Illinois Verse/Illinois Field
Illinois Field
On Illinois Field the first great building stoodAnd all the college life was centred thereUntil in years old Uni Hall was builtAnd to the south flowed fast the tide of life.A college dormitory it becameTill soon swift progress swept it from its pathAnd all the field was cleared for college sports.The battle-ground of Uni base-ball strifes,Jake Stahl and Lundy gave to it great fame—Here the game of foot-ball got its start;And Stagg himself played in that first great fightAgainst the struggling, striving Illini team.Purdue, the ancient enemy, was downedAnd many were the victories,—defeats.Red Grange began here on his famous runsAnd Huff and Zuppke turned out fine athletes.Each spring the Interscholastic contests cameWith circus at night for boisterous, wild fun.The May-pole dance a touch of beauty gaveWhen the field became a fairy-landInhabited by elves and lovely nymphsLightly dancing on the fresh green turf. Again the current turned both south and west,Out to the great new stadium it swept,And carried sports and Interscholastic,But left behind baseball, the first great game,And for practice work the old field still was kept.The glamor of its glorious past for old gradsMust ever cling,—the scene of all their sports—The old battleground,—historic Illinois Field.