FB: Liberty League

[AUPepBand]

"The Boz" discussion gets Pep thinking about "Yunevich Stadium" versus "Merrill Field" aka "The Pit."

In Mayberry, it's always been Merrill Field because it was Jake Merrill, a staunch supporter of all things Saxon, who originally donated the real estate for the athletic field built in 1921. It at one time but briefly included a cinder track. Gone is the green wood construction field house just beyond the north end zone.

In recent years, with a new grandstand and upgraded facilities, it was dedicated to legendary Coach Alex Yunevich as Yunevich Stadium.

Early during the Yunevich Era, in deference to the founding Seventh Day Baptists' Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday), games were played on Saturday nights with kickoff usually at 8:15 p.m. With students packed into bleachers from goal line to goal line along the east sideline, and  townspeople packed like sardines into the grandstand/press box wooden bleachers along the west sideline, Merrill Field was often called "the pit" by Saxon opponents. It stuck.

So in Mayberry, the turf is Merrill Field, its surroundings is Yunevich Stadium, affectionately known as "The Pit" with a Connors Family Pavilion just beyond the south end zone as a "hospitality suite" of sorts overlooking the field.

Pep remembers well seeing some great games in the 1960s and 1970s on the old Boswell Field. Also remember some poundings the Saxons took at "The Boz."

On Saxon Warriors!

[ITH radio]

Naming the stadium after Coach Urick was a great move by HWS. He won so many games and championships in lacrosse (and he did have a short stint as the FB coach from 77-80, going 14-20-1, with the best season in 77 where the Statesmen earned a 7-2 record, including a close 3-pt win over Pep's beloved Saxons). The video produced and posted on Facebook (nicely narrated by Jared Weeden '91) really captures the spirit of Coach and his importance to the Colleges and the sport of lacrosse.

[Caz Bombers]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

[ITH radio]

As long as this isn't a move like the PL pulled in the mid-2000's to eventually boot them from the league, I think it's great. The Statesmen have found a good home in the NEC and I hope they can stick with that league for a long run.

[Bartman]

"The Boz" discussion gets Pep thinking about "Yunevich Stadium" versus "Merrill Field" aka "The Pit."

In Mayberry, it's always been Merrill Field because it was Jake Merrill, a staunch supporter of all things Saxon, who originally donated the real estate for the athletic field built in 1921. It at one time but briefly included a cinder track. Gone is the green wood construction field house just beyond the north end zone.

In recent years, with a new grandstand and upgraded facilities, it was dedicated to legendary Coach Alex Yunevich as Yunevich Stadium.

Early during the Yunevich Era, in deference to the founding Seventh Day Baptists' Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday), games were played on Saturday nights with kickoff usually at 8:15 p.m. With students packed into bleachers from goal line to goal line along the east sideline, and  townspeople packed like sardines into the grandstand/press box wooden bleachers along the west sideline, Merrill Field was often called "the pit" by Saxon opponents. It stuck.

So in Mayberry, the turf is Merrill Field, its surroundings is Yunevich Stadium, affectionately known as "The Pit" with a Connors Family Pavilion just beyond the south end zone as a "hospitality suite" of sorts overlooking the field.

Pep remembers well seeing some great games in the 1960s and 1970s on the old Boswell Field. Also remember some poundings the Saxons took at "The Boz."

On Saxon Warriors!

Pep,
   Love the history...+k

[Bartman]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

Two excellent D2 programs, I'm sure this will make the NEC even stronger. But as ITH says, we need the NEC to love us better than the Patriot League did( we went 25-6 and they did not renew our associate membership....I guess we were too good back then), we are happy with the association with the NEC.

[Jonny Utah]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

Two excellent D2 programs, I'm sure this will make the NEC even stronger. But as ITH says, we need the NEC to love us better than the Patriot League did( we went 25-6 and they did not renew our associate membership....I guess we were too good back then), we are happy with the association with the NEC.

First off, what happened to laxpower.com?   Just went there and the website is gone. 

[Oline89]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

Two excellent D2 programs, I'm sure this will make the NEC even stronger. But as ITH says, we need the NEC to love us better than the Patriot League did( we went 25-6 and they did not renew our associate membership....I guess we were too good back then), we are happy with the association with the NEC.

