The first family of Michigan Tech football now has its name on the Huskies’ home football facility. At a dedication prior to the Sept. 28 Homecoming game, Tech renamed the gridiron “Sherman Field at Kearly Stadium” in honor of Ted and Tom Kearly.
The father and son are arguably the two most-successful coaches in program history. Ted served as Tech’s football coach from 1969-72 and held a 29-7 record. Tom was at Tech from 2000-16 including the last 11 years as head coach, where he put together a 70-44 mark.
Sherman Field has been the home for Michigan Tech football since 1981. Ted Kearly was Michigan Tech’s Athletic Director when it was opened. And over the last two decades, the Kearlys have been instrumental in the facility’s upgrades. Ted Kearly gave the lead gift that allowed for the installation of synthetic turf in 2007. Both men have been played a huge role in new stadium seating that was installed in 2017 and plans for additional seating and a new press box coming soon.
The renaming of Sherman Field made us curious as to the history of Michigan Tech’s football field.
According to records, the Huskies played at the original Sherman Field which was on lower campus next to Sherman Gym (now the location of the Rozsa Center). In the late 1970s, Hubbell Field (just west of the Student Ice Arena) served as the home gridiron.
Share your memories of where you watched the Huskies play.
Tech played football at Hubbell Field (up on the hill) while I was there in 70-74. The team practiced on Sherman Field – probably so they could be close to their training facilities in Sherman Gym.
It is notable for me that the article about Kearly Stadium is in the same newsletter with the alumni profile story on Dale Elliot. I recall many trips to Hubbell Field to watch Wadsworth Hall roommates and cohorts Dale and Fred Guenther (now physician Dr Fred Guenther of Big Rapids) play on the Huskies team. My room was nearby them. They were both linebackers for the Huskies to the best of my recollection. Later all three of us became founding members of the Gamma Chi Chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity at Tech. Mostly, of course, I can recollect some snowy games at Hubbell Field in the early 1970s, but we stuck it out to cheer on Dale, Fred and the rest of the team. Jim Bernier 1973
First night of freshman year, 1976…carried a discarded couch up the hill from Wads, pushed it over the cyclone fence at Sherman Field, climbed the fence, carried the couch to the 50 yard line, lounged on the couch eating brownie & pretzels until the sprinklers surprisingly went on…not a football game, but an unforgettable story for four great friends (we still spend our summer vacations together at Eagle Harbor).
I remember going up the hill to Hubbell Field for Huskie football games during my tenure at Tech from ’73 to ’77. And unlike now, seating was free, no tickets necessary for Tech students or anyone else for that matter. I think seating ought to remain free for students now, who have enough expenses to deal with. I went to football games more so than to hockey games. In fact, I only went to one hockey game, just to make it official. After all, I grew up within 30 miles of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, so I already had football in my genetics!
Congrats to the Kearly Family – a well deserved honor.
I did not see Tech games at these fields as I was playing on them while at MCMT. I started all four years at guard and tackle, from 1954 through 1957, and played at Sherman Field and Hubbell Field. I remember picking rocks at Hubbell Field when it was first being put into use, prior to starting practice sessions. I also officiated football at the current location working both high school and MTU games at Hubbell in the 1980’s.
As my buddy and I checked into our Freshman year dorm room in Coed Hall, we were surprised to find out we were assigned to a three-person room. Come to find out our third roomie was Jim Van Wagner – star tailback for Tech during 1973-77. Jim set numerous rushing records for Tech and the league and ended up being drafted by the NFL (49ers I believe, then the Saints). Jim was not only an outstanding running back but also a great roommate. My biggest memory of Hubbell Field was the “strict no alcohol” policy — somehow the Vets Club always managed to have a keg in the stands every game!
Hard to believe it’s been nearly 30 years since my last Huskies game. The atmosphere was always so amazing – great stadium, great fans, not always such great weather, but get a bunch of friends wrapped up in a warm stadium blanket and the adrenaline of a big win and you hardly noticed. 🙂
A great honor to have a man like Coach Ted Kearly sit in my living room to recruit me to play for MTU, talk to my parents, reassure me and them it was a good choice. As a coach you would have us bow our heads before games and lead us in The Lord’s Prayer, after that you would give us an up-an-tatum and we would run through cement walls for you, what a blast it was being part of your program. Thank you !!