Biggest Crowd at Hanson Field

Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:50 pm

It's our field, but since it's not actually the Leathernecks, I thought I'd go best in this section. I was flipping through some of my old photos this evening and came across a photo of the largest crowd I've ever seen at Hanson Field. I wasn't around for the record-setting crowds of the early '70s, but I'd have to imagine this was pretty close to how it was at home games back then.
This was August 2004...11 years ago...Chicago Bears vs St. Louis Rams...at Hanson Field.

This photo shows just one section of the east side stands, but every section looked like this, and the hills were pretty well packed as well.

sealhall74 · Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:33 am

Even people watching from their backyard. If I owned one of those houses on the east side, I would have put up the biggest damn playhouse (maybe even a tree house) that I could afford. Stick it right up next to the fence - all within code of course.

leatherface · Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:46 am

My wife and I attended that "game". Very nice day weather wise, and yes, a great crowd and atmosphere. A year or so prior to that- or maybe after that event, the Titans were also at the Rams camp for a scrimmage.

Having the Rams on campus was a great plug for WIU. Kurt Warner and the crew brought a lot of folks to campus for the pre-season practices, not to mention how the Rams helped with facilities.

Fri Dec 04, 2015 9:11 am

leatherface wrote:My wife and I attended that "game". Very nice day weather wise, and yes, a great crowd and atmosphere. A year or so prior to that- or maybe after that event, the Titans were also at the Rams camp for a scrimmage.

Having the Rams on campus was a great plug for WIU. Kurt Warner and the crew brought a lot of folks to campus for the pre-season practices, not to mention how the Rams helped with facilities.

They did the Rams/Titans scrimmage in 2000...it was a rematch of the Super Bowl from January that year, when the Rams beat the Titans by 7 points in a game that ended on the "One Yard Short" play.

The Rams/Bears scrimmage was in 2004, which was the last of 9 years that they held the summer training camp in Macomb.

In the 9 years that the Rams were in Macomb, they were 79-65, with 5 playoff appearances. In two of those, they made it to the Super Bowl, beating the Titans in 2000, then losing to the Patriots in '02.
In the 10 years since the Rams have left Macomb, they are 53-117, have not had any playoff appearances, and haven't even had a winning record in any year (and it's not looking good for this year either).

I think we know what needs to happen

vatusay · Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:12 pm

Last paragraph is why I love to see them lose haha.

BobLovely · Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:21 am

I would love to see a photo of Hanson Field taken in 1973 against Central Michigan when the actual attendance record was set. I was at the game and it was crowded. I believe a photo does exist...

Bob

Neckfansince71 · Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:02 pm

Bob,

I took a look at the yearbooks from 71/72, 73/73, 73/74, and 74/75 for crowd shots! Did not find one from Central Michigan but remember that it was a cloudy day. The southern hillside was just packed with people. FYI There was actually a card section in those days!

jc

BobLovely · Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:59 am

Neckfansince71 wrote:Bob,

I took a look at the yearbooks from 71/72, 73/73, 73/74, and 74/75 for crowd shots! Did not find one from Central Michigan but remember that it was a cloudy day. The southern hillside was just packed with people. FYI There was actually a card section in those days! jc

Thank you JC! The cover of the 1974 Western Illinois Football Media Guide has a photo taken from the game [Pete Bussone on a running play] in the second half where it was obviously sunny by then. As I recall, it had rained the day before. You are correct about the southern hillside. It was packed. I recall the card section. One thing is certain, Leatherneck football was a "cannot miss" in that era. I believe the large crowds made a difference with the team and their performance on the field.

Bob