
The 1938 Chicagoland Music Festival is credited to have originated the tradition of lighting matches or lighters concerts. Among those singing was aviator Douglas Corrigan.[1]
In 1938 about 1,000 Police and Firemen participated in an event which raised funds for the benevolent funds of both groups.[1]
In 1938 Soldier Field again held national softball championships for both men and women.[1]
About 50,000 attended the 1939 Easter sunrise service held at Soldier Field.[1]
June 18, 20, 22, 24 and 25: the American Automobile Association held the World's Championship Midget Automobile Races on a wooden track erected in Soldier Field. Proceeds benefited the Hospital for Crippled Children's Chicago Unit. There was a $10,000 purse for the five-race series. Over 90,000 spectators attended the event. This was the second time that midget racing was held at Soldier Field. Sam Hanks won the first two races, and Ronnie Householder ultimately won Soldier Field's 1939 midget racing championship.[1][31][220][221][222]
Fats Waller headlined the 1939 Chicagoland Music Festival.[1]
Over 98,000 spectators attended a 1939 stunt show starring "Lucky" Lee Lott at Soldier Field.[1][2][223]
In 1939 the Chicago Rugby Club played two games at Soldier Field. The first game was against a Hollywood club. The second game was against a New York-East Coast all-star squad featuring high-level athletes. Chicago won the second game 24–9 and advanced to a Los Angeles game against the Hollywood Lighthorse Lancers for the national amateur rugby championship. The second game was attended by a crowd of 10,000 and was held on November 12.[1][224][225][226]
September 7: Soldier Field one last time held national softball championships for both men and women, organized by the Amateur Softball Association.[1][227]
March 24 the 1940 Easter sunrise service was held during one of the coldest Easters on record in Chicago. The temperature hardly reached the double-digits by the beginning of the service.[1][230][231][232][233]
July 4 the American Legion Fourth of July show at Soldier Field again featured a Polo match. This time it was an East-West match.[234]
In 1940 the Catholic Holy Name Society held their inaugural annual "Holy Hour" service at Soldier Field. The event would continue be held into the 1950s[1]
June 15 the janitors' unions held "Americanism Day" at Soldier Field. The US Drum and Bugle Corps, American Legion Bands, high school bands, and ROTC bands performed at the event.[2]
President Franklin D. Roosevelt speaking at Soldier Field
In June 50,000 spectators attended a national Sokol slet held at Soldier Field.[249]
June 16 Orson Welles hosted a radio show at Soldier Field to benefit the Fifth War Loan Drive.[250]
In September 1944 the Ringling Brothers Circus performed a 14-day engagement. These were amongst the Circus' first shows after the Hartford Circus Fire in July 1944 (which had resulted in over 165 deaths and 700 injuries). Due to the fire, the performances at Soldier Field were performed in the open-air, rather than under a big top. The final Sunday attracted 14,000 spectators for the matinee performance and 8,000 for the night performance. On Labor Day 9,000 attended the afternoon performance. The Circus' final performance (which occurred on a Monday night) was attended by 4,500. Excluding additional numbers that attended a 'Bond Night', the Circus attracted 145,000 despite unfavorable weather that occurred most of the opening week.[251][252][253][254]
In 1945 the Chicago Bears held their first Armed Forces Game, an exhibition game series for charity that would be played by the Bears at Soldier Field for many years.[1]
April 6 (Army Day): President Harry Truman spoke at Soldier Field. The most important aspect of Truman's speech was that he hinted at the creation of what would later become NATO. In addition to the President, Chicago MayorEdward J. Kelley and Army Chief of Staff (and future President of the United States) General Dwight D. Eisenhower also spoke. The event also included a military show. The highlight of the military show was a 600 mph fly-by from two jet-powered P-80A fighters.[1][264][265]
A rodeo competition was held at Soldier Field in July 1947 and was one of the first televised events at Soldier Field. The competition ended with its championship on July 20.[1]
At the same time as the annual circus engagement, a General Motors car expo was held in Soldier Field's parking lot.[1]
In 1947 more than 20,000 watched a soccer match between a Chicago all-star team and a team provided by Hapoel. The game ended in a tie.[1]
In 1947 the Chicago Bears' annual Armed Forces Game was held at Soldier Field for the first time. The Bears' opponent was the Washington Redskins. Chicago won the game 28–0. The Armed Forces Game raised proceeds for the relief funds of the four branches of the US Armed Services, and was held annually from 1943 through 1970 (and was held at the Bears' home stadium, Wrigley Field, for a number of those years).
