View of Griffiths Stadium with bleachers at left, football field and scoreboard at centre, and bleachers at right. University buildings in background are Hangar Building, Engineering Building, and feed (grain) elevator.

Bio/Historical Note: Prior to 1936, the University of Saskatchewan football team played its home games at Cairns Field on the corner of Avenue A (now Idylwyld Drive North) and 25th Street West. Athletic Director E.W. (Joe) Griffiths longed for a ‘‘home field’’ and had lobbied for its construction since his arrival on campus in 1919. Merits of the project were debated back and forth but little progress was made. In 1935 a student-organized bowling tournament raised $275 and kick-started the process. C.J. Mackenzie, first Dean of Engineering, next seized the initiative by organizing and chairing the U of S Stadium Fund Association. The plan was to fund construction in stages with donations from “students, graduates, faculty and well-wishing business men of the community.” Architectural plans, supplied “gratis” by faculty of the College of Engineering, envisioned a structure costing $25,000 whose final stages would include a grand entrance, bus mall, dressing rooms, showers, etc. The corner of College Street and Cumberland Avenue, site of the ill-fated 1912 City Hospital project, was chosen as the stadium location. Although tenders were initially called for, the University decided to build the project itself using primarily student labour. With the Depression showing no signs of lifting, the University saw the stadium as an opportunity to give financial aid to several students who were in danger of having to discontinue their studies. Sod was turned 17 May 1936, under the supervision of Professor A.R. Greig, Superintendent of Buildings; construction was carried out through the summer. The first stage of the original Griffiths Stadium was officially opened 3 October 1936 amid speeches, bands and a parade. In front of 2,000 fans, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies beat the Alberta Golden Bears 5-3. Decades later, the widening of College Drive and the desire for a new stadium combined to fuel construction of today’s Griffiths Stadium, a few hundred metres east of the original site. It was officially opened 23 June 1967. Improvements were made in 1988 to accommodate the Jeux Canada Games.

Betty Wilson (left) finishes ahead of Pat Lawson, both Huskiettes track and field members, in a sprinting race; unidentified runner and building in background at [Griffiths Stadium].

Bio/Historical Note: Betty Clare Bray was born in 1928 in Saskatoon and attended Wilson and King Edward public schools and City Park Collegiate. She obtained her BA at the University of Saskatchewan. Later, in her fifties, she earned a BSW at the same institution. Bray was a three-sport athlete, competing on the track and field team for three seasons as a sprinter, highlighted by the U of S winning the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association title in 1947. Bray was also on the tennis team for three years, capturing the doubles tournament in 1946-47 and winning the Hudson Bay Trophy in 1948-49. Bray played guard on the basketball team for two seasons. In addition to competing in sports, she served on the Women's Athletic Board. In 1987 Bray was inducted into the U of S Athletic Wall of Fame for basketball, tennis and track. She was inducted as a team member, also for basketball, in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. Betty Wilson died in 2012 in Saskatoon.

The finish of a running race with unidentified male participants and a crowd of spectators at Griffiths Stadium.

Action shot of a Huskies game at Griffiths Stadium. Fans in bleachers in background.

Joe Griffiths, director of Physical Education (in a tiny pair of shorts), leading students in exercising [on campus]; trees and building in background. This was taken during the great thaw of January 1942.

John Farthing leading a group of men and women exercising during the annual "gymboree" at Griffiths Stadium during Summer School class. Trees and bleachers in background.

Bio/Historical Note: John Farthing joined the Saskatchewan Recreation Movement in 1948 and was instrumental for more than a decade in helping communities and schools develop solid recreation and physical education programs. He served as President of Caswell Hill Recreation Association and sat on the board of Saskatoon Figure Skating Club.

Huskies football team on offense during a game with the Regina Rams at Griffiths Stadium. Fans in bleachers in background.

Bio/Historical Note: Image appeared in 17 Sept. 1999 issue of OCN.

Action shot of a Huskies game at Griffiths Stadium. A few fans in bleachers in background.

Aerial photo of Griffiths Stadium with spectators in the stands.

Huskies on defence against the University of Manitoba Bisons at Griffiths Stadium.

An unidentified male athlete throwing a discus; pectators in bleachers in background at [Griffiths Stadium].

Image a: Elevated view of Griffiths Stadium nearing completion, minus stands; an intervarsity rugby game seems to be underway. University buildings in background looking north (l to r): Saskatchewan Hall, Qu'Appelle Hall, Dean of Agriculture's residence, Chemistry, Physics, Administration, Crop Science, Rutherford Rink, and Livestock Pavilion.
Image b: Elevated view looking northwest at Griffiths Stadium and campus buildings in background. Taken from the roof of the School for the Deaf. Immature landscaping in foreground.

Bio/Historical Note: Details about the rugby game from "The University of Saskatchewan / 1909-1959", pg. 19.

Bio/Historical Note: Prior to 1936, the University of Saskatchewan football team played its home games at Cairns Field on the corner of Avenue A (now Idylwyld Drive North) and 25th Street West. Athletic Director E.W. (Joe) Griffiths longed for a ‘‘home field’’ and had lobbied for its construction since his arrival on campus in 1919. Merits of the project were debated back and forth but little progress was made. In 1935 a student-organized bowling tournament raised $275 and kick-started the process. C.J. Mackenzie, first Dean of Engineering, next seized the initiative by organizing and chairing the U of S Stadium Fund Association. The plan was to fund construction in stages with donations from “students, graduates, faculty and well-wishing business men of the community.” Architectural plans, supplied “gratis” by faculty of the College of Engineering, envisioned a structure costing $25,000 whose final stages would include a grand entrance, bus mall, dressing rooms, showers, etc. The corner of College Street and Cumberland Avenue, site of the ill-fated 1912 City Hospital project, was chosen as the stadium location. Although tenders were initially called for, the University decided to build the project itself using primarily student labour. With the Depression showing no signs of lifting, the University saw the stadium as an opportunity to give financial aid to several students who were in danger of having to discontinue their studies. Sod was turned 17 May 1936, under the supervision of Professor A.R. Greig, Superintendent of Buildings; construction was carried out through the summer. The first stage of the original Griffiths Stadium was officially opened 3 October 1936 amid speeches, bands and a parade. In front of 2,000 fans, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies beat the Alberta Golden Bears 5-3. Decades later, the widening of College Drive and the desire for a new stadium combined to fuel construction of today’s Griffiths Stadium, a few hundred metres east of the original site. It was officially opened 23 June 1967. Improvements were made in 1988 to accommodate the 1989 Jeux Canada Games.