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{{short description|American football stadium in Jacksonville, FL, US built 1927 demolished 1994}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Gator Bowl
| image =
| caption = The Gator Bowl in 1961
| nickname =
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| construction_cost =
| architect =
| former_names = Fairfield Stadium (
| tenants = {{ubl
|[[Florida–Georgia football rivalry|Florida–Georgia football game]] (1933–1993)
| seating_capacity = 7,600 (1927–1947)<br>16,000 (1948)<br>36,058 (1949–1956)<br>62,000 (1957–1973)<br>72,000 (1974–1983)<br>80,126 (1984–1994)▼
|[[Gator Bowl]] ([[NCAA]]) (1946–1993)
|[[Senior Bowl]] (NCAA) (1950)
|[[Jacksonville Sharks (WFL)|Jacksonville Sharks]] ([[World Football League|WFL]]) (1974)
|[[Jacksonville Express]] (WFL) (1975)
|[[Jacksonville Tea Men]] ([[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]/[[American Soccer League (1933–83)|ASL]]/[[United Soccer League (1984–85)|USL]]) (1981–1984)
|[[Jacksonville Bulls]] ([[United States Football League|USFL]]) (1984–1985)
}}
▲| seating_capacity = 7,600 (
}}
The '''Gator Bowl''' was an [[American football]] [[stadium]] in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. Originally built in 1927, all but a small portion was razed in 1994 in preparation for the NFL's [[Jacksonville Jaguars]]' inaugural season; the reconstructed stadium became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now [[
==Origins==
Jacksonville's first football venue was built in 1927 and 1928 with a seating capacity of 7,600. Known as '''Fairfield Stadium''', its primary purpose was to serve as home field for Jacksonville's three new high schools – [[Robert E. Lee High School (Jacksonville, Florida)|Lee]], [[Andrew Jackson High School (Jacksonville, Florida)|Jackson]] and Landon. At the opening of the stadium, Florida Governor [[John W. Martin]] called the stadium "the best place in Florida to watch a football game!"
On January 1, 1946, the stadium received national attention when it hosted the first [[Gator Bowl]] game. The stadium was expanded to 16,000 seats in 1948, and the structure was renamed the Gator Bowl.<ref>
==College and professional sports
The stadium was the site of the [[Gator Bowl]] from 1949 to 1993. It also hosted the annual [[Florida–Georgia football rivalry|Florida–Georgia game]] between the [[Georgia Bulldogs football|University of Georgia]] and the [[Florida Gators football|University of Florida]] [[college football]] teams from 1933 to 1993. The [[1950 Senior Bowl]], the first game in that bowl's history, was also played at the stadium.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/63072301/doak-walker-charlie-justice-meet-today/ |title=Doak Walker, Charlie Justice Meet Today in Jacksonville's All-Star Senior Bowl Grid Tilt |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Oneonta Star]] |location=[[Oneonta, New York]] |page=10 |date=January 7, 1950 |access-date=November 11, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
The Gator Bowl hosted the [[1968 AFL All-Star Game|1968]] and [[1969 AFL All-Star Game]]s.
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==The Beatles at the Gator Bowl==
[[The Beatles]] played a concert at the Gator Bowl on their first American Tour on September 11, 1964. When the Beatles found out that the concert was going to be [[racial segregation|racially segregated]] and the Black audience degraded, they refused to play there unless they allowed the audience to be desegregated, as
[[Paul McCartney]] went on record about their disapproval of the situation, and their lack of understanding of segregation in the first place, <ref>Kane,Larry. ''Ticket to Ride: Inside the Beatles' 1964 Tour That Changed the World'',p. 39</ref> while [[John Lennon]] said, "We never play to segregated audiences and we aren't going to start now. I'd sooner lose our appearance money."<ref>Harry, B. ''Lennon Encyclopedia'', p. 269</ref><ref name="BBC">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14963752 BBC News September 18, 2011-The Beatles banned segregated audiences, contract shows]</ref> After city officials relented, the band played to an integrated audience.<ref name="BBC" />
The concert was held the day after [[Hurricane Dora]] struck St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Most of Jacksonville was without electricity and power was not restored for several days. Despite the hurricane, 23,000 fans attended, paying $4 and $5 for tickets. During the concert, [[Ringo Starr]]'s drums were nailed to the stage because of 45 mph winds.<ref>[http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/index.php?topic=1066.0 Orlando Sentinel: September 13, 2004-DM's Beatles forums/The Beatles blew into Jacksonville once, after Hurricane Dora]</ref>▼
▲The concert was held the day after [[Hurricane Dora (1964)|Hurricane Dora]] struck St. Augustine and Jacksonville
==Near-total demolition==
The historic structure was almost entirely razed in 1994, as part of a massive remodeling effort which essentially built a new stadium.
==Gallery==
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{{Reflist}}
{{Gator Bowl navbox}}
[[Category:Defunct American football venues]]▼
{{Senior Bowl navbox}}
▲[[Category:Defunct American football venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Jacksonville, Florida]]
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[[Category:United States Football League venues]]
[[Category:Defunct college football venues]]
[[Category:Defunct college soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:World Football League venues]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (
[[Category:1927 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:1994 disestablishments in Florida]]
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