How long ago was Hobart in the Patriot League?  Longer road trips for the team, but would be fun to see them play Army/Navy/Lehigh

[Jonny Utah]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

Two excellent D2 programs, I'm sure this will make the NEC even stronger. But as ITH says, we need the NEC to love us better than the Patriot League did( we went 25-6 and they did not renew our associate membership....I guess we were too good back then), we are happy with the association with the NEC.

How long ago was Hobart in the Patriot League?  Longer road trips for the team, but would be fun to see them play Army/Navy/Lehigh

It was a long time ago (before 2005)  D1 lax leagues have been scrambling in all sorts of areas since then and I think the AQ has a lot to do with it. 

It is what it is.  I think Hobart would like to be in a league like the Patriot or even the American East, but being kind of a "newer" d1 team in a division with a weak tradition of "leagues", Hobart kind of found itself as the odd man out.  Not having scholarships also must hurt the program big time. 

[Doid23]

A bit off topic I admit, but what do Hobart fans think about having 2 new conference rivals in NEC men's lacrosse for the 2020 season? Reigning D2 national champion Merrimack has gone D1 along with the new merged LIU program. LIU Post was also a major D2 power I believe.

Two excellent D2 programs, I'm sure this will make the NEC even stronger. But as ITH says, we need the NEC to love us better than the Patriot League did( we went 25-6 and they did not renew our associate membership....I guess we were too good back then), we are happy with the association with the NEC. Hope someone scoops it up to preserve it.

First off, what happened to laxpower.com?   Just went there and the website is gone.

There one day, gone the next. Sad to see them go, but their heyday was back in the 2000's. Obviously needed to get some income, which is why they changed the format somewhat a few years ago. I'll miss the boards, but will really miss all of the historical data they had, All American's, team info, annual rankings, records, etc. Lot of hope on other boards that Inside Lacrosse makes a deal to take over some of the data (although I'm sure it probably doesn't make sense for them either).

[Doid23]

For the benefit of all, HWS dedicated the "stadium" to our beloved lacrosse and football coach Urick on September 29, at a non football game Homecoming:

" the Colleges named the stadium at the Caird Center for Sports and Recreation in Urick's honor. Following the dedication ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 29, the arena became known as Boswell Field at David J Urick Stadium."

The BOZ is the field of play, not the stadium, not the Sports and Recreation Center....we appreciate and love alumnus Caird and Coach Urick......but the game is played on THE BOZ....in fact patches of the earth from the old BOZ (current approximate location of the Library) were placed at the site of the current BOZ physically connecting the games of the past to the present......when a Statesman plays on the BOZ, the energy of the past great performances become your energy.....defend THE BOZ ......it is no guarantee of a win, but a win is expected.

Thanks for the history, +K.
But whatever the name is, it still smells like manure when the wind blows the right (wrong?) way, yes?

[Oline89]

Word from Geneva is that Hobart had a great week of practice, sounds like they are ready for Union.  One potential obstacle that could seriously divide the team, Red Sox-Yankees starts Friday.  There is a strong New England contingent facing off the NY natives.  Hopefully DeWall doesn't let the team watch MLB Friday night!

[Doid23]

It is what it is.  I think Hobart would like to be in a league like the Patriot or even the American East, but being kind of a "newer" d1 team in a division with a weak tradition of "leagues", Hobart kind of found itself as the odd man out.  Not having scholarships also must hurt the program big time.

Hobart Lax is in no mans land. Can't compete in D1, and can't go back to D3 (saw how that went over when they tried a few years back). It's a shame, Hobart back in the day in D3 was like UCLA under Wooden.

[Oline89]

It is what it is.  I think Hobart would like to be in a league like the Patriot or even the American East, but being kind of a "newer" d1 team in a division with a weak tradition of "leagues", Hobart kind of found itself as the odd man out.  Not having scholarships also must hurt the program big time.

Hobart Lax is in no mans land. Can't compete in D1, and can't go back to D3 (saw how that went over when they tried a few years back). It's a shame, Hobart back in the day in D3 was like UCLA under Wooden.

What happened when they tried to go back to D3?

[Oline89]

Nice to see the LL has moved up in the D3Football rankings, from 13 preseason to 11.