In 1948 2x Olympic gold medalist swimmer Vicki Draves turned professional when she made her debut in Larry Crosby's "Rhapsody in Swimtime" aquatic show at Soldier Field.[269]
June 19: President Harry S. Truman spoke at the convention of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (Shriners) marking the group's 75th anniversary. This event was one of the first at Soldier Field to be televised. The event featured one of the largest parades in Chicago's history. The parade preceding the event at Soldier Field featured over 15,000 Shriners from 1,000 American and Canadian chapters of the group and 130 bands. The parade covered three miles and lasted five-hours. The parade was seen by approximately 500,000 spectators. Hollywood legend Harold Lloyd walked in the parade, and at the end of the convention held at Soldier Field he was named "Imperial Potentate", the national leader of the group.[1][4][272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279]
October 28: 11,249 spectators saw the Chicago Hornets, who were formerly known as the Chicago Rockets, lose 14–24 to the Los Angeles Dons in what would ultimately be the Hornets' final last-ever home game[280][281]
April 26:[7]US General during World War II Douglas MacArthur addressed a crowd of 50,000 at Soldier Field during his first visit to the United States in 14 years.[1][2][35]
May 16 the Chicago Park District's Police Benevolent Association sponsored its 9th annual Golf Trophy race at Soldier Field. More than 30,000 tickets were sold.[1]
August 15 over 125,000 attended as the World Council of Churches held the Ecumenical Festival of Faith, which served as the opening ceremony for two-weeks of meetings that the World Council held in Chicago and Evanston (and even included a speech by President Eisenhower). The ceremony featured a cast of 4,000 and was arranged by Helen Kromer. Henry P. Van Dusen, president of the New York Union Theological Seminary, proclaimed the event to have been "the most widely representative, most truly 'ecumenical' assemblage of the followers of Christ who have ever met 'in one accord in one place.'" Delegates attended even from four nations located behind the "Iron Curtain" (Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, and Yugoslavia). The ceremony was opened with a speech by Chicago mayorMartin Kennelly.[1]
Hours prior to the ceremony, Soldier Field's convention halls hosted a 1,600-person banquet for delegates.[1]
September 8 what many regard to have been Soldier Field's largest crowd ever, 260,000 spectators, attended the Marian Year tribute of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. 180,000 were inside of the stadium, while another 80,000 gathered outside of the stadium and listened via loudspeakers. The event was led by Cardinal Samuel Stritch.[1][4][30][35]
July 13 former President of the United States Harry S. Truman again spoke at another Shriners convention held at Soldier Field. The event was dubbed "Shrinerama" and was attended by more than 58,000 spectators. In addition to a speech from Truman, other notable facets of the event include a band of 1,500 Shriner musicians, a performance from a 1,000-voice choir, circus acts, military drills, and a mock rematch between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney (who had both famously faced-off for the heavyweight title at Soldier Field in the 1927 Long Count Fight). The event concluded with a fireworks display.[1][3][287][288][289]
1956 Chicagoland Music Festival featured 8,000 performers, including Al G. Wright, Richard Tucker,the Skokie American Indians drum and bugle corps (the national champions). Special guests at the included Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. A men's and a women's singing contest were held at the event, the winners performing on the Ed Sullivan Show the following night. The competition was judged by Rosa Raisa, Sonia Sharnova, and Louis Sudler. This was the final edition of the original run of the Chicagoland Music Festival.[1][290]
In 1956, 38,000 saw Tom Pistone win the NASCAR Soldier Field 100. Pistone ultimately won a record 38 motor race events at Soldier Field.[296]
Leo defeated Calumet 12–0 in the 1956 Prep Bowl. Jim Arneberg, who was a star lineman for the 1941 and 1942 Leo teams coached the Leo Lions in this Prep Bowl, becoming the first person to both play and coach in the Prep Bowl.[109][110][200]
June 15: Soldier Field hosted a 50-lap race under the NASCAR "Grand National" banner. While considered to be a NASCAR Grand National event at the time it was held, the event does not currently appear on NASCAR's lists of Grand National events held that year. The event was won by Bill Brown[1]
June 29: Soldier Field hosted a 100-lap NASCAR event, which was won by Glen Wood.[1]
August 27 Soldier Field hosted the opening ceremonies of the 1959 Pan American Games.[1][30] The opening was held in sunny 90 °F (32 °C) heat, and was attended by 40,000 spectators.
