Happy Birthday Roberts Stadium

56 years ago today, it was October 28th, 1956- Opening Day for Roberts Stadium. After two long years of construction, the first event was finally held with the Harlem Globetrotters taking the floor...

(click on images to enlarge)

Ironically enough, the original design of Roberts Stadium is the design the city should be reverting back to today. If you look at this picture taken in 1960, you will see why the city should be scaling Roberts back to a mid-sized arena...

Although I'm glad to see Roberts Stadium still standing 56 years after 1956, I also realize the future doesn't look bright. And make no mistake, the future is dim because of Evansville's city government, not because of Evansville's legendary arena. I am embarrassed and ashamed for 56 years worth of hard work put into Roberts Stadium to be left in the hands of people like John Friend, Dave Rector, and Lloyd Winnecke who couldn't care any less.

Until our city commits to a complete change in leadership, we are constantly going to be blowing the candles out on the birthday cake for the final time.

Courierpress.com

One of the main things that I have learned from Roberts Stadium these past 2 years is that Evansville's brain drain has finally started to take its toll. Let's be honest, there are no more Ralph Legeman architects to draw up dynamic and industry changing designs such as the fieldhouse design, there are no more Hank Roberts mayors to make progress while focusing on preservation as well, and there are no more Arad McCutchans to lead our teams to titles while both their old and new basketball facilities stay intact due to their hard work. Nope, today's leaders are only focused on individual goals for their own careers, and that's mainly due to the fact that they just don't have the talent to accomplish much more than that.

So for what appears to be the final time- Happy Birthday Roberts Stadium! Thanks for the past 56 years!