Fetzer Field

In the chronology

1. 1927–1941 Annual benefit football games fund Chapel Hill's Black public health nurse From 1927 a yearly football game between Black teams, sponsored by the University YMCA, raised money for the public health nurse serving Chapel Hill's Black community, a project run by the Community Club. The 1941 game, played on Fetzer Field, involved the Orange County Training School and raised $275 net. People: Harry F. Comer The Chapel Hill Weekly, November 21, 1941, p. 1 (Negro Game Next Week)
2. May 9, 1936 The University dedicates its new stadium as Fetzer Field On "Fetzer Day" the University dedicated its new track stadium, named Fetzer Field for its athletic director of fifteen years, with a track meet against the Naval Academy. The Monogram Club ran the celebration and invited every letterman since athletics began at the University. Chapel Hill Weekly: "Fetzer Day" (May 8, 1936), p. 1 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, May 15, 1936, p. 4
3. October 6-9, 1938 About 1,800 Boy Scouts camp on the University campus for the Region Six Jubilee Scouts from the two Carolinas, invited by the University, pitched tents on Emerson Field, behind the law building and in the grove by the library for the second Jubilee of Region Six, with campfires and a Scout-o-Rama on Fetzer Field, a parade up Franklin Street arranged by the Merchants Association, meals at Swain Hall and a field hospital run by the infirmary. National Chief Scout Executive James E. West was to be guest at the Saturday campfire, and the program called for the Scouts to attend the Carolina-Tulane game and break camp on Sunday. People: Russell M. (Russell Marvin) Grumman, Harold D. Meyer The Chapel Hill Weekly, October 7, 1938, p. 1
4. December 3, 1938 The Orange County Training School football game clears nearly $100 for the Black nursing service The University YMCA's annual benefit football game, begun eight years before, matched the Orange County Training School against Dudley High School of Greensboro on Fetzer Field, with four University varsity players as officials; Chapel Hill won, and the game cleared almost $100 toward the nursing service for Black families too poor to pay for it. The Chapel Hill Weekly, December 9, 1938, p. 5
5. November 22, 1940 A Training School football game raises $200 for Chapel Hill's Black community nurse The Orange County Training School beat the Creecy school of Rich Square on Fetzer Field in a benefit game that netted $200 for the nurse who served the Black residents of Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Harry Comer of the Y.M.C.A., which managed the game, said it was the best result since the first such game eleven years earlier. People: Harry F. Comer The Chapel Hill Weekly, December 6, 1940, p. 1
6. November 28, 1941 Benefit football game raises $275 for the Black public health nurse fund The Black school's football game against Lexington on Fetzer Field, sponsored by the University YMCA, cleared $275 for the public health nurse fund for Black residents, $50 more than the year before. YMCA secretary Harry Comer said it drew the biggest crowd since the games began in 1927, and members of the University Janitors Association sold $160 of the 25-cent tickets. People: Harry F. Comer The Chapel Hill Weekly, December 5, 1941, p. 1
7. April 10, 1943 World champion Cornelius Warmerdam vaults 15 feet 2 inches at Fetzer Field Ensign Cornelius Warmerdam, the world record holder in the pole vault, who was taking his Navy indoctrination at Chapel Hill, cleared 15 feet 2 inches for the Pre-Flight team in a dual meet with Duke on Fetzer Field before about 2,000 people, his 34th vault over 15 feet. Duke won the meet, 65 to 61. Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), April 17, 1943, p. 3
8. May 9, 1944 Eddie Rickenbacker speaks to cadets and townspeople at Fetzer Field Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, the leading American ace of the First World War, inspected the Pre-Flight program and spoke at Fetzer Field to 1,600 cadets in a crowd of about 5,000 that included university students and townspeople, urging physical fitness and teamwork. The school and the university's International Relations Club sponsored the visit, and Captain W. S. Popham introduced him. Cloudbuster (Navy Pre-Flight School, Chapel Hill), May 13, 1944, p. 1
9. November 28, 1944 Army troops stage a chemical warfare show and war bond rally at Fetzer Field Soldiers from Camp Butner put on a chemical warfare demonstration and war bond rally on Fetzer Field for the Sixth War Loan, laying smoke screens and showing colored smoke signals, gas grenades and flame throwers, with the 225th Army Ground Forces band. Local arrangements were made by the Navy Pre-Flight School and the Carrboro munitions plant. Chapel Hill High School student newspaper, November 30, 1944, p. 1
10. October 7, 1953 The pageant The Road to Orange opens the county bicentennial week On the opening night of the six-day bicentennial, a local cast of more than 150 presented The Road to Orange, an outdoor drama of the county from 1740 to 1800 acted in pantomime to voices from backstage, on a 200-foot stage at the Hillsboro High School athletic field with seats for 2,000 and fireworks to close. Directed by UNC graduate students Jim Leonard and John Haney with Samuel Selden of the Carolina Playmakers as adviser, it was to play four nights in Hillsboro and two on Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill. People: Samuel Selden, John Ehle, Luther James Phipps The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), October 8, 1953, p. 9

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