Soldier Field hosted the 1960 Western Golden Gloves. Muhammad Ali fought in this event, and received the Outstanding Fighter trophy for his weight class.[298]
93,000 spectators attended two performances of the Police show, headlined by Jack Paar. Other performers included Wimpy the Clown, an acrobat named Bettina, and Trans-World Airdevils auto stunts. Stanley R. Sarbaneck, president of the benevolent association, spoke at the event.[1]
Mount Carmel, coached by Tom Carey (the older brother of their quarterback Tony), defeated Taft 27–8 in the 1960 Prep Bowl. Tom Carey became one of the first individuals to both play and coach in a Prep Bowl, having won it as a quarterback exactly ten years earlier.[109][110][200][284]
July 28 18,000 spectators attended double-header soccer matches at Soldier Field. The first match was between a Chicago all-star team and the US national amateur champion Saint Louis Kutis. The Chicago all-stars won with a surprising score of 6–0. This game was followed by a benefit game for March of Dimes pinning Vienna's Rapid team against the Español of Barcelona. Vienna won 5–4.[1]
June 17 116,000 spectators attended a Billy Graham crusade at Soldier Field. This event followed nineteen days of crusades that Graham had held at the nearby McCormick Place convention center. Those events averaged 37,000 spectators a day (the opening speech alone was attended by 33,000).[1][35]
The America FC of Rio de Janeiro defeated the Palmero of Italy 3–2 in a match held at Soldier Field. This was one of several International Soccer League matches that were held at Soldier Field in 1962, which altogether attracted a total of 50,000 spectators.[1]
91,328 people saw Fenwick defeat Schurz 40–0 in the 1962 Prep Bowl. This ended a 10–0 season for the Fenwick Friars (in which they outscored their opponents 317–32). In the Prep Bowl game, Fenwick's Jim DiLullo ran for 224 yards and scored five touchdowns on just 12 carries. This was the third most-attended Prep Bowl to date.[1][109][110][200][203]
November 2 Soldier Field hosted the Army–Air Force game. It was the first game between two military colleges at Soldier Field since the 1927 Army-Navy Game.[1][301][302] President of the United States John F. Kennedy was scheduled to make an appearance at halftime as part of his reelection campaign. Kennedy had worked with Chicago MayorRichard J. Daley in attracting the game to Chicago.[1][303]
An invitational soccer tournament was held at Soldier Field. The tournament was promoted by local amateur teams, and also featured three international matches. The event culminated in a team from Liverpool winning the Governor Otto Kerner Trophy.[1]
A crowd of 10,000 (including 7,000 UIC Students) saw the UIC Chikas defeat the Milwaukee Panthers 20-6 in their homecoming game at Soldier Field. The game was preceded by a parade from the University's new campus (near the Circle Interchange) to Soldier Field. The teams' homecoming festivities also included a concert at the Medinah Temple attended by over 1,000 students the night prior to the game, and a post-game dance which entertainment by such acts as The Cryan' Shames and Josh White.[305]
July 23 Mike McGreevy won the last USAC midget feature race held at Soldier Field.[31]
A 5-day rodeo competition was the final such event held at Soldier Field. Among the animals entered was a prized bull named Lippy Leo, owned by Chicago Cubs manager Leo Durocher.[1]
A 1966 pageant celebrating 1,000 years of Christianity in Poland was the last large pageant to be held at Soldier Field.[1]
August 27 a Democratic Party rally was scheduled to be held at Soldier Field. The Democratic Party had rented out Soldier Field for the entire week of the 1968 Democratic National Convention held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago. Despite deciding against seeking reelection, incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had planned on attended the rally, which would have doubled as a birthday party for him. Instead, due to riots surrounding the convention, all regular Democratic Party rallies were cancelled, and the President did not leave the White House to attend the convention.[1][314]
In 1969, Soldier Field hosted the inaugural edition of the annual Special Olympics Chicago. The Special Olympics Chicago have been held with Soldier Field as its main venue since, with the exception of 2002.[1][5]
In June Soldier Field hosted an association football match between Poland and Portugal. All fans had to sit in the west stands, due to repairs taking place on the eastern stands.[1]
July 4 Soldier Field's final auto racing event took place, with drag races being organized during the American Legion's annual Independence Day celebrations.[1]
The final fire show at Soldier Field occurred as a part of a lakefront festival that also included the Chicago Air and Water Show. 38,000 spectators were in attendance, including MayorRichard J. Daley and Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn.[1]
