- Dillon Stadium
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Dillon Stadium is a stadium in Hartford, Connecticut, with a capacity of 20,000.
Sports
Founded by football coach John Dillon, Dillon Stadium was the home of two minor league football teams in the 1960s and 70s: the Hartford Charter Oaks, owned by the Brewer family, and the Hartford Knights. Dillon is now used primarily for high school football teams, including the Bulkeley Bulldogs, the Sport Medical Tigers, the Prince Tech Falcons, and the Capitol Prep Trailblazers. Dillon also hosts the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Game between Hartford Public Owls and the Weaver Beavers.
In 1975, the Hartford Bicentennials soccer team joined the North American Soccer League and played their home matches at Dillon Stadium. After two seasons in Hartford (and drawing less than 4,000 fans a game), the club moved to the Yale Bowl in New Haven in 1977.
The Hartford Colonials of the United Football League, in part because of a change of management at Rentschler Field, experienced significant delays in renewing their lease for the 2011 season and had backup plans to relocate to Dillon Stadium (or Willow Brook Park), although neither venue was believed to be ideal for the UFL.[1] The Colonials did sign a deal with Rentschler in June, but suspended operations on August 10, 2011; it is not known if the team will return in 2012.
Concerts
On June 27, 1966, The Rolling Stones played in Dillon Stadium, supported by The McCoys (with their up-and-coming guitarist, Rick Derringer). Near the end of the Stones' performance, fans rushed the stage, so electricity to the amplifiers was cut. Mick Jagger threw his microphone stand out into the crowd and the Stones then left the venue, as fans began breaking chairs. Police gathered the crowd towards the exits.
The Beach Boys performed there in 1965. Coordinates: 41°45′13.62″N 72°39′39.82″W / 41.7537833°N 72.6610611°W
On July 16, 1972, the Grateful Dead played in Dillon Stadium and were joined on stage by Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley and Jai Johanny Johanson of the Allman Brothers. [2]
References
- ^ Doyle, Paul (2011-06-09). Hartford Colonials Announce 2011 Schedule; Still Seek Home Field Agreement. Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
- ^ Grateful Dead Set Lists
Categories:- American football venues in Connecticut
- Sports venues in Hartford, Connecticut
- Minor league baseball venues
- High school football venues in the United States
- Soccer venues in Connecticut
- Northeastern United States sports venue stubs
- Connecticut building and structure stubs
- Sports venues in Connecticut
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