Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

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Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
RFK Stadium
Location	2400 East Capitol Street Southeast Washington, D.C. 20003
Broke ground	1959
Opened	October 1, 1961
Owner	District of Columbia
Operator	D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission
Surface	Grass (Prescription Athletic Turf)
Construction cost	U.S.$20 million
Architect	George A. Dahl; Osborn Engineering
Former names
D.C. Stadium (1961-1968)
Tenants
Washington Redskins (NFL) (1961-1996) Washington Senators (II) (AL) (1962-1971) Washington Whips (USA) (1968) Washington Darts (NASL) (1971) Washington Diplomats (NASL, USL1) (1974-1981, 1991) Team America (NASL) (1983) Washington Federals (USFL) (1983-1984) D.C. United (MLS) (1996-present) Washington Freedom (WUSA) (2001-2003) Washington Nationals (NL) (2005-present)
Capacity
45,596 (2005 Baseball) 56,692 (2005 Football & Soccer)
Dimensions
Left Field: 335 ft (102 m) Left-Center: 380 ft (116 m) Center Field: 410 ft (125 m) Right-Center: 380 ft (116 m) Right Field: 335 ft (102 m) Backstop: 54 ft (16.5 m)

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, informally known as RFK Stadium (or just RFK), is a professional sports stadium in the United States. Opened in October 1961 as D.C. Stadium, RFK was the home of the NFL's Washington Redskins for 36 seasons, from 1961 through 1996. The Redskins moved to FedExField in suburban Maryland for the 1997 season. RFK Stadium also served as the home to the expansion Washington Senators of the American League from 1962 through 1971. For the 1972 season, the Senators moved to Arlington, Texas and were renamed the Texas Rangers, after the state-wide law enforcers of that same name. RFK now serves as the home of D.C. United of Major League Soccer and the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball's National League. Concerts featuring renowned rock bands and performers still take place at the stadium. It has also hosted soccer matches in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and 2003 Women's World Cup.

The stadium was renamed for U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in January 1969, who was slain in Los Angeles the previous June. As Attorney General, Kennedy's Justice Department played a role in the racial integration of the Redskins, threatening not to let the team move into the federally-owned stadium until it promised to sign African American players.

A complex conversion is necessary, at a cost of $40,000 per switch, to move the stadium seating from the baseball to the soccer/football configuration and back again. This includes rolling the 3rd-base lower-level seats into the outfield along a buried rail, dropping the hydraulic pitcher's mound 3 feet into the ground, and laying sod over the infield dirt. RFK was the first major stadium designed specifically as a multisport facility for both football and baseball - subsequent facilities have been adjusted for this problem in order to be able to change their seating configuration much more quickly and at a lower cost. In 2005, the conversion was made over 20 times.

It is the 4th oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball behind Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

The stadium is expected to be demolished after both the Washington Nationals and D.C. United move into their new stadiums.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 History 2 Dimensions 3 New developments 4 Memorable games and moments at RFK Stadium 5 Washington Hall of Stars 6 Public transportation 7 Food vendors 8 Racing Presidents 9 Stadium tenants 9.1 Current 9.2 Former 10 References 11 External links

[edit] History

RFK Stadium was home to the Redskins for 36 seasons, whose return to prominence as a football power began the same year (1960) the baseball Senators left the city. The Redskins' first game in D.C. Stadium was a 24-21 loss to the New York Giants on October 1, 1961. The team's first win in the stadium was over its future archrival, the Dallas Cowboys on December 17, 1961. This was the only win in a 1-12-1 season, and it came on the final weekend of the regular season. The Redskins' last win at RFK was a 37-10 victory over the Cowboys on December 22, 1996 capping a disappointing 9-7 season.

As a baseball park, RFK is unique in having only an upper deck across the outfield, atop a high wall. The stadium hosted its first baseball All-Star Game in its first season of 1962, which was attended by Robert Kennedy's brother, President John F. Kennedy (in whose administration Robert Kennedy served as Attorney General), and the 1969 All-Star Game, which was played in the daytime after a rainout the night before.

Another memorable baseball moment occurred in a Cracker Jack Old Timers game in 1982, when 75 year-old Hall of Famer Luke Appling hit a home run. Although he had a .310 lifetime batting average, Appling only hit 45 home runs in 20 seasons. However, because the stadium had not been fully reconfigured, it was just 260 feet to the left-field foul pole, far shorter than normal.

