Rumors unearthed at Memorial Stadium
Updated: June 22, 2012
CHAMPAIGN -- Many college stadiums are riddled with traditions and myths. The UI is no exception. The legend is there's a bulldozer buried at Memorial Stadium.
WCIA-3's Sophia Beausoleil has the story in Our Town Champaign. Memorial Stadium, known for its columns and football tradition. But, there's a little ole' tale hovering over this turf.
"We haven't tripped over anything when we've been out here working for the 15 days of practice I have heard of this myth," explained UI head football coach Tim Beckman.
There's a myth a bulldozer is resting underneath Memorial Stadium. The legend says storms made the ground soggy causing the piece of equipment to sink. Supposedly, taking it out would be too expensive.
"Oh yeah, there's all types of rumors," explained Edward Hynds, a UI alum who's worked with English Brothers Company for 58 years; the same contractor he same contractor which built Memorial Stadium in 1923. "It just disappeared and no one would really say what happened to it."
He said the old equipment list doesn't mention the old excavator.
"We just don't know what happened to it. Somebody does but that was much before my time," said Hynds. "I don't know I never got a straight answer on that."
Probably why the fable came alive, digging up the turf wasn't an wasn't an option so WCIA 3 News tried the next best thing, a metal detector.
The TM-808, to be exact. It can read 20-feet below the ground.
"I'm going a little wider because it's a big object," explaind Ayhan Ozhayta. He's an independent contractor, but also has a hobby for metal detectors.
In this game of detector vs. the field, he went up and down the field. He made it down the 20, the 10, to the end-zone, but no touchdown.
"As much experience as I have and the research I did, I don't think there's anything big underground," explained Ozhayta.
Doesn't seem like the rusty iron is under the field. But, who knows, we never checked the bleachers.
WCIA-3's Sophia Beausoleil has the story in Our Town Champaign. Memorial Stadium, known for its columns and football tradition. But, there's a little ole' tale hovering over this turf.
"We haven't tripped over anything when we've been out here working for the 15 days of practice I have heard of this myth," explained UI head football coach Tim Beckman.
There's a myth a bulldozer is resting underneath Memorial Stadium. The legend says storms made the ground soggy causing the piece of equipment to sink. Supposedly, taking it out would be too expensive.
"Oh yeah, there's all types of rumors," explained Edward Hynds, a UI alum who's worked with English Brothers Company for 58 years; the same contractor he same contractor which built Memorial Stadium in 1923. "It just disappeared and no one would really say what happened to it."
He said the old equipment list doesn't mention the old excavator.
"We just don't know what happened to it. Somebody does but that was much before my time," said Hynds. "I don't know I never got a straight answer on that."
Probably why the fable came alive, digging up the turf wasn't an wasn't an option so WCIA 3 News tried the next best thing, a metal detector.
The TM-808, to be exact. It can read 20-feet below the ground.
"I'm going a little wider because it's a big object," explaind Ayhan Ozhayta. He's an independent contractor, but also has a hobby for metal detectors.
In this game of detector vs. the field, he went up and down the field. He made it down the 20, the 10, to the end-zone, but no touchdown.
"As much experience as I have and the research I did, I don't think there's anything big underground," explained Ozhayta.
Doesn't seem like the rusty iron is under the field. But, who knows, we never checked the bleachers.
