It was a big day in Arkansas' capital city. On Sept. 18, 1948, the University of Arkansas brought its football team to Little Rock to play Abilene Christian at War Memorial Stadium. Maurice "Footsie" Britt, who would be elected lieutenant governor 18 years later, led dedication ceremonies for the stadium, the state's largest memorial to its veterans.
Britt was the first person to earn all of the U.S. Army's top awards, including the Medal of Honor, while fighting in a single war. Born in 1919 at Carlisle, Britt later moved to Lonoke and became a high school sports star. Because he wore size 13 shoes, he became known as "Footsie." Britt was the captain of the football, basketball and track teams; he also was elected class president and was the valedictorian of his senior class. Following his graduation in June 1937, Britt received an athletic scholarship to UA, where he played football and basketball in addition to serving as the sports editor of the student newspaper. After college, Britt signed a contract to play professional football for the Detroit Lions. His professional career was cut short when he joined the Army at the start of World War II.
"In a battle to take Rome on Nov. 10, 1943, near Mignano, Italy, Britt led his small company of men in a counterattack opposing about 100 German soldiers," Ellen Withers writes for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. "Without the repulse of this attack, his battalion would have been isolated and his company destroyed. It was an intense firefight and involved hand grenades and close-range machine gun, pistol and rifle fire. During this fierce battle, Britt received a bullet wound in his side while his chest, face and hands were covered with wounds caused by grenades. Yet he still managed to throw 32 hand grenades. His bold and aggressive actions against the Germans were successful and allowed several captured Americans to escape.
"Involved in many battles, Britt later lost his right arm when an artillery shell landed near him on Feb. 12, 1944. For his military gallantry ... in the Mignano battle, he received the Medal of Honor. Other awards for his service included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart from the United States as well as the Military Cross of the British Empire."
While a debate has raged since the turn of the century about how many football games the University of Arkansas should play in Little Rock, the thing that has been forgotten is that War Memorial Stadium is Arkansas' most important veterans' memorial. It was built to honor Arkansans like "Footsie" Britt who served the country in World War I or World War II. That's what made Gov. Asa Hutchinson's announcement at the state Capitol last week so significant. Hutchinson proposed that the stadium become a part of the state Department of Parks and Tourism, a move that could at last take the spotlight off the issue of Razorback games and return it to where it should be--the protection of one of this state's iconic public works projects.
"Whenever you look at War Memorial Stadium, you have to give thanks to the commission, led by chairman Kevin Crass, for the outstanding devotion they've had to making [it] a success, an opportunity for all of Arkansas to enjoy that historic facility," Hutchinson said. "... This news conference is not about memories of the past. This news conference is about the future and the important role that War Memorial Stadium will play in our economic future and the tourism of this state as well. My commitment to War Memorial Stadium has never wavered. ... War Memorial Stadium is a critical part of our lifeblood."
The stadium commission--under Crass, a Little Rock attorney, and Little Rock businessman Gary Smith, his predecessor as chairman--has done an amazing job updating the facility during the past 15 years. The stadium that Britt dedicated in 1948 had 31,000 seats. A major expansion project occurred in 1967 as interest in Razorback football hit a fever pitch following a 22-game winning streak in 1964-65. The stadium now holds almost 54,000 people. In the past 15 years, virtually every area of the stadium has been updated. In 2010, the commission completed a $7.3 million renovation that included a three-story press box and additional club seats.
If the commission has fallen short in any area, it's in educating Arkansans about the improvements. Anytime the debate about Razorback games in Little Rock rages, uneducated Hog fans post messages on social media that paint the picture of an aging, municipal-owned stadium that has been allowed to deteriorate. The truth is that it's a state-owned facility that looks better than it has ever looked.
"Maybe the state doesn't completely understand that 250 days out of the year, we have one or more events that are at War Memorial Stadium," said Jerry Cohen, the stadium manager. "We are an event center as well as a football stadium. We look at this as a chance for growth. ... There are only two bathrooms and a kitchen that haven't been redone. We're basically a new structure other than the concrete and the bleachers. We're looking forward to this."
Regardless of whether the UA decides to continue playing games at War Memorial Stadium, this is a story that could have a happy ending for War Memorial Stadium. With the strengths of the Department of Parks and Tourism, some of the beloved memorial's best days could be ahead.
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Freelance columnist Rex Nelson is the director of corporate community relations for Simmons First National Corp. He's also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried.com.
Editorial on 11/02/2016