Proclamation for The 75th Anniversary Year of War Memorial Stadium

WHEREAS:  2023 commemorates the 75th anniversary of War Memorial Stadium, dedicated in 1948 as a tribute to Arkansans who had given their lives in the service of their country during the two world wars;
 
WHEREAS:  Over time, War Memorial Stadium has evolved into an active tribute to all Arkansans who have served and paid the ultimate price for their country;
 
WHEREAS:  In 1947, the state legislature passed Act 249 to purchase $500,000 in stadium commission bonds to help finance the construction of the stadium;
 
WHEREAS:  On September 18, 1948, Medal of Honor recipient and former Razorback, Maurice “Footsie” Britt dedicated the stadium in “the memory of her native sons and daughters who have given so much that we might have our freedom”;
 
WHEREAS:  Over the years, military personnel have been honored at War Memorial Stadium through programs, tributes, and monuments;
 
WHEREAS:  The first event at the stadium in 1948 was a University of Arkansas football game, and the venue has since hosted more than 200 Razorback football games with 152 victories;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium opened with an original seating capacity of 31,000. The stadium’s seating capacity increased to accommodate 53,727 in 1967 and again in 2010 to 54,120;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has hosted President Harry S. Truman, comedian Bob Hope, and the Reverend Billy Graham;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has welcomed world-renowned musical artists such as Elton John, Billy Joel, the Eagles, the Rolling Stones, George Strait, N’Sync, and Guns ‘n Roses, drawing tens of thousands of fans for each show;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium was listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places in 1998;
 
WHEREAS:  In celebration of the stadium’s 60th anniversary and as part of its rededication, the Sturgis Veterans Plaza opened in 2008 on the stadium’s northwest side as a place of remembrance and reflection. The plaza includes a 25-foot “Stars and Stripes” sculpture designed by Kathleen Caricof;
 
WHEREAS:  In addition to the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Hendrix College have hosted sporting events at War Memorial Stadium;
 
WHEREAS:  The Little Rock Rangers soccer team, a member of the National Premier Soccer League, calls War Memorial Stadium its home;
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium serves as host to the prestigious NJCAA Football Championships; and
 
WHEREAS:  War Memorial Stadium has played a significant role in the culture of the Natural State as a symbol of the collective pride of Arkansans in their war veterans, as well as collective pride in the State of Arkansas, and the Razorbacks, as its playing field in central Arkansas.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim 2023 as:
 

“THE 75th ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM”

 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 25th day of August, in the year of our Lord 2023.

UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Hosts Third ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Walk on May 6

By Marty Trieschmann

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute will hold its third Be A Part of the Cure Walk to support cancer patients, survivors and families at 8 a.m., May 6, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Gates open at 6:30 a.m.

Fox 16 news anchor, Donna Terrell, will emcee the event.

Walkers can choose a 1K or 5K route, both of which are wheelchair and stroller accessible. The 1K route is conveniently located adjacent to War Memorial Stadium. The 5K route goes through War Memorial Stadium and outdoor golf course. Now through March 31, early-bird registration costs $25 for adults and includes an event T-shirt. Youth and student registration is $10. Children 13 and under are free. After March 31, adult registration is $30.

To register, donate or learn more, visit beapartofthecure.com.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/02/08/uams-winthrop-p-rockefeller-cancer-institute-hosts-third-be-a-part-of-the-cure-walk-on-may-6/

Cancer survivors were among the more than 1,000 walkers at the 2022 Be a Part of the Cure Walk. This year's event is set for May 6. Image by Evan Lewis

Danyelle Musselman to Emcee UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s ‘Be a Part of the Cure’ Walk on April 30

Danyelle Musselman serves on the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Board of Advisors.

By Marty Trieschmann

The first lady of Arkansas Razorback Men’s Basketball, Danyelle Musselman, will emcee the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute’s “Be a Part of the Cure” Walk honoring all Arkansas cancer patients.

“Like many of us, I have lost friends and family members to cancer,” said Musselman, who serves on the Cancer Institute’s board of advisors. “Not one to sit on the bench, I’m lacing up my shoes and going on a walk to raise money to fight cancer of all kinds and help patients battling the disease right here in the Natural State.”

The walk is set for 8 a.m., Saturday, April 30, at War Memorial Stadium and outdoor course and will honor cancer patients, cancer survivors and those who have lost their battle with cancer, as well as raise funds for research programs at the Cancer Institute.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/02/28/danyelle-musselman-to-emcee-uams-winthrop-p-rockefeller-cancer-institutes-be-a-part-of-the-cure-walk-on-april-30/

Little Rock To Host National Junior College Football Championship

By DANIEL BREEN

Central Arkansas will be the host of the National Junior College Athletic Association Football Championship for the next three years.

State and local tourism officials joined Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. for the announcement Friday at War Memorial Stadium, which will host the games. Hutchinson said the opportunity is now possible thanks to relaxed coronavirus restrictions.

“We’re wide open. We’re doing business, we’re vaccinated, we’re increasing that every day, our cases are down, and we’re going to be in business for a long time. We never shut down, we’re going to have our crowds, we’re planning on that, and so we’re ready for this,” Hutchinson said.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/little-rock-host-national-junior-college-football-championship

[Left to right] LRCVB President & CEO Gretchen Hall, NJCAA President & CEO Dr. Christopher Parker, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism Secretary Stacy Hurst and Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. meet at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium.

CREDIT DANIEL BREEN / KUAR NEWS

Razorbacks Football Schedule At War Memorial Amended; ASU Game Added in 2025

By TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS STAFF

An agreement to keep Arkansas Razorback football games at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock includes a long-awaited matchup with Arkansas State University in 2025, and two games with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

The UA has signed an amendment to an existing agreement with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism to bring two additional Razorback football games to War Memorial in future seasons and extend the overall agreement through the 2025 season.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/razorbacks-football-schedule-war-memorial-amended-asu-game-added-2025

The Arkansas Razorbacks and the ASU Red Wolves will face off in a 2025 game as part of a new agreement for War Memorial Stadium announced Wednesday.

CREDIT WMSTADIUM.COM