In its tenure as the Senators' home field, RFK Stadium was known as a hitters' park. Slugger Frank Howard, a six-foot-seven-inch tall, 255-pound left fielder, hit a number of tape-measure home runs in his career, a few of which landed in the center field area of the upper deck. The seats Howard hit with his home runs are painted white, rather than the gold of the rest of the upper deck. Howard also hit the last home run in the park's original tenure, on September 30, 1971. With one out remaining in the game, a fan riot turned a 7-5 Senators lead over the New York Yankees into a 9-0 forfeit loss.

In its reconfiguration for baseball for the 2005 season, RFK is now recognized as a park that favors pitchers. While Howard hit at least 44 home runs for three straight seasons (1968-70), the 2005 Nationals had only one hitter with more than 15 home runs, Jose Guillen with 24.

With its revival as a major league baseball facility, RFK Stadium now displaces Dodger Stadium as the fourth oldest major league ballpark, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium (which was significantly remodeled in 1974-75, re-opening in 1976). D.C. Stadium's first baseball game was the day before Dodger Stadium's first game, and it was opened for football the previous fall. The final baseball game at RFK Stadium is scheduled for September 23, 2007 when the Nats host the Philadelphia Phillies.

From 1993-1998, fall 1999, 2001-2004 former rock radio station 99.1 WHFS held its annual HFStival rock concert at RFK Stadium.

[edit] Dimensions

The dimensions of the baseball field were 335 ft. down the foul lines, 380 ft. to the power alleys and 408 ft. to center field during the Senators time. The official distances when the Nationals arrived were identical, except for two additional feet to center field. It was discovered during mid-season that the fence had actually been put in place incorrectly, and it was closer to 400 ft. to the power alleys and 420 ft. to center field, making it significantly harder to hit home runs. The error could not be fixed until the 2006 season due to Major League Baseball's rules.

[edit] New developments

On September 29, 2004, Major League Baseball announced its intentions to move the Montreal Expos to Washington, D.C. and rename them the Washington Nationals. RFK Stadium has undergone a $13 million dollar renovation, and is planned to be used for a total of three years for the new baseball team, while a $611 million dollar state-of-the-art stadium is built one block north of the Anacostia River at South Capitol Street. Their first regular-season home game at RFK was April 14, 2005, vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On April 14, 2005, just before the Nationals' home opener, the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission announced an agreement with the Department of Defense under which the military would pay the city about $6 million for the right to place recruiting kiosks and signage in the stadium. In return, the stadium would be dubbed Armed Forces Field at RFK Stadium. This plan was dropped within days, however, after several prominent members of Congress questioned the use of public funds for a stadium sponsorship. Similar proposals to sell the naming rights to the National Guard, ProFunds (a Bethesda, MD investment company) and Sony have been proposed, but no agreement has been finalized.

One of the details that was contingent on the Expos relocating to Washington was the development of a new ballpark. Consequently, RFK Stadium was never intended to be the permanent home of the Nationals, but rather, hold the team over until construction on a new facility was complete. Nationals Ballpark, which will be located on the Anacostia River, broke ground on May 4, 2006 and is scheduled to be opened by Opening Day 2008.

On November 15, 2006 local news outlets report that there have been preliminary, informal talks between members of the government of the District of Columbia and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder about tearing down RFK Stadium and building the Redskins a new domed stadium on the site after the Nationals and D.C. United move to new stadiums in the city in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Reports say that Snyder would sell off the FedExField site and use that money to build the new stadium which would seat between 90,000 and 100,000 fans.[1] It is speculated that this plan interests Snyder because a domed stadium would almost guarantee the NFL would pick Washington, D.C. as a Super Bowl host city.

