Tank Stadium

[tigergrad95]

Just wondering if there is any updates being made to Tank Stadium or field before the upcoming season? Any volunteer work or dates scheduled? I know the stadium fund has been going on since 2005 and the group heading that up had big plans. Just wondering how it all stands.

[osu 77]

I think Terry Parker the old athletic director was heading that up I don't know if Mark Vass the new athletic director is doing anything for the funding. It would be nice to see something done to the field and the stadium. It used to be one of the best stadiums around and now it is one of the worst fields and stadiums you see around the area. If something is not done it will be the worst stadium and field in the SEOAL in the next 3 years.

[getagrip]

Ironton is a pit, but Tank Stadium is a jewel. I hope they never go to a synthetic field, but I never understood why people think it's a tragedy if teenagers have to play on worn-out grass late in the year.

The atmosphere at Tank is incredible. I've never been to a high school stadium as nice as Ironton's.

[osu 77]

Ironton is a pit, but Tank Stadium is a jewel. I hope they never go to a synthetic field, but I never understood why people think it's a tragedy if teenagers have to play on worn-out grass late in the year.

The atmosphere at Tank is incredible. I've never been to a high school stadium as nice as Ironton's.

If you have never been to a better stadium than Ironton then you have not been very far.

I agree that I would not go synthetic turf but the field needs to be upgraded. Both end zones have major issues due to dips in the field. I would suggest re-soding the whole field and leveling it out in certain areas. I would also add fans in both sides of the covered stadium to pull air through the seating. This was not a problem years ago because football games did not start until after Labor Day. But with the games starting in August it is to hot at times to sit under the covered part of the stadium especially for the older fans. We need to start thinking about ramps for our senior citizens as we upgrade the stadium. If we can get this completed and with the new schools I feel once again this could be one of the better places to watch a high school football game.

[trojandave]

I like Tank Stadium overall but the field condition is not good at all......it needs to be improved.

[JChipwood]

I like the atmosphere at the Tank but that is just Ironton football. The fans create atmosphere. I have never had any problems with parking or seating. The only problem I have seen other than officiatiing is the dips and knolls in the field especially, like another poster said, in the end zones. Of course the field at Gallia Academy is horrible at best so to say the Tank is the worst in the league is not a fair assessment. I do agree with no problem with playing on sparse grass, it isn't golf. At Gallia and Ironton i always worry that a kid will jam a leg or just step in a hole and allow the field to assist in determining the outcome of a game. Both need to step up and do some serious work to keep up with the other league teams, of course Gallia is under construction and is soon to have new facilities but probably not soon enough to just ignore the current playing surface. I do think that synthetic turf will have to wait for the big man to leave alltogether b/c the natural element aids the system. JMHO

[Baby Duck]

I would like to see some new womens BATHROOMS the ones in reserve setting are nice but the other ones are NASTY.

[Baby Duck]

In the Ironton tribune today Liebert co. donated 10,000 dollars for Tank Stadium, that is great that they would do this. And now they have a good start to do some work.

[tigerdad]

kudos to liebert's, They have really been a good neighbor to our area, would really like to see some improvements at the tank done at least by the time new school's are finished GO TIGER'S

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

osu 77, if you are who i think you are you are not only a former plaayer at ironton, but spent a year as an ironton coach as well , as an asst. some of your remarks, such as calling ironton a pit. talking about the stadium's turf as if it's a pasture basically. we know you are at a new school, with new facilities. we are now getting the same. many things need upgraded at ironton , no doubt. it is an extermely old stadium, that was used by the pro football team, THE IRONTON TANKS. many people criticizing the stadium , don't realize that, nor that it's an ohio historical landmark. but i feel a compromise can be reached , by refreshing some stuff there at the tank. while still incorporating the use of tanks memorial stadium. but on many occassions, you've blew off your old almamater. and speaking of your old buddy terry parker our past a.d. i tryed to tell him when he was painting the visitors side concession stand. a tiger's stripes don't go sideways, as they painted it, they are vertical. he stated he did not want it to look like a bengals look. but why paint it to look like a tiger and have the stripes running the opposite way. oh, well. i've never figured that one out. THATS THE FIRST THING, I'D ;ILKE TO SEE CHANGED. SO PEOPLE REALIZE TIGER FANS , REALIZE WHAT AN ACTUAL TIGER LOOKS LIKE. BUT FRANKLT OSU77------------------------------------- YOUR POSTS AND LACK OF RESPECT, WELL STUMP ME.

