worst football field in SWVA

[Notus 10]

The fields/stadiums I've been to as a fan of the Big Blue: Ernie Hicks, Grundy, Graham/Bluefield, Tazewell, Lebanon, Gate City, Abingdon, VA. High, Carroll County, Martinsville, Honaker, Marion, Giles, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Powell Valley.

 

I thought Grundy was about the worst from that list. But I'll be the first to admit that Ernie Hicks was never anything to write home about ... haven't been there since the new turf though.

 

EDIT: Sometimes you have to take the 'time of year' and such into consideration. Ernie Hicks was muddy as hell in 1992 during the state run and terrible, for instance. But as for overall worst field/football experience, I say Grundy from the ones I've seen personally though.

Edited September 26, 2009 by Notus

[floridabeaver 10]

Not in Virginia but Mt. View's stadium in Welch is horrible especially since they were once a triple a school. You have to park on the side of the road on a mountain and the field is one big mud hole. I know Bluefield's coaches used to tell the players not to take their helmets off while standing on the sidelines because the crowd has been known to throw beer bottles and anything else they get their hands on.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Mount View. That field is HORRIBLE.

And if you're visiting, have fun sitting on those rusted bleachers welded into the side of the hill.

 

And the fans are NOTORIOUS for juvenile, irresponsible behavior.

[GMan 3,569]

Everyone should attend a Mount View-Iaeger game or Mount View-Big Creek game in Welch at least once in their life...phenominal! LOL

[Bulldogs52 482]

When I played, it was always rumored that Gate City would water down the field all day long to make it more difficult for us to run the ball... I don't know if this is true or not? Made for a good rumor anyway. That is when the really tall QB played for them, Andy Smith, and a few others I can't remember.

1996, 1997

 

That QB would have been Shoemaker! He was awesome, went on to play Basketball at Wake...

[Bulldogs52 482]

The fields/stadiums I've been to as a fan of the Big Blue: Ernie Hicks, Grundy, Graham/Bluefield, Tazewell, Lebanon, Gate City, Abingdon, VA. High, Carroll County, Martinsville, Honaker, Marion, Giles, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Powell Valley.

 

I thought Grundy was about the worst from that list. But I'll be the first to admit that Ernie Hicks was never anything to write home about ... haven't been there since the new turf though.

 

EDIT: Sometimes you have to take the 'time of year' and such into consideration. Ernie Hicks was muddy as hell in 1992 during the state run and terrible, for instance. But as for overall worst field/football experience, I say Grundy from the ones I've seen personally though.

 

Grundy's is not a bad as it use to be! And with the new field house down in the endzone, and bleachers on the visiting side, not a bad little place as it once was!

[Guest Woolybugger]

"Tommy Thompson Field -- A Great Place to Roll an Ankle"

[Howdyfans 12]

Appalachia. Like playing on a graveled driveway.

[sup_rbeast 296]

Appalachia. Like playing on a graveled driveway.

 

Ya gotta be tough when ya visit Appy...I always loved playing on that field though...Seriously though, none of y'all ever been to Ervinton?..that is one piss poor place to play football.

[NewHampshireRed 94]

Ya gotta be tough when ya visit Appy...I always loved playing on that field though...Seriously though, none of y'all ever been to Ervinton?..that is one piss poor place to play football.

 

Amen... SO was Honaker befor the new field Turf, and so was Big Creeks old field.

[sup_rbeast 296]

The thing that always got me about Ervinton was in the back of one end zone there was a creek that you had to fish your extra point kicks out of and the other end zone smelled like a septic tank was leaking into it....not to mention the bleachers...

[Nadoball 18]

The fields/stadiums I've been to as a fan of the Big Blue: Ernie Hicks, Grundy, Graham/Bluefield, Tazewell, Lebanon, Gate City, Abingdon, VA. High, Carroll County, Martinsville, Honaker, Marion, Giles, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Powell Valley.

 

I thought Grundy was about the worst from that list. But I'll be the first to admit that Ernie Hicks was never anything to write home about ... haven't been there since the new turf though.

