Historical photos of Joe Albi Stadium

It began life as Memorial Stadium and has hosted the Cougars, the Vandals, the Eagles and even Elvis. But Spokane's Joe Albi Stadium is best known as the home of many Greater Spokane League football and soccer battles over the past 60 years. The name of Joe Albi, a longtime sports booster, was placed on the stadium in 1962. College teams have chosen Albi to bring in the large Spokane audience to fill more than 25,000 seats. Sometimes, Albi was needed because home fields were being renovated. When GSL titans like Ferris or Mead clash on Friday night, fans and pep bands can be loud. But it was probably louder on August 30, 1957. Nostalgia Magazine carried this memory from Paul and Charlotte Cooper about that night: “It was so jam-packed that we couldn't get to our seats … All of a sudden all the lights went out, and the stadium was completely dark. When the lights came on there he was: The King. Elvis! Then the screams really got loud…It was quite a sight-and a good concert when you could hear him.”

Section:Gallery

Sat., Sept. 21, 2019

The stands are packed during a football game in 1951 at Joe Albi Stadium.

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A crowd of 35, 000 fills Joseph A. Albi Stadium to capacity during a football game in 1959.

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This picture, taken during half-time at the recent UCLA-WSU football game shows the crowded conditions that exist at the food concession facilities at Joseph A. Albi Stadium. A special 1/2 million, one year only levy, which will raise $112,000 will help enlarge the food stands. "Other improvements will include safety padding of the concrete wall surrounding the playing field, enlarged rest rooms, and refinishing or rebuilding several thousand seats," Halvor Malvorson, a member of the Coliseum-Stadium Advisory Committee explained. Photo archive/The Spokesman-Review.

Thomas Hogan Courtesy
In 1978 there was a drum and bugle corps competition at Albi Stadium. It featured eight disciplined teams from California, Washington, Oregon and Montana.

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Musicians played with gusto during the Northwest Marching Band Championships in 1981. The University High School Band captured the sweepstakes trophy and was the overall winner, while Ferndale placed first in the A Division. Twenty-five high school bands from throughout the Northwest and Canada took to the field at Albi Stadium to participate in the third annual festival. Judging was based on how well each band performed its music, how closely the music matched the marching, the smoothness of formation transitions and the ability of each band to feature individual musical sections. Mead placed second in the Open Division and Meridian, Idaho, finished third. Magrath, Alberta, took second in the A Division and Pasco placed third.

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Heavy-metal fans crush up against the stage at Joe Albi Stadium in 1988 to get closer to performers in the Monsters of Rock concert.

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Mead head coach Mike McLaughlin celebrates with his Panthers after Mead earned the Greater Spokane League's No. 1 seed into the State AAA playoffs during a three-way tiebreaker at Albi Stadium. Nov. 10, 1992.

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The Spokane Shadow have practice at Albi Stadium in 2002.

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"Joe Fan" sits in a empty Joe Albi Stadium in 2006.

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The Spokane Shock fans begin to cheer for their team as play begins for the first outdoor Arena League game, Saturday, July 9, 2011, at Albi Stadium in Spokane, Wash.

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The Spokane Shock score in the first quarter as Adron Tennell catches an Erik Meyer pass against the Utah Blaze during their outdoor game at Albi Stadium in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, July 9, 2011.

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Blitz, the Seattle Seahawk mascot made a visit to the Spokane Shock game played at Albi Stadium, Saturday, July 9, 2011.

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"Joe Fan", a sculpture by Vincent De Felice, watches, July 7, 2011 as crews prepare Joe Albi Stadium for a Saturday night Spokane Shock game.

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Vonn Schmook, younger brother of Rogers senior football player Hank Schmook, visits the "Joe Fan" statue during the Pirate's game with Mt. Spokane on Halloween night at Joe Albi Stadium in 2013. Vonn is wearing a Halloween mask and his brother's jersey.

Dan Pelle The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
McKay Smith, 8, left and Owen Shaw, 9 play on the "Joe Fan" statue in the stands of Joe Albi Stadium during a 203 game.

Colin Mulvany The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
The Spokane Public Schools board of directors will move forward with a plan to build a new stadium near the site of Joe Albi Stadium, shown Sept. 27, 2018, rather than downtown, as some of pushed the district to do.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
This is one of the tunnels that football fans use to enter Joe Albi Stadium for games. Photographed Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018.

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