[philthyphil]

From today's Tribune:

The kickoff for fixing up Tank Stadium is now under way.

On Friday, the Liebert Corp. donated $10,000 to Tank Memorial Stadium Fund, Inc., a non-profit local organization with a goal of raising enough funds to update the 1926 stadium.

The stadium was once the home for the professional football team, the Ironton Tanks, which had an overall record of 88-17-15 in its 12 seasons from 1919 to 1930. Now it is home to the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

The stadium is one of the last of the old style covered stadiums to be used by a high school football team and the groups wants to preserve and upgrade the stands and field.

Mark Vass, the athletic director for Ironton High School, said the group was happy with the donation because their ambitious plans include repair to the roof and upgrades to the bleachers, and the concession stands. The dream part of the project is to make the playing field turf.

“The ultimate goal is preservation,” Vass said.

The stadium is on the state’s historic registry but not the national registry. But the state won’t help fund the project leaving it up to area residents to come up with the money.

Vass said he doesn’t know how much the project will cost.

“There is no official estimate,” Vass said. “It all depends on what we do.”

For example, putting turf on the field will cost at least $1 million. And what they can do depends on how much money the organization raises.

“It is going to be a very expensive project, it’s going to be millions of dollars if we do what we would like to do,” Vass said, adding it will the preservation will be done in phases as money is raised.

With the Liebert donation, Tank Memorial Stadium Fund, Inc. has about $20,000.

The group was formed three years ago, but they held off on fundraising efforts for a while.

“We held off because of the school,” Mike Carey, president of Tank Memorial Stadium Fund, Inc., said. “Now that has passed, we are going to go hot and heavy. And today is a heck of a start.”

Jerry Rowe, Liebert’s plant manager, said there were many reasons that the company donated to the stadium fund. It is a state-approved non-profit organization and because football is an important thing in Ironton and the area.

“We like to help out the schools and the students in the local area as much as possible,” Rowe said. “And football is a major sport in town and we want to support local athletics as much as possible.”

And Tank Stadium is part of Ironton’s history.

“We hope this will be the start of other companies donating,” Rowe said. “I know it is a small token for such a large project but we are hoping to kick off the donation process.”

[2trap_4ever]

I really hope Ironton doesn't get field turf, even though I am not a big tiger fan I have always thought they had the best grass field in the area, why ruin it just to keep up with the jones's

[boilermaker]

I say leave the grass NO TURF AT THE TANK!

[Tigercannon71]

The Tank needs to stay grass not turf.

[Zanes-Vegas]

If historic preservation is the goal, artificial turf is not the answer. However, a well-done and well-kept natural surface is quite possible. The Motz Group, which is installing our artificial surface, also does the "real stuff." That might be a resource.

What is the "pressure" on that field?

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

5 HOME GAMES AND USUALLY A HOME PLAYOFF GAME EVERY YEAR. SORRY HADDA GO THERE.

[osu 77]

osu 77, if you are who i think you are you are not only a former plaayer at ironton, but spent a year as an ironton coach as well , as an asst. some of your remarks, such as calling ironton a pit. talking about the stadium's turf as if it's a pasture basically. we know you are at a new school, with new facilities. we are now getting the same. many things need upgraded at ironton , no doubt. it is an extermely old stadium, that was used by the pro football team, THE IRONTON TANKS. many people criticizing the stadium , don't realize that, nor that it's an ohio historical landmark. but i feel a compromise can be reached , by refreshing some stuff there at the tank. while still incorporating the use of tanks memorial stadium. but on many occassions, you've blew off your old almamater. and speaking of your old buddy terry parker our past a.d. i tryed to tell him when he was painting the visitors side concession stand. a tiger's stripes don't go sideways, as they painted it, they are vertical. he stated he did not want it to look like a bengals look. but why paint it to look like a tiger and have the stripes running the opposite way. oh, well. i've never figured that one out. THATS THE FIRST THING, I'D ;ILKE TO SEE CHANGED. SO PEOPLE REALIZE TIGER FANS , REALIZE WHAT AN ACTUAL TIGER LOOKS LIKE. BUT FRANKLT OSU77------------------------------------- YOUR POSTS AND LACK OF RESPECT, WELL STUMP ME.

