VICTORY STADIUM, ROANOKE VA

Demolition Photos and Information June 26-28, 2006

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VICTORY STADIUM WON'T GO WILLINGLY:

The Roanoke River Floodwaters Halt Demolition of the Grand Ole Lady

Tuesday, June 27, 2006  Roanoke Times Photos

Photo #1: Demolition machines sit in the Roanoke River floodwaters which rose into Victory Stadium on Tuesday afternoon during the demolition.  Photo #2: Kayleigh Coker and her brother Nicholas play in the Roanoke River floodwaters surrounding Victory Stadium.  Photo #3: A last message spray painted on the side of Victory Stadium on Sunday night is reflected in floodwaters inside the stadium.

Photos by Josh Meltzer, Roanoke Times

Photo by Donald Woodfield as seen on www.WDBJ7.com

TIME LAPSE VIDEO OF DEMOLITION AND FLOODING

This amazing time-lapse video from a Roanoke Times webcam shows the onset of the the demolition (seen at the far right of the section of stadium in the foreground). The the rains begin, and at about the 1:10 mark of the video, you see the Roanoke River, at first barely visible in the lower left hand corner, begin to breach and make its way into the stadium, halting the demolition.

Press the "Time Lapse Video" button above to download the 1:37 video in Windows Media format.

The Day They Tore Ol' Victory Down

Game Over for Victory Stadium June 26, 2006

"Monday morning came dark, wet and final for Victory Stadium..."

by Todd Jackson for the Roanoke Times.  PDF download.

Stadium Brought Magic Back to The City  June 28, 2006

"You could say that it was an act of faith that built the stadium and named it for victory in 1942 — long before any victory in World War II seemed possible. But it was built ... and it was magnificent."
by Ben beagle for the Roanoke Times  PDF Download

Victory Stadium Memories - Roanoke.com

A complete guide to the history of the stadium, including photos, memories, and articles. Terrific resource compiled by Andrew Svec of the Roanoke Times. (As usual with the mainstream media, wrestling history is largely ignored, but it's a good resource on the venue itself.)

WDBJ-7 Television:

Video Clips (including a wrestling clip)

History: The Legal Fight

http://www.roanoke.com/special_reports/wb/xp-8448

Fanfest Forum Message Board Thread:

Another Wrestling Landmark Falls: Victory Stadium in Roanoke

http://legendsfanfest.proboards1.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Early&thread=1151416644&page=1

"A lot of great memories of the stadium. The Harvest Bowl game in the mid 60's between Va Tech and Wake Forest with Brian Piccolo at halfback. My granddad taking me to see Haystacks Calhoun and Johnny Weaver wrestle Aldo Bogni and Bronko Lubich with their manager Homer O'Dell......" - unknown blogger on roanoke.com

http://www.roanoke.com/messages/messageList.aspx?MSID=1&MMID=191

"No structure in Roanoke has created more memories for more Roanokers, from more diverse backgrounds, over the years than Victory Stadium." - Brian Wishneff

http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/special_sections/victory/victory_6.22.html

The Fall of Victory Stadium

The wrecking ball slams into the brick façade.
Mortar and steel explode on a rainy June morning
dark and final.

We watched forty years ago the hawk circle his prey.
The wrecking crew now poises for the kill,
and the Grand Ole Lady braces for one last blow.

But summer storms heed the prayers of the faithful
and the Roanoke River floodwaters reach out like the arms of God,
surrounding the old arena under a beautiful sky of black and gray.

The Grand Ole Lady sees one more day.
 

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