[edit] Memorable games and moments at RFK Stadium

• After trailing the Cowboys 24-6 halfway through the third quarter on November 28, 1965 quarterback Sonny Jurgensen leads the Redskins to 21 fourth quarter points and a 34-31 comeback victory.
• The Redskins beat the New York Giants 72-41 on November 27, 1966. The 113 combined points are the most ever scored in an NFL game.
• In the Washington Senators' final home game, on September 30, 1971, the Senators lead the New York Yankees 7-5 with two outs left in the top of the ninth. Fans storm the field and tear up bases, grass patches, and anything else they can find for souvenirs. The Senators forfeit the game, 9-0.
• On December 31, 1972 the Redskins defeat the Cowboys 26-3 in the NFC Championship game to earn a trip to Super Bowl VII.
• On June 10, 1973 The Grateful Dead performed what was perhaps their most legendary concert before a sold out crowd. For the final set of the three set show they were joined by the Allman Brothers Band. More than 100,000 Deadheads showed up for the concert.
• In a Monday Night Football game on October 8, 1973 Redskins safety Ken Houston stops Cowboys' receiver Walt Garrison at the goal line as time expired to secure a win.
• December 17, 1977 - the Redskins defeat the Los Angeles Rams 17-14 in what would be head coach George Allen's final game with the team.
• September 21, 1980; in the 1980 Soccer Bowl; the New York Cosmos defeat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3-0.
• October 25, 1981 - the Redskins narrowly beat the New England Patriots 24-22 to earn head coach Joe Gibbs his first win at RFK Stadium.
• January 22, 1983 - the stadium physically shakes as a capacity crowd of 54,000 chant "We Want Dallas" taunting the hated Cowboys in the NFC Championship game. The Redskins go on to defeat the Cowboys 31-17 to earn a trip to Super Bowl XVII where they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 to claim the franchise's first Super Bowl win.
• September 5, 1983 - Redskins' rookie cornerback Darrell Green chases down Cowboys' running back Tony Dorsett from behind to prevent him from scoring. The Redskins go on to lose the game 31-30.
• November 18, 1985 - Giants' linebacker Lawrence Taylor sacks Redskins' quarterback Joe Theismann severely breaking his leg and ending his NFL career. Backup quarterback Jay Schroeder comes in and leads the Redskins to a 23-21 victory.
• January 17, 1988 Cornerback Darrell Green knocks down a Wade Wilson pass at the goal line to clinch a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game. The Redskins go on to defeat the Denver Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII.
• January 4, 1992 - In a pouring rain, the Redskins beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-7 in the Divisional round of the playoffs. After a touchdown scored by Redskins fullback Gerald Riggs with 6:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, the fans shower the field with the free yellow seat cushions given to them when they entered the stadium.
• January 12, 1992 - the Redskins destroy the Detroit Lions 41-10 in the NFC Championship game earning a trip to Super Bowl XXVI where they beat the Buffalo Bills 37-24.
• December 13, 1992 - Redskins coach Joe Gibbs coaches what would be his last win at RFK Stadium. The Redskins defeat the Cowboys 20-17.
• July 2, 1994 – The 1994 FIFA World Cup concludes its play in RFK as Spain defeats Switzerland 3–0 in the Round of Sixteen. (RFK had earlier hosted four group-play games.)
• October 30, 1996 - Ten days after winning the first Major League Soccer title, D.C. United defeats the Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-1 in the U.S. Open Cup final, achieving the first "double" in American soccer history.
• December 22, 1996 - The Redskins win their last game in the stadium, defeating their arch-rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, 37-10. In a halftime ceremony, several past Redskins greats were introduced, wearing replicas of the jerseys of their time. After the game, fans storm the field and rip up chunks of grass as souvenirs. In the parking lot, fans are seen walking away with the stadium's maroon and yellow seats.
• October 26, 1997 - D.C. United defeats the Colorado Rapids 2-1 to win their second consecutive MLS Cup.
• August 16, 1998 - D.C. United defeats C.D. Toluca of Mexico 1-0 to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, becoming the first American team to do so and marking their first victory in an international tournament.
• October 15, 2000 - the Kansas City Wizards defeat the Chicago Fire 1-0 to win their first MLS Cup.
• April 14, 2001 - the Washington Freedom defeat the Bay Area CyberRays 1-0 in the inaugural match of the Women's United Soccer Association.
• July 21, 2002 - Jan Magnussen and David Brabham win the American Le Mans Series' only running of the National Grand Prix in a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S.
• August 3, 2002 - In the MLS All-Star Game, a team of MLS players defeat the U.S. Men's National Team 3-2. D.C. United midfielder Marco Etcheverry is named MVP.
• April 3, 2004 - Freddy Adu debuted with D.C. United at RFK with a sell-out soccer crowd of 24,603^[1].
• November 6, 2004 - D.C. United win the Eastern Conference final by tying the New England Revolution 3-3 and advancing on penalty kicks. They would go on to defeat the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 in the MLS Cup.
• April 14, 2005 - Washington Nationals defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, before a crowd of 45,596, to win their first home opener in Washington, D.C. They go on to sweep the 3-game series.
• April 11, 2006, vice president Dick Cheney is loudly booed upon throwing out the first pitch at the Nationals 2006 home opener. The Nats go on to lose to the Mets 7-1. [2]
• June 18, 2006 - Washington Nationals defeat the New York Yankees on Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off home run, in front of a sellout crowd of 45,157 fans.

