Something Nice - Georgia "This is the age of stadium building in America, and the stadium today represents the spirit of this age just as the Gothic temple represented the spirit of the Middle Ages." -Dr. Steadman V. Sanford >From the Sanford Stadium Dedication game program. October 12, 1929. "I just thought it would look nice." -Charles Martin, on why he planted the hedges around the field of Sanford Stadium. He thought it would look nice? Man, what an understatement! The hedges that ring the playing field of Sanford Stadium are just one the many features that make this place one of the more beautiful college football venues in the country. Before the stadium was built, the football team played their games at Sanford Field, which was the old UGA baseball stadium. Though fine for baseball, the stadium's configuration wasn't very good for football, plus it didn't have many seats. The university was finding the place to be a disadvantage because many schools refused to make the trip to Athens and play in such a small park. For example, the Tech game was held in Atlanta every year because of the size of the Jacket's home, Grant Field. Dr. Sanford realized the need for a new stadium and went to work on getting the needed $250,000 it would take to build one. The University financed the construction by using a (and I'm not making this word up) guarantorsystem. According to Loran Smith, in his book Between the Hedges, two hundred seventy-seven Georgia alumni agreed to sign a note for $1,000 each, and if gate receipts were enough to pay off the note to the Atlanta banks that agreed to finance the construction of the stadium, the guarantors would never have to be called on to pay off their individual notes. Well, the plan worked and UGA was able to pay off the note in less than three years. October 12, 1929, is a big day in Georgia football history, not only because it was the dedicatory game at Sanford Stadium, but just as important, the opponent was traditional Eastern power, Yale. The Yale Bulldogs were making their first trip ever South of the Mason-Dixon Line and were heavy favorites to crush their Southern cousins. Who knows? It might have turned out that way if it wasn't for Georgia's Catfish Smith. Smith scored all of UGA's points in the Dawgs 15-0 win. He caught a TD pass, returned a blocked punt for a TD, scored a point after and even tackled a Yale player in the endzone for a safety. For this first game, the stadium consisted of stands along it's North and South sides and attracted a crowd of 30,000. The hedges were also there, but only a foot high, and guarded by a wooden fence. Since the Yale game there have been many expansions. Through the years, endzone seats and decks on both side of the stadium pushed Sanford's capacity to over 59,000. By the early 80's, when the East endzone was enclosed, seating availability went up to over 82,000. A 1991 project that enclosed the West endzone brought the stadium to it's current size of 86,177. The East endzone construction brought an end to one of Sanford's most endearing traditions, sitting on the East side hill, across (and sometimes on) the railroad tracks. It seemed to attract a pretty festive crowd. There was no cost for sitting there, and the university didn't discourage it, but the RR company wasn't very fond of the whole notion. After awhile they gave up trying to get a train along the tracks while a game was in progress. I asked a Bulldog fan what the view was like from the hill, and he responded: "As well as could be expected after a half gallon of Jack Daniels". I've already mentioned the '29 Yale game, but there have been many other great games played 'tween the hedges: -The 1965 Georgia/Alabama game has to rate up as one of the greatest wins in UGA history. Bear Bryant brought his defending national championship squad to Athens to start the season. The Dawgs were trailing late in the game, when UGA head coach, Vince Dooley, called a flea-flicker (the call surprised the Georgia team, because they had only practiced the play three times during summer drills). The play was actually the old hook and ladder, where the ball is thrown to a receiver who immediately turns and tosses it to a teammate trailing the play. It worked to perfection as Georgia TE Pat Hodsgon tossed it fellow Dawg, Bob Taylor, who ran for the TD. In all, it covered 73 yards and left the Tide stunned. Georgia converted the two-point conversion to take an 18-17 lead. Bama mounted a drive, but missed a field goal in the waning seconds. Following the missed kick, Dooley was so excited he accidently kicked UGA equipment manager, Howard Beaver, in the ass. Beaver had been kneeling down in front of Dooley and Vince didn't see him. The loss was Bama's only one all season as they went on to capture another national title. -In 1978, Georgia Tech jumped out to an early 20-0 lead. Feeling he had little to lose, Dooley inserted freshman QB Buck Belue into the game. The 18 year old Belue, managed to bring the Dawgs back, but with under 6 minutes left in the game the Dawgs still trailed 28-21. Belue led the Dawgs on an 84 yard drive that ended with a 42 yard pass to Amp Arnold (on 4th and 2, no less) that brought the score to 28-27. The first try for two ended in an incomplete pass, but Tech was called for pass interference. On the second try, Belue, as he was falling down, pitched to Arnold who waltzed into the endzone (and Bulldog lore) untouched. -The second game of the 1984 season ended in dramatic fashion. Here's the situation: After trailing 20-6 at the half, the Dawgs are tied with the #2 ranked Clemson Tigers 23-23. There's only 11 seconds left in the game. It's hot as hell down on the field of Sanford Stadium and Georgia is 43 yards away from the Clemson goal. Out trots placekicker Kevin Butler to try a 60 yard field goal to win it for Georgia. I'll let Bulldog radio legend Larry Munson pick it up from here- So we'll try to kick one from a hundred, thousand miles. We're holding it from our own 49 and a half. Going to try to kick it 60 yards plus a foot and a half. AND BUTLER KICKED A LONG ONE! A LONG ONE! OH, MY GOD! OH, MY GOD! THE STADIUM IS WORSE THAN BONKERS! I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE DID! THIS IS UNGODLY! What's ungodly is some of the ways Florida has found to lose to Georgia. Field goal kickers picking up bad snaps and running in for touchdowns, 93 yard miracles and a 4th and dumb call. But those nightmares happened in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville (and we'll get to that place a little bit down the Something Nice road). Athens and the Gators is a good news/bad news type situation. The bad news is, prior to 1995 the Gators were 0-4 in games played there. The good news is, the Gators are 1-1 in games played in Sanford Stadium. The one win came in 1995, when the Gators managed to become the only team in history to score more than 50 points on Georgia 'tween the hedges. Like Mississippi State's Scott Field (and to keep with the dead mascot thread), there is a former mascot buried in Sanford Stadium. Actually, there are four of them buried there. UGA I- IV are all buried in a mausoleum in the SW corner of the stadium. Above each grave is a plaque detailing each of the UGA's accomplishments (UGA II, ruled from 1966-72. Two SEC championships and five bowl games etc...) Sanford Stadium is built in a ravine, so it sits rather low. Walking in to the stadium is a breeze, because it's mostly all downhill. Now walking out can be a problem. After spending three and a half emotionally draining (and flask draining) hours in the place, it can be quite a chore getting out. Regardless whether it's an easy or hard walk, it's still a walk well worth taking.