Tiger Bait

I don’t know about all your comments but there a few items I noticed. One is that Ironton had an Athletic Director that worked on improving the stadium. Two, that you could stand around and do nothing to help him but criticize his work. I guess I would say many football fans are glad you are not supporting their team.

[Zanes-Vegas]

Bait ...

No other games are played there? JVs, freshmen, middle school? I know some schools that host their youth league games on their fields, too. I guess I'm just trying to get a handle on how much that turf is pounded upon.

I think it's a neat place (but I'm a "history" kind of guy). The roof is old-school cool (I think both Martins Ferry and Bellaire still have theirs, maybe St. Clairsville, too). So my thought is that if this is about historical preservation, installing an artificial surface ruins that. I would weigh the cost of that against the cost (and maintenance) of a well-done natural surface.

Up here, there were people who were upset we were tearing out the grass in Sulsberger for the fake stuff, but it was truly more about the use of the field (and growing inability to keep it playable) that almost forced us to adopt an artificial playing surface. But while Sulsberger is nearly 50 years old, and has its own historical back-story, it didn't make much sense not to go that route.

More ... www.sulsbergerstadium.com

[BlindWhiteHat]

Ironton does play it's JV, Frosh and JH schedule on that field, as long as it isn't wet. The youth football doesn't play there unless it is the league playoffs.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

osu 77, if you are who i think you are you are not only a former plaayer at ironton, but spent a year as an ironton coach as well , as an asst. some of your remarks, such as calling ironton a pit. talking about the stadium's turf as if it's a pasture basically. we know you are at a new school, with new facilities. we are now getting the same. many things need upgraded at ironton , no doubt. it is an extermely old stadium, that was used by the pro football team, THE IRONTON TANKS. many people criticizing the stadium , don't realize that, nor that it's an ohio historical landmark. but i feel a compromise can be reached , by refreshing some stuff there at the tank. while still incorporating the use of tanks memorial stadium. but on many occassions, you've blew off your old almamater. and speaking of your old buddy terry parker our past a.d. i tryed to tell him when he was painting the visitors side concession stand. a tiger's stripes don't go sideways, as they painted it, they are vertical. he stated he did not want it to look like a bengals look. but why paint it to look like a tiger and have the stripes running the opposite way. oh, well. i've never figured that one out. THATS THE FIRST THING, I'D ;ILKE TO SEE CHANGED. SO PEOPLE REALIZE TIGER FANS , REALIZE WHAT AN ACTUAL TIGER LOOKS LIKE. BUT FRANKLT OSU77------------------------------------- YOUR POSTS AND LACK OF RESPECT, WELL STUMP ME.

Tiger Bait

I don’t know about all your comments but there a few items I noticed. One is that Ironton had an Athletic Director that worked on improving the stadium. Two, that you could stand around and do nothing to help him but criticize his work. I guess I would say many football fans are glad you are not supporting their team.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OSU77, DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT. BUT I HAVE A BROKEN BACK. A STEEL KNEE, AND HAD A 22 LB. BLOCK FALL 77 FEET AND HIT THE TOP OF MY HARDHAT IN 1984. YES, MR. PARKER DONE A GREAT DEAL TO IMPROVE TIGER STADIUM, I NEVER MENTIONED HE HAD NOT. BUT HE WAS TOLD HOW A TIGER'S STRIPES GO, AND BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A SIMILARITY TO BENGALS STUFF. HE PAINTED THE STRIPES HORIZONTALLY. INSTEAD OF VERTICAL. I'D BE GLAD TO HELP CHANGE IT, SOMEONE CALL ME, I COULD PAINT WHAT I COULD REACH WITHOUT BEING ON A LADDER. AND I COULD GET MY BOYS , AND A WORK PARTY TOGETHER OVERNIGHT. JUST HAVE THE PAINT AND SUPPLIES THERE. YOU GOT PULL THERE. GEESH, GROW UP , ALREADY.