Where did they play?
Old Ballpark
In 1883, the Oak Hall baseball team played the first known game at the old ballpark. The East Florida Seminary, the Central City Nine, Gainesville High School, and several civic groups are some of the other teams who played here. In 1906, the old ballpark hosted UF's first home football game. In 1911, the field closed and UF purchased all the fences and moved them to Fleming Field. Even though it closed, the old ballpark still hosted traveling circuses, community fairs, and other attractions until 1946.
Oak Hall team playing at the old ballpark ca. 1890s. Image courtesy of the Alachua County Library District Heritage Collection
Fleming Field
After the old ballpark closed in 1911, the University of Florida moved all its fences and seating to Fleming Field. Located about 150 feet north of the current end zone of Florida Field, Fleming Field is largely forgotten today. For twenty years, it hosted the majority of UF's athletic contests. Now Fleming Field serves as a parking lot for its replacement when the Gators play.
Aerial photo of a Florida football game ca. 1930. Fleming Field in upper center. Image courtesy of the Alachua County Library District Heritage Collection.
Florida Field
Florida Field hosted its first Gator football game on November 8, 1930 in front of a sellout crowd of 21,769. The original stadium consisted of the first 32 rows on the west, east, and north sides of the current stadium. In the early years, the University of Florida allowed many different teams to play here on the condition that UF students could attend for free. On September 9, 1989 the stadium was renamed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field. After several additions, "The Swamp" now holds a staggering 91,916 fans cheering their team to victory.
Aerial photo of Florida Field ca. 1960. Image courtesy of the Matheson History Museum collection
Harris Field
For fifty years, teams from all over Gainesville shared Harris Field. The field was named for Charlie Harris, who led the fundraising efforts to build it. He played for the Baltimore Orioles in 1899 and was the long-time manager and promoter of the G-Men. Some of the teams who called this field home include the G-Men, Lincoln High School, and the Gainesville Eagles. In 1941, mole crickets invaded the field. Children who brought toads to eat the crickets earned free admission to a movie matinee. The toads saved the field and it was ready for the 1941 baseball season. But the toads could not save the field from time, and in 1976 Harris Field was demolished.
Grandstand at Harris Field in 1957. Image courtesy of the September 2, 1957 issue of Sports Illustrated in the Matheson History Museum collection
Hornet Field
In 1956, A.L. Mebane High School opened its doors in Alachua, Florida. Unlike Lincoln High School, the Fighting Hornets had their own field on school grounds. They played all of their home games on Hornet Field until the high school closed in 1970. Today the field is still used by students at Mebane Middle School and by the City of Alachua as a soccer field.
One of the first football teams at A.L. Mebane High School in 1956 or 1957. Image courtesy of the A.L. Mebane High School Alumni Association
Citizens Field
Citizens Field exists because Buster Bishop, the football coach at Gainesville High School, wanted to charge University of Florida students admission. GHS had played their games at Florida Field on the condition that UF students could attend for free. To make more money for the team, Bishop moved their games to Harris Field, where Lincoln High School had been playing for years. He and his players built two additional seating areas that both collapsed during the first game. After several years of work by the Hurricane Quarterback Club, the Purple Hurricanes played the first game at Citizens Field in 1948.
Lincoln High School plays Dorsey High School of Miami in their Homecoming game at Citizens Field in 1949. Image courtesy of the Lincoln High School Alumni Association