In 1974 the North End of Soldier Field (the end that was cut off from the main stadium by the northern end zone seats installed during the renovations completed following the arrival of the Chicago Bears) hosted the 1974 International Festival of Tennis. Notable-figures that competed in the tournament include, among others, Lloyd Bridges, Raúl Ramírez, Grant Golden, Stan Smith, Marty Riessen, Roscoe Tanner, Billy Martin. Bud Collins called the mini-stadium at the north end of Soldier Field the best venue in the nation for events such as the Davis Cup to be held in the future. Grant Golden lauded the venue saying "This stadium at the north end of Soldier Field is the best in the world, and I've played 'em all," and added "We can seat 20,000 and there isn't a bad seat in the house." Additionally, national reporters named Soldier Field's courts as the best in the country. The attendance was not as high as expected, with only 20,000 people attending the nearly week-long tournament, but the event was declared a success in many other respects. Over 4,400 spectators attended the final, in which Stan Smith defeated Marty Riessen. Among those spectators that attended events during tournament were Butch Buchholz, Janet Young, Kim Warwick, Graham Stilwell, and Sue Eastman.[1][321][322]
In 1975 the North Field of Soldier Field again held the International Festival of Tennis. Amongst the participants were Billy Martin and Roscoe Tanner (who won the tournament with a $9,000 purse). The attendance was even less than the previous year. Only 2,000 people attending the quarter finals (while at the same time 5,000 spectators watched a Chicago Sting game that was taking place in the South End of Soldier Field).[1][4]
The Chicago Winds of the World Football League played their only season at Soldier Field in 1975. Their only win was attended by a mere 3,502 spectators at Soldier Field, with them defeating the Portland Thunder[1]
The Emmet Kelly Jr. Circus, organized by Chicago Park District superintendent Edmund Kelly, performed in Soldier Field's north end for several nights beginning on June 14. Its headlining performer was Emmet Kelly Jr. playing the circus clown made famous by Emmet Kelly Sr., Wearie Willie.[1]
1975 Marvin Gaye concert in the northern arena of Soldier Field.[1]
July 23 52,095 saw the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Chicago All-Stars in what would be the final Chicago College All-Star Game. The game was called late with 1:22 left in the third quarter due to heavy rain. Despite featuring stars such as Chuck Muncie, Mike Pruitt, Lee Roy Selmon, and Jackie Slater, the all-stars were hopelessly outmatched by the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of Super Bowl X. The star quarterback for the College All-Stars was Steeler draft pick Mike Kruczek, out of Boston College. Late in the third quarter, with the Steelers leading 24–0, high winds prompted all-star coach Ara Parseghian to call time out. Fans began pouring out onto the field and sliding on the turf. With the rain getting harder, the officials ordered both teams to their locker rooms. All attempts to clear the field failed; the fans even tore down the goalposts. However, by this time the rain had become so heavy as to make the field unplayable even if order had been restored. Finally, at 11:01 pm NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle and the Tribune announced that the game had been called. The news was greeted with jeers, and numerous brawls broke out on the flooded field before order was finally restored. Joe Washington of Oklahoma was selected MVP of this final College All-Star game.[323][324] Chicago Tribune Charities had every intention of staging a 1977 game. However, with coaches increasingly unwilling to let their high draft picks play and insurance costs on the rise due to higher player salaries, the Tribune announced on December 21, 1976, that the game would be discontinued. Serving as the coach of the All-Stars was also the final coaching experience of Ara Parseghian.[325][326][327][328]
The Chicago Sting ended their 1976 postseason at Soldier Field, with a double-overtime loss to Toronto. Toronto would subsequently win the league's championship that season.[1]
November 20, despite playing with flu symptoms, Bearsrunning backWalter Payton managed to rush for 275 yards in forty carries, beating a single-game record that O. J. Simpson had set the previous year. More than 49,000 fans attended the game, which saw the Bears defeat the Minnesota Vikings 10-7.[1]
July 4: 6,500 attended the 1981 American Legion show, which also included a WFLChicago Fire game against the Shreveport Steamer. The Fire won 25–15.[1]
November 23 Jerry Markbreit began what would be a 23-season career as an NFL referee (during which he would become one of the league's most recognizable referees) when he refereed a game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. In the second quarter of the game, Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was intercepted, and as he watched the proceedings downfield, Packers defensive end Charles Martin picked up McMahon and bodyslammed him shoulder-first into the AstroTurf. Martin remained hovered over an injured McMahon on one knee and taunted him until Bears offensive tackle Jimbo Covert barreled full-speed into Martin. Despite strenuous protests from Packers coach Forrest Gregg, Markbreit ejected Martin, Markbreit's first ejection as an NFL official. When describing the penalty, Markbreit stated that Martin "stuffed" McMahon into the ground. Martin was suspended for two games by NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, the longest suspension for an on-field incident until Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was suspended five games by commissioner Roger Goodell for stomping on the face of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode during an October 1, 2006 game During the game, Martin wore a "hit list" towel with the numbers of several Bears listed, including those of McMahon, running back Walter Payton, wide receiver Willie Gault, and center Jay Hilgenberg. The call was largely credited by the media and NFL executives in helping Markbreit land the assignment as the referee of Super Bowl XXI two months later.[350]
