Rhea Stadium in Russellville is celebrating it's 75th year on football this Friday the 26th when the Panther's do battle with long time rival Franklin-Simpson. If you come you will get to see two things. A good football game and Macdon wearing Black and Gold....
Rhea Stadium 75th year.
- Thread starter bravebirdie
- Start date
Interesting. I copied the following information (re-worded for my notes) from the Madisonville Messenger of that day:
"Russellville's new $100,000 stadium...built by the WPA and similar to the one in Madisonville...was opened 9-20-40. Kentucky's governor and lieutenant governor and Tennessee's governor were on hand for the opening game."
"Russellville's new $100,000 stadium...built by the WPA and similar to the one in Madisonville...was opened 9-20-40. Kentucky's governor and lieutenant governor and Tennessee's governor were on hand for the opening game."
-----First game played at Rhea was Thanksgiving Day, 1939 and Russellville played Bowling Green and the game ended in a 6-6 tie-----
Thanks for the info. Now my notes read:
"Russellville's new $100,000 stadium...built by the WPA and similar to the one in Madisonville...Kentucky's governor and lieutenant governor and Tennessee's governor were on hand for the dedication game 9-20-40.
First game actually played at Rhea Stadium was Thanksgiving Day, 1939. Russellville played Bowling Green to a 6-6 tie."
"Russellville's new $100,000 stadium...built by the WPA and similar to the one in Madisonville...Kentucky's governor and lieutenant governor and Tennessee's governor were on hand for the dedication game 9-20-40.
First game actually played at Rhea Stadium was Thanksgiving Day, 1939. Russellville played Bowling Green to a 6-6 tie."
I know $100,000 was a lot of money in 1939! They built things to last back in the day. That's the same year the Nazis invaded Poland. Wow! May she last 75 more years!
Loved playong there in HS, very unique. The hill ntheendzone and the dropoff on the visitors side! Played there twice and it was always a goos atmoshphere
I still can see the dustin snyder hit on punt coverage, laid our returner out!
That and the fake knee for a TD, Farmy i played for Hancock do youremember either of those?
I still can see the dustin snyder hit on punt coverage, laid our returner out!
That and the fake knee for a TD, Farmy i played for Hancock do youremember either of those?
I'm sad I am late to this thread. Miss posting on here with you guys. Rhea Stadium truly is a special place. Some of my earliest memories of RHS sports involve a man parachuting into Rhea Stadium to deliver the game ball. No idea why it happened, but its in my memory bank somewhere.
Subsonic, I remember those games against your Hancock team well. Think we had some good discussion on here regarding those as well. Especially after your fans shoveled some manure or something under the away bleachers. All i remember from that trip is the worst smell I've ever sat through a game to watch. Seems like I remember you guys letting the field grow extra long to try to slow down some of our speed. Man we had some good matchups there for a while.
Mac, I meant to speak to you at the FS game, but I'm glad you got to be there to celebrate it with us, and what a game we got to see. Our team just got a little worn down, and we definitely missed to of our DE's/LB's being out there, but those are the breaks.
Not sure many of you guys keep up with it, but i'm the Head Coach of the RHS Soccer team now. First time we have had a varsity team since 2010. We were actually able to play some of our games at Rhea Stadium. I have to say it was pretty humbling to get to coach on the same sidelines as so many of the legends that have coached in that place, albeit a different sport.
Rhea Stadium truly is one of the special places in all of KY high school athletics, and I hope it has many strong years ahead.
Subsonic, I remember those games against your Hancock team well. Think we had some good discussion on here regarding those as well. Especially after your fans shoveled some manure or something under the away bleachers. All i remember from that trip is the worst smell I've ever sat through a game to watch. Seems like I remember you guys letting the field grow extra long to try to slow down some of our speed. Man we had some good matchups there for a while.
Mac, I meant to speak to you at the FS game, but I'm glad you got to be there to celebrate it with us, and what a game we got to see. Our team just got a little worn down, and we definitely missed to of our DE's/LB's being out there, but those are the breaks.
Not sure many of you guys keep up with it, but i'm the Head Coach of the RHS Soccer team now. First time we have had a varsity team since 2010. We were actually able to play some of our games at Rhea Stadium. I have to say it was pretty humbling to get to coach on the same sidelines as so many of the legends that have coached in that place, albeit a different sport.
Rhea Stadium truly is one of the special places in all of KY high school athletics, and I hope it has many strong years ahead.
Woody we did have some great convos by the natural divisional rivalry we had. Always talked to Meyers after the game. I don't know about the manure but there was a livestock fields close by. Well was that big fB you guys had in 06?
Probably would have been Jamarcus Gordon. He was in the same class as Dustin Sydnor. That class was just loaded. Also had Mikie Benton at QB/DB who played at UK, and Donnie Bigbee who played 4 years at Campbellsville. Several other good players as well.
Yep that's him he beat me at the meet of champions at Hopkinsville in discus! I beat him at region missing state by 2 in!
i remember Benton he was suspended the first half of our game in 06, it was 7-7 at half, then ended the game 21-7!
i remember Benton he was suspended the first half of our game in 06, it was 7-7 at half, then ended the game 21-7!
Mac, that was my freshman year in college. I looked up the score and vaguely remember the game but i'm not for sure if I was there or not. Refresh my memory.
I've got an old soul, haha. 26 years old though. Started posting on here like my sophomore year of high school or something like that. Had some good times.
That's what I was thinking Mac. Courtney was a heck of a player. His bro was just as good of a basketball player. They both seemed like good people as well. Always enjoyed our matchups. Wish Courtney could've stayed healthy at WKU. Hope they are both doing well.