From the Archives

The destruction of Palmer Stadium in 1997 (From the Archives, Oct. 7) marked the final dismantling of a once-great football tradition. It made me sad because I had attended many games there since the 1950s with my father, Robert Sr. ’36. I had met some of the stars of his time, like Pepper Constable ’36 and Chick Kaufman ’37. Between 1869 and 1969 the football program was remarkably successful, compiling one of the best overall records in the nation. Many of the games were played in a sold-out Palmer Stadium. Since 1970 the program has foundered, with a few exceptions like Coach Bob Surace ’90’s undergraduate teams of 1987 to 1989, and has lost more games than it has won. The fans have vanished. My question is: Why are the people in the photo smiling? (I get the joke, but the photo still makes me sad.)