Stadiums of yesteryear are being forgotten

 

I remember my first Dallas Cowboys game in the old, now nonexistent, Texas Stadium which is now only accessible through my memory and Google images. That iconic hole in the roof so that “God could watch his team play,” the long line at the restrooms and concession stands, because I swear there was only four of each in the entire building, and of course “Crazy Ray” who was the official unofficial team mascot for a number of years. What about the sports venues of old that are being swept under the rug of time and forgotten, whatstands to happen to them? Being from Texas, the first such structure that I think of is the Astrodome in all its former reverence and glory. Once dubbed the eighth wonder of the world, the Astrodome now lays in decay and ruin. In fact, if you drove by it today, you may not even recognize it. This was once one of the most iconic buildings in sports history, maybe the history of mankind! (Okay, that’s a little much) the future of the Astrodome is uncertain still, as Houston voters failed to pass a resolution to turn the facility into a convention center.. Another example is the Pontiac Silverdome, the former home of the Detroit Lions, the Detroit Pistons and other teams. Once a dominant figure in its own right, the Silverdome now sits abandoned and desolate. A caved in roof, weeds coming up through the turf, and flooded concourses are just a few of the disabilities now plaguing the Silverdome. An investment firm who currently owns the Silverdome is set to auction off literally everything in the building (Maybe even the weeds). After, I can only assume the building will be imploded.

 

My point is these stadiums of the past are being forgotten, ill-used, and cast aside. I would think it best to make an effort to start preserving these buildings and their historical significance and the memories made in them. Repurpose them, turn them into museums, or something; don’t just let them fade into distant memory.