Wallace Wade Stadium

The most striking feature is the sheer slope of the seating, which pulls the eye down toward the pitch. It is a stark contrast to the open, airy feel of older grounds.

The pitch itself is sunken. The grass sits several feet below the level of the surrounding concrete, a design choice that traps the sound of the crowd and makes the players feel small. That track was eventually removed to make room for more seats, changing the scale of the arena. The field is known as Brooks Field, named after a donor, but the name changes do little to alter the physical presence of the place. The stadium is quiet and still when the games are not being played, a concrete hollow in the woods.

The most famous moment in its history was not a victory, but a detour. The 1942 Rose Bowl was played here because the war had halted travel to Pasadena. The capacity has been reduced in recent years with the addition of the Devils Deck, a terraced area at the north end that has made the seating even tighter.