LITTLE ROCK- War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock has seen its share of big events. From high school and college football to concerts, and numerous other events, the historic landmark has been the sight of many great memories for Arkansans.
But few may be aware that the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) once played games at the central Arkansas stadium. In fact, a former Razorbacks Hall of Famer also took part in the game when the Philadelphia Eagles played the Los Angeles Rams at War Memorial Stadium in 1949.
The venerable stadium was barely a year old when the exhibition game was played. Clyde Scott, former All-American football player for the Razorbacks, played in the game for the Philadelphia Eagles. The game was played on September 10, 1949, and resulted in a 10-10 tie. The Eagles’ training camp was held in Hot Springs that year and they then played the exhibition game before returning to Philadelphia for the start of the regular season. In the previous season, Philadelphia defeated the Chicago Cardinals to win the NFL Championship. So, when the Eagles walked on to the turf at War Memorial that fall, they did so as defending NFL Champions.
Scott had also been named as an All-American at Arkansas in 1948.
But the 1949 game would not be the last at the stadium. In 1952, the Eagles played the Detroit Lions who had also trained in Hot Springs that year. The Lions defeated Philadelphia 7-3. Arkansas alumnus Pat Summerall had just been drafted by the Lions, so Arkansas fans were cheering for both Summerall and Scott in the 1952 exhibition game.
War Memorial Stadium was also the sight of a 1964 American Football League (AFL) preseason game between the Houston Oilers and the San Diego Chargers. The game featured former Arkansas All-American receiver Lance Alworth. Alworth caught three passes in the final, game-winning drive of a high scoring affair with the Oilers. The game was won with just a little more than a minute to go, and the Arkansas crowd of 22,000 was treated to a thriller of a game.
Combine all of this with the storied college football history of the stadium, the legacy of War Memorial Stadium is one that deserves to be kept alive for future generations of football fans.