[edit] Washington Hall of Stars

During the Redskins' tenure, the Washington Hall of Stars was displayed on a series of white-and-red signs hung in a ring around the stadium's mezzanine, honoring D.C. sports greats from various sports. With the reconfiguration of the stadium, it was replaced by a series of dark green banners over the center field and right field fences in order to make room for out-of-town scoreboards and advertising signage. There are 15 separate panels honoring 82 figures.

• Panel 1 (furthest to the left when viewed from home plate, names read here from left to right are listed from top of display to bottom): Redskins football players Cliff Battles, Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell, Chris Hanburger, Jerry Smith, Len Hauss, Sammy Baugh and Pat Fischer.
• Panel 2: Redskins Brig Owens, Larry Brown, Sonny Jurgensen, team founder-owner George Marshall, Vince Lombardi (who coached them for one season before his death), Dave Butz, Art Monk and Dick James.
• Panel 3: Redskins Vince Promuto, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Mark Moseley, Doug Williams, John Riggins, coach George Allen and Ken Houston.
• Panel 4: Redskins Joe Theismann, Billy Kilmer, Wayne Millner, Sam Huff, Gene Brito, Eddie LeBaron, Charlie Justice and Bill Dudley.
• Panel 5: Edward Bennett Williams, Arthur "Dutch" Bergman and Jack Kent Cooke. Williams and Cooke were Redskins owners. Bergman coached in D.C. at The Catholic University of America, and then ran the corporation that lobbied for the building of RFK Stadium.
• Panel 6: "New Senators" manager Gil Hodges, "Old Senators" player and manager Joe Cronin, New Senator Frank Howard, Old Senator owner Clark Griffith, and Old Senators Goose Goslin and George Case.
• Panel 7: Josh Gibson, Bucky Harris, Walter Johnson, Chuck Hinton, Eddie Yost and George Selkirk. Gibson played for the Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues. Harris, Johnson and Yost played for the Old Senators. Harris also managed the Old Senators. Hinton played for the New Senators. Selkirk, who played for the Yankees, was the general manager of the New Senators.
• Panel 8: "Old Senators" Mickey Vernon, Roy Sievers, Cecil Travis, Early Wynn, Joe Judge, Harmon Killebrew, Ossie Bluege and Grays star Walter "Buck" Leonard. Vernon also managed the New Senators.
• Panel 9: Basketball figures Bones McKinney, Arnold "Red" Auerbach, Abe Pollin, Bob Ferry, Phil Chenier, Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. McKinney played for the NBA's Washington Capitols. Auerbach played in D.C. for George Washington University and coached the Capitols. Pollin owned the Baltimore Bullets and moved them to Washington, where they became the "Capital Bullets," "Washington Bullets" and now the "Washington Wizards." He also founded the NHL's Washington Capitals and built two area arenas: The Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland and the MCI Center (now the Verizon Center) in downtown Washington. Ferry played for the Bullets in Baltimore and was their general manager in Washington. Chenier, Unseld and Hayes played for the Bullets in both cities. Unseld later coached them.
• Panel 10: Olympic swimming gold medalist Melissa Belote, broadcaster Jim Gibbons, and golf figures Lee Elder and Deane Beman.
• Panel 11: Capitals hockey star Rod Langway, tennis players Pauline Betz Addie and Donald Dell, and jockey Sonny Workman.
• Panel 12: Boxers Bobby Foster, Marty Gallagher, Holly Mims, Sugar Ray Leonard and Steve Mamakos.
• Panel 13: Soccer player Theodore "Ted" Chambers, soccer player and coach Gordon Bradley, sportswriters Morris "Mo" Siegel and Shirley Povich, and Griffith Stadium and RFK Stadium public-address announcer Charles Brotman.
• Panel 14: "Heroes of Sept. 11th."
• Panel 15: Musician Dave Williams.