During the annual Special Olympics Chicago in 1988, the Keith Magnuson Spirit Award was presented for the first time. The Spirit Award is presented annually to a team which models the Special Olympics mission by "encouraging physical fitness, demonstrating courage, experiencing joy, and participating in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, community, and other Special Olympic athletes throughout the calendar year".[2]
September 5, 1992 64,877 spectators saw Notre Dame defeat Northwestern 42–7. It was Notre Dame's first game at Soldier Field in a half-century.[1][32][33]
July 17, 1994, preceding the opening match (also held at Soldier Field), the stadium hosted the opening ceremonies of the 1994FIFAWorld Cup. The temperature was hot, at 97 °F, at the beginning of the ceremonies, but dropped down to a cooler 83 °F by the start of the opening match.[1] The event featured Oprah Winfrey, Diana Ross, Daryl Hall, Jon Secada, Richard Marx, President Bill Clinton, Mayor of ChicagoRichard M. Daley, World Cup chairman and CEOAlan Rothenberg, 1,500 local high-school students, a 300-person children's choir, and two-thousand volunteer dancers.[370][371] Portions of the performance included music and folk dancers from the 24 nations that were competing in the World Cup.[371] Over 750 million viewers worldwide watched the ceremony on television.[370]
October 8 the Alabama State Hornets and the Jackson State Tigers competed in the Chicago Football Classic. The halftime entertainment featured a "battle of the bands" between both schools' marching bands. Portions of the pre-game ceremonies honored both Jackson State alumni Lewis Tillman and Alabama State alumni Jesse White. One of the star athletes competing in this game was Alabama State's Reggie Barlow. The game was won by Jackson State.[368][376]
In 1995 Soldier Field hosted several ethnic and religious festivals including German, Indian, Pan-American, and Polish ones.[30]
September 30 36,712 spectators saw the Jackson State Tigers defeat the Alabama State Hornets 24-22. This was the third-straight year that Jackson State won the game. Among the star athletes competing in this game was Alabama State's Reggie Barlow.[376]
May 11–12 Soldier Field's parking lot hosted the annual Windy City Weedfest. This was an event organized by supporters of marijuana/ cannabislegalization. The event was attended by over 25,000. The event had been held elsewhere in Chicago in previous years. Rev Michael Pfleger was present to protest marijuana use at the event. Following the festival, the Chicago Park District (owners of the stadium) refused to allow the event to be held at Soldier Field again due to widespread cannabis use at the event.[1][380][381][382][383][384][385][386][387][388][389][390]
July 20–22: Bassmaster Classic weigh-ins were held at Soldier Field. The boats used in the competition were docked nearby at Burnham Harbor. The competition took place within the Chicago-area in Lake Michigan and its connected waterways. The Bassmaster Classic is a major fishing competition, sometimes dubbed to be the "Superbowl of Fishing". Live coverage of the event was streamed online. This was the 30th edition of the competition. 45 competitors participated in the competition At the end of the competition, a closing ceremony was held at Soldier Field with performances (including Grammy-winning singer Trisha Yearwood) and fireworks. Competitor, and 1999 champion, Davy Hite, failed to defend his title in the 2000 edition. The winner of the competition was Woo Daves, who, at 54, became the oldest person to win a Bassmaster Classic title. It was Daves' 15th time competing in the Classic. Daves received a $100,000 prize. In descending order, the top six finishers were Woo Daves (Spring Grove, Virginia), Mark Rizk (Antelope, California), Shaw Grigsby Jr. (Gainesville, Florida), Rick Clunn (Ava, Missouri), Kotaro Kiriyama (Tokyo, Japan), and Norio Tanabe (Tokyo, Japan). This was the 27th consecutive (and overall) Classic that third-place finisher Rick Clunn had competed in. It was Kevin VanDam's 10th consecutive Classic, with VanDam then having managed to make the Classic every season of his ten-years in B.A.S.S. competition. This was also the Larry Nixon's 22nd, Gary Klein's 19th, Georg Cohcharn's 18th, and Ron Sheffield's 12th total Classic. The 2000 edition was considered to be one of the most challenging editions of the Bassmaster Classic. Chicago was the third northern location to host the event, with Alexandria Bay, New York City (Saint Lawrence River) and Cincinnati (Ohio River) having previously hosted the 1980 and 1983 editions, respectively.[405][406][407][408][409][410][411][412][413][414][415][416][417][418][419][420][421][422][423]
June 24 30,000 attended a celebration of the new millennium held by Chicago's Catholic archdiocese.[1]
July 6 and 7 Dave Matthews Band concerts, with Buddy Guy and Angélique Kidjo. These two concerts were attended by a total of 170,000 concertgoers.[2] Recordings from the later date were included on The Warehouse 5 Volume 2.