 

EDIT: Sometimes you have to take the 'time of year' and such into consideration. Ernie Hicks was muddy as hell in 1992 during the state run and terrible, for instance. But as for overall worst field/football experience, I say Grundy from the ones I've seen personally though.

 

Ernie Hicks is first class now. I didn't think it was all that bad before though.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Ernie Hicks is first class now. I didn't think it was all that bad before though.

 

It was one of my least favorite, due to that AWFUL crown in the middle. Heck, there was literally a foot difference in elevation from the sideline to the center of the field. Definitely fixed now from what I hear, but the field itself was poor before.

 

As impartial as I could be, too.

[mnhokie 10]

The field at Richlands was directly responsible for preventing a Graham RB the chance at a

D-1 football scholarship. The year was 1983 and you all know the player. That crown looked so high you could sled down it in the snow.

[blueinbama 259]

This has been years ago, and I don't even know if there is a field there anymore, but in the 7 & 8th grade we (Saltville) played Damascus in Damascus and the field was nothing but dirt and rocks. Is there still a school there?

 

I gotta feeling I'm gonna feel really stupid when I get the answer.

[Bulldogs52 482]

This has been years ago, and I don't even know if there is a field there anymore, but in the 7 & 8th grade we (Saltville) played Damascus in Damascus and the field was nothing but dirt and rocks. Is there still a school there?

 

I gotta feeling I'm gonna feel really stupid when I get the answer.

 

You sure you don't feel that way regardless if you get an answer or not? I kid I kid!

[84Cavalier 10]

This has been years ago, and I don't even know if there is a field there anymore, but in the 7 & 8th grade we (Saltville) played Damascus in Damascus and the field was nothing but dirt and rocks. Is there still a school there?

 

I gotta feeling I'm gonna feel really stupid when I get the answer.

 

If you are talking prior to 1964, you played in Backer Park in Damascus and it was a baseball field, filled with rocks and dirt. Emory Hill used to sow rocks on the field just for that purpose. Emphasis on rocks. My dad was the announcer on the P.A. System. Those were the Tommy Francisco (Va Tech) and Bob Anderson (Tennessee) days in Damascus when anyone who played Damascus got a face full of rocks and were grateful for them. Saltville was their only legitimate competition because of the mills there. If you are talking after that time period, then there were no rocks at all. (As an aside, Backer Park has been taken over by the Washington County School Board and is now a delightful place for a baseball game - baseball only!)

[blueinbama 259]

Thanks. In 1964 I would have been in the 7th grade, so that must be the place. Worst field I ever played on.

[Nadoball 18]

The field at Richlands was directly responsible for preventing a Graham RB the chance at a

D-1 football scholarship. The year was 1983 and you all know the player. That crown looked so high you could sled down it in the snow.

 

We tried to get them to install trap doors on the new field in case a fast RB got loose around the corner, but we didn't get it.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

The field at Richlands was directly responsible for preventing a Graham RB the chance at a

D-1 football scholarship. The year was 1983 and you all know the player. That crown looked so high you could sled down it in the snow.

 

My uncle was a senior on the '83 team, and I've heard that story several times from others.

He still personally will not talk about that, 25+ years later.

[BigD4VT 11]

It was one of my least favorite, due to that AWFUL crown in the middle. Heck, there was literally a foot difference in elevation from the sideline to the center of the field. Definitely fixed now from what I hear, but the field itself was poor before.

 

As impartial as I could be, too.

It was four feet according to an engineer from EMATS. It had to be though because the field pulled double duty as a drainage system for the parking lot, tennis courts, and Jones Chapel Road. Now, most of the water from the tennis courts is caught by a drain EMATS installed at the bottom of that little hill, and the field is protected by the concrete curb. But water from the parking lot, road, etc. pools up on the track with no place to go. When the county paved the track they sloped it towards the field - which is the exact opposite of what they were advised to do... track should be sloped away from the field - but they did such a lousy job the water can't get to it. It amazes me (not a stab at Graham) that the county can pay $50k a year for Graham to use Mitchell but they can't install a drain for the parking lot or build a proper track at Richlands.

 

So yes, the old field was horrible but don't blame the people (volunteers) from Richlands who spent countless hours working on it. Blame Tazewell County for doing everything cheap and backwards.