To the right of Panel 15 are four banners honoring D.C. United's MLS Cup wins: 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004. To the right of these banners is D.C. United's "Tradition of Excellence" banner, which honors John Harkes and Marco Etcheverry.

[edit] Public transportation

RFK Stadium is within half a mile and easily accessible from the Stadium-Armory station of the Washington Metro. The station is served by both the blue and orange Metrorail lines, as well as by Metrobus lines B2, D6, E32 (at Eastern High School), 96, and 97.

[edit] Food vendors

RFK is home to such eateries as:

• Forescore Grill
• The Diamond Club
• Burrito Brothers
• Dominic's of New York
• Stars and Stripes Brew
• Red, Hot & Blue BBQ

[edit] Racing Presidents

Main articles: Presidents Race

During every Nationals game, RFK Stadium hosts a race of former Presidents of the United States. The promotion began in 2005 as a scoreboard animation. However, in 2006, the race began taking place on the field, with four people wearing caricature heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt entering the field through the right field fence in foul territory, and racing to the area behind home plate. The race has become a fan favorite in Washington, partially a result of the lackluster Nationals season. Most likely, this is inspired by or a homage to the popular Milwaukee Brewers' Sausage Race promotion and Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogie Races.

A running gag in the races has featured Roosevelt's continuing inability to win, having been (among other things) blocked by other Presidents, becoming disoriented and running into the outfield, and disqualified for using a golf cart.

[edit] Stadium tenants

[edit] Current

• D.C. United (1996-2008)
• Washington Nationals (2005-2007)

[edit] Former

• Washington Redskins (1961-1996)
• Washington Federals (1983-1984)
• Washington Senators (1962-1971)
• Washington Freedom (2001-2003)
• Washington Diplomats (1974-1981), (1991).
• Washington Darts (1971)
• Washington Whips (1968)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Nationals' Official RFK Stadium Page
• Brief History of RFK Stadium

Coordinates: 38°53′23.13″N, 76°58′18.51″W

Preceded by Griffith Stadium 1937–1960	Home of the Washington Redskins 1961–1996	Succeeded by Jack Kent Cooke Stadium 1997–present
Preceded by Griffith Stadium 1961	Home of the Washington Senators 1962–1971	Succeeded by Arlington Stadium 1972–1993
Preceded by Olympic Stadium 1977–2004	Home of the Washington Nationals 2005–2007	Succeeded by Nationals Ballpark
Preceded by first stadium	Home of D.C. United 1996–2009	Succeeded by Poplar Point Stadium planned for 2009
Preceded by Fenway Park 2nd Game	Host of the All-Star Game 1962 1st Game	Succeeded by Wrigley Field 2nd Game
Preceded by Astrodome	Host of the All-Star Game 1969	Succeeded by Riverfront Stadium

Current Stadiums in Major League Soccer
Western Conference		Eastern Conference
Dick's Sporting Goods Park | The Home Depot Center | Pizza Hut Park | Rice-Eccles Stadium | Robertson Stadium		Arrowhead Stadium | BMO Field | Columbus Crew Stadium | Giants Stadium | Gillette Stadium | RFK Memorial Stadium | Toyota Park

Current ballparks in Major League Baseball
National League		American League
AT&T Park | Busch Stadium | Chase Field | Citizens Bank Park | Coors Field | Dodger Stadium | Dolphin Stadium | Great American Ball Park | Miller Park | Minute Maid Park | PETCO Park | PNC Park | RFK Stadium | Shea Stadium | Turner Field | Wrigley Field		Angel Stadium | Comerica Park | Fenway Park | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Jacobs Field | Kauffman Stadium | McAfee Coliseum | Oriole Park | Rangers Ballpark | Rogers Centre | Safeco Field | Tropicana Field | U.S. Cellular Field | Yankee Stadium

Venues of the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA
Citrus Bowl (Orlando) • Cotton Bowl (Dallas) • Foxboro Stadium (Boston) • Giants Stadium (New York/New Jersey) • Pontiac Silverdome (Detroit) • RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.) • Rose Bowl (Los Angeles) • Soldier Field (Chicago) • Stanford Stadium (San Francisco)