Nickerson Field

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Nickerson Field

Location Boston, Massachusetts
Broke ground March 20, 1915
Opened August 18, 1915
Renovated 1955
Owner Boston University
Operator Boston University
Surface FieldTurf
Former names Braves Field (1915-1936, 1941-1953)
National League Park (1936-1941)
Boston University Field (1953-1955)
Tenants
Boston University Terriers (NCAA) (1953-Present)
Boston Cannons (MLL) (2004-2006)
Boston Breakers (USFL) (1983)
Boston Breakers (WUSA) (2001-2003)
Boston Patriots (AFL) (1960-1963)
Boston Braves (NL) (1915-1952)
Boston Braves (NFL) (1932)
Boston Bolts (ASL/APSL) (1988-1990)
Capacity
Over 9,000
The main concourse under the stadium's seating.
The main concourse under the stadium's seating.

Nickerson Field is a stadium on the site of Braves Field, in Boston, Massachusetts the former home of the National League Boston Braves baseball team, now located in Atlanta, Georgia. Parts of Braves Field, such as the entry gate and right-field grandstand, remain as portions of the stadium.

The stadium is now owned by Boston University, and is the home field for many of the school's athletics programs, including soccer and field hockey. It was also the home of BU's football team until the school dropped the sport following the 1996 season.

Since its reconfiguration in the 1950s, four professional sports franchises have used this stadium:

Boston University purchased the former home of the Braves on July 30, 1953 and renamed it Boston University Field[1][2]. The stadium inherited its current name from the school's previous athletic field, which had been in the town of Weston[3]. That field was taken by eminent domain in 1955 for construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike. BU used the proceeds, in part, to renovate the former ballpark, which was renamed for William E. Nickerson, a member of the BU Board of Trustees who had donated the original field in Weston to BU in 1928. According to the previously referenced article, Nickerson "was an MIT graduate who was the principal inventor of the machinery used to manufacture the first Gillette safety razor."

The stadium has been the home of BU teams longer (50-plus years) than it was the home of the Braves (parts of 38 seasons).

In 1989, to accommodate commencement speakers US President George H. W. Bush and French President François Mitterrand, a large platform was constructed to Secret Service specifications on one side of the field. The platform remains and can be seen in the bottom center of the color picture below.

From the mid-1980s to 1995, the stadium hosted the New England Scholastic Band Association's marching band field show championships.

In 2001 antiquated turf was replaced with a newer, more player-friendly artificial surface as part of a deal with the Women's United Soccer Association to host the Boston Breakers games. With a professional soccer team playing at Nickerson the football lines, which had remained on the field even though BU no longer had a football program, were not repainted.

Braves Field (left, in early 1930s) and Nickerson Field
Braves Field (left, in early 1930s) and Nickerson Field

  1. ^ Former Boston ballparks BallparkTour.com.
  2. ^ Boston University Nickerson Field Boston Public Library.
  3. ^ Who's behind that building? Boston University.


Preceded by
first stadium
Home of the
Boston Patriots
19601962
Succeeded by
Fenway Park
19631968


Preceded by
Cawley Memorial Stadium
2001-2003
Home of the
Boston Cannons
2004-2006
Succeeded by
Harvard Stadium
2007-
Preceded by
Villanova Stadium
Host of Major League Lacrosse championship weekend
2004 and 2005
Succeeded by
Home Depot Center Track Stadium
Boston/New England Patriots
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Stadiums: Nickerson FieldFenway ParkAlumni StadiumHarvard StadiumFoxboro StadiumGillette Stadium
Culture: Robert KraftJonathan KraftGil SantosGino CappellettiPat PatriotColts rivalryJets Rivalry
Super Bowl Appearances: XXXXXIXXXVIXXXVIIIXXXIX
Lore: Snowplow GameTuck Rule Game
League Championships (3)
NFL: 2001, 2003, 2004
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