SFCOM1

Just a bump and FYI. I am still here and working on the USFL fields. Running into some problems with source material with Orlando, Portland, Jacksonville, and Memphis. I would be very happy!  

10 hours ago, pokecat12 said:

Do you mean QB Jim Plunkett? Steve Plunkett was the lead singer for Autograph, but I like the way you think

Yea Jim Plunkett. My brain is a bit addled with training at work. LOL Not to mention I have High School 7 man officials training all this week at Sun Devil Stadium, on the Campus of Arizona State University. Lots of fun!

The latest pic from pre-LA I was able to find, was a Getty photo from a preseason game in 1981. This had Al Davis with QB Steve Plunket warming up in the background. The pic had a clear shot of the outfield at the coliseum, there where no bleachers, so the orientation of the gridiron had to be Home Plate to Center field. 

No problem, I did some digging as well. The orientation has changed much over the years. It has been both ways. I believe the orientation for the Invaders was chosen so the stands did not have to move so early in the season which would have killed the outfield grass. And they never expected crowds rivaling what the Raiders had.. I think even the most rabid USFL fans (Michigan, Philly, Chicago, Tampa Bay, and Arizona) never expected a full house anyway.

@jc...

Yea this was the orientation of the field before the Raiders moved to LA. After they returned, the current orientation was created. (With "Mt. Davis" in the outfield). 

Next up the Oakland Invaders 1983 to 1985 at the Oakalnd Alameda County Coliseum

Here is the finished installed turf for Ford Field. Looks like everything is cut in. Except the wording in the End Zone, NFL logos on the 25 yard lines, and the mid-field logo "Bubbles" 

And now, The Arizona Wranglers from Sun Devil Stadium, on the campus of Arizona State University

1983

And 1984

I think with Detroit they are cutting in everything except the wording in the end zones and "Bubbles" in the center of the field. Ford field is used way too much for other football events. Though a field "overlay" might be used at mid field for the logo.

Looks like new field turf going down at Ford Field. The end zones are Honolulu Blue, and the actual field is a lighter shade of green, closer to the color to the turf used in the Pontiac Silverdome. 

Now Introducing the Birmingham Stallions! At Historic Legion Field 1983 to 1985

OK...Here is the best shot I can get for the 1983 USFL Championship Game at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO (I could not match the 3% axis change on the skinned part of the field, so I got it as best as possible).

Michigan Panthers 24 Philidelphia Stars 22

48 minutes ago, pitt6pack said:

 

Was the turf color just washed out or unusually light for this field? It's probably one of the lighter turf fields out there.

 

The Breakers at least did a good job making the field really feel like a home field with a full helmet logo at midfield and fully painted endzones. I'm hoping we see more of what the AAF was able to do in terms of field designs in the XFL.

Yes the field was very worn and washed out. The darker green around the turf was actually real grass. Very odd set up for a Professional Team...that was not half bad. 

Those where the days!

Just now, neo_prankster said:

So I'm guessing Denver still had the AAA Zephyrs at that time, right?

Yep and yep!

Denver Gold 1983 to 1985 Early Season

Denver Gold 1983 to 1985 Late Season

Sorry for the delay real life (and completing my 28th season of High School Baseball umpiring this past week) kind of popped up. I will have fields for the Denver Gold and the 1983 Championship game (Also in Denver) completed shortly. Then I will move on to Jacksonville, Birmingham, and Memphis.

Thanks, A lot of work over the past few years have gone on since I started. But I can not but also shout out @pitt6pack and @cjbpowerbomb for their work as well. Combined with others who have sent suggestions and pics to us here on the treads, has lead to the creation of the Gridiron Fields Database, a part of the Gridiron Uniform Database where all the fields have been placed for historical use and updated periodically. Go check it out. We have fields dating back to the 40's and the AAF(which has recently gone the way of the dodo). And we hope to add the USFL in as I continue to complete those fields. 

1983 Boston Breakers (Nickerson Field)

The Superdome's helmet logo of the era was so small (About the the size as the one used in the Astrodome for the Oilers). And I believe they used either a small helmet or a small Saint's logo for the NFL team. And something entirely different for Tulane's logo. 

1984 New Orleans Breakers (In the Lousinana Superdome)

4 hours ago, DaninMS said:

 

When you say hand draw do you mean you actually sketch it on paper and scan it in or just use a mouse or tablet ? 

I used my mouse and the circle control on my graphics program. and then sized up to the proper scale. 

Soldier Field

NFL and Chicago Bears 75th Anniversary 1994

Later in the season

Soldier Field 1985

Soldier Field 1983