(original structure)
Year opened: 1924
Capacity: 74,000 at opening, could be increased to 100,000 with additional seating. Reduced to 57,000 as result of renovation to accommodate the Bears, but capacity increased to 66,944 by 1994.
Names:
Municipal Grant Park Stadium, 1924-25
Soldier Field, 1925-2002
Pro football tenants:
Chicago Rockets/Hornets (AAFC), 1946-49
Chicago Cardinals (NFL), 1959
Chicago Owls (ContFL), 1968-69
Chicago Bears (NFL), 1971-2001
Chicago Fire/Winds (WFL), 1974-75
Chicago Blitz (USFL), 1983-84
Chicago Enforcers (XFL), 2001
Postseason games hosted:
NFC Divisional playoff, Bears 21 Giants 0, Jan. 5, 1986
NFC Championship, Bears 24 Rams 0, Jan. 12, 1986
NFC Divisional playoff, Redskins 27 Bears 13, Jan. 3, 1987
NFC Divisional playoff, Redskins 21 Bears 17, Jan. 10, 1988
NFC Divisional playoff, Bears 20 Eagles 12, Dec. 31, 1988
NFC Championship, 49ers 28 Bears 3, Jan. 8, 1989
NFC Wild Card playoff, Bears 16 Saints 6, Jan. 6, 1991
NFC Wild Card playoff, Cowboys 17 Bears 13, Dec. 29, 1991
NFC Divisional playoff, Eagles 33 Bears 19, Jan. 19, 2002
Other tenants of note:
Chicago Spurs (NPSL), 1967
Chicago Sting (NASL), 1975-76
Chicago Fire (MLS), 1998-2001
Notes: Hosted annual College All-Star game, 1934-42, 1945-73, 1975-76. In addition to years indicated above, hosted two home games of NFL Chicago Bears in 1926 and one in 1933. In addition to 1959 season, hosted one home game of NFL Chicago Cardinals in 1926 and two in 1927. Name changed on Nov. 11, 1925. First football game at stadium was between Louisville Male High School vs. Austin High School, Oct. 4, 1924. Hosted Army vs. Navy football game, 1926. Used as venue for FIFA World Cup, including the opening ceremony, 1994. Hosted boxing Heavyweight title fight between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney, famous as “Long Count” fight, Sept. 22, 1927. Hosted stock car racing between 1935 and ’68. AstroTurf replaced grass field in 1971 but was in turn replaced by grass in 1988.
Fate: Demolished in 2002 and rebuilt into modernized facility bearing same name. Only the distinctive outer colonnade remains from the original structure.
[Updated 2/3/14]