September 9 Soldier Field hosted 2001 Women's U.S. Cup. These matches were preceded by an opening match at Schwaben Field in the Chicago suburb of Buffalo Grove two days prior. The second game played at Soldier Field was the third and the final game played in the tournament, as the tournament's additional matches were cancelled following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which occurred while the tournament was still in its round-robin phase.
The week after Christmas a winter festival, including snowman building contest, was held in the newly created parkland surrounding the renovated stadium.[1]
The Soldier Field 10 Mile has been held annually since 2004.July 11, 2004 USA vs. Poland international-friendly
In early 2004 a snowboarding competition was held at Soldier Field's sledding hill (part of the new parkland that was created around the stadium during its renovation).[1]
May 29 the inaugural edition of the Soldier Field 10 Mile was held. This race has been held every year since.[427][428]
July 11 USA vs. Poland international-friendly soccer match. The game finished 1–1.[429][430][431]
July 21 60,000 spectators attended Bon Jovi concert, with Nickelback, on the Have a Nice Day Tour. The concert lasted three hours, the longest a concert had ever at Soldier Field.[2]
In 2006, a Formula DRIFT race was held in the stadium's parking lot.[441]
Crowd at the AFL–CIO Working Families Vote Presidential Forum(from left to right) Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards and Kucinich during the AFL–CIO Working Families Vote Presidential Forum (Obama and Richardson, who were to the left of Biden, are not pictured)
The 2007 edition of the annual Special Olympics Chicago featured an opening ceremony with a performance by the Jesse White Tumbling Team and a speech from Special Olympics Illinois CEO Doug Snyder. The Keith Magnuson Spirit Award was presented by Keith's son Kevin Magnuson to the D.S. Wentworth School, largely due to the efforts of their lead coach Ophelia Doyle who accepted the award for the school's team.[2]
August 26, at the halftime of a high school football game at Soldier Field Fenwick and Hubbard at Soldier Field, Johnny Lattner's #34 jersey was retired by Fenwick. Lattner played for Fenwick when he was in high school, and would later go on to play football collegiately (where he would win the 1953 Heisman Trophy) and professionally. This was the first time Fenwick had ever retired a number.[445][446]
September 1 the NIU faced the University of Iowa in the first Division I College Football game at Soldier Field since its renovations. Iowa defeated NIU 16–3. A capacity crowd of 61,500 attended the game, setting a Mid-American Conference record for a home game in football (the match was considered a home game for NIU).[391]
May 30: 4,300 spectators were in attendance as Soldier Field played host to its first lacrosse match. For their season-opener the Major League Lacrosse's Chicago Machine faced the Boston Cannons at Soldier Field. The Cannons defeated the Machine 16–14. This was the first professional lacrosse match ever played within the city limits of Chicago, as all previous Chicago Machine games had been played in suburban locations.[449][450][451][452][453][454][455][456]
September 12 and 13 U2 kicked off the second leg of their 360° Tour with to sold-out concerts, with Snow Patrol and Interpol, attended by a cumulative 135,872 concertgoers.[32] These concerts opened up U2's 360° Tour in North America. One of the dates set Soldier Field's post-renovation attendance record at the time, with 67,936 spectators.[457][458][459][460]
September 15: Soldier Field hosted the 2009 Medal of Honor Convention.
May 2012, United States President Barack Obama held a NATO summit (the 2012 Chicago Summit) at Soldier Field.[465] Chicago was also supposed to host the 38th G8 summit just prior to the NATO summit, but on May 5, 2010, the White House announced a last-minute venue change for the G8 Summit. The G8 Summit was instead held at Camp David.[466]
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