Memorial Stadium: True Illini Spirit
A television documentary by WILL Public Media
Football legends...architectural pioneers...war heroes...and steadfast Illini spirit. The surprising history of Memorial Stadium.
Features:
- Never-before-seen footage of Red Grange discussing his legendary performance
- Defining moments in Illini football and stadium history
- Interviews with Dick Butkus, Jim Grabowski and J.C. Caroline
Premiering to coincide with the completion of the Memorial Stadium renovation, the new WILL-TV documentary looks at how Memorial Stadium was built by steam engines, horses and painstaking labor, and how spirited fundraising by Illini students, alumni and other fans contributed $2 million to the effort. Designed by the same architects who planned Soldier Field, the structure on a swampy southwest campus site was a great human and engineering achievement.
The old wooden bleachers at Illinois Field were replaced by a stadium both functional and so classically grand that it could also be a memorial to the fallen soldiers of World War I.
The memories built in the 85 years since the stadium opened -- from the Galloping Ghost who emerged on dedication day, to crucial wins and losses, to the feats of players with names like Butkus, Grabowski, and Halas -- have made it a place of legend.
WILL-TV looks at the legends and the history that have emerged within the limestone columns, and the spirit that is reawakened every game day at Memorial Stadium.
Memorial Stadium: True Illini Spirit is made possible by a grant from the Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of Carpenters. Additional funding was provided by the King Family in memory of Fred L. King.
Bonus Material & Producer Notes
Get the story behind the Memorial Stadium Documentary Project. Producers John Paul and Denise La Grassa take you behind the scenes, and share personal notes about the making of "True Illini Spirit." View a slideshow of historical photos, and additional segments from interviews captured during the production.
Air Dates & Times:
- WILL-TV, Urbana
- Thursday, September 11 at 7:30 pm
- Saturday, September 13 at 4:30 pm
- Sunday, September 14 at 5:30 pm
- WSIU-TV, Carbondale, Tuesday, October 28 at 9 pm
- WTTW-TV, Chicago, Thursday, October 30 at 9 pm