Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Explained

Stadium Name:Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Nickname:RFK
Logo Image:File:RFK Stadium logo.png
Pushpin Map:USA District of Columbia#USA
Pushpin Relief:yes
Location:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates:38.89°N -76.972°W
Broke Ground:July 8, 1960[1]
Closed:September 15, 2019
Demolished:2023–present
Owner:District of Columbia
Operator:Events DC
Surface:TifGrand Bermuda grass[2]
Architect:George Leighton Dahl, Architects and Engineers, Inc.
Structural Engineer:Osborn Engineering Company
Services Engineer:Ewin Engineering Associates
General Contractor:McCloskey and Co.
Dimensions:Football

120x
Soccer: 110x
Baseball:
Left field: 335feet
Left-center: 380feet
Center field: 410feet
Right-center: 380feet
Right field: 335feet
Backstop: 54feet

Tenants:Washington Redskins (NFL) 1961–1996
George Washington Colonials (NCAA) 1961–1966
Washington Senators (MLB) 1962–1971
Washington Whips (USA / NASL) 1967–1968
Howard Bison (NCAA) 1974–1976
Washington Diplomats (NASL) 1974, 1977–1981
Team America (NASL) 1983
Washington Federals (USFL) 1983–1984
Washington Diplomats (ASL/APSL) 1988–1990
D.C. United (MLS) 1996–2017
Washington Freedom (WUSA) 2001–2003
Washington Nationals (MLB) 2005–2007
Military Bowl (NCAA) 2008–2012
Publictransit: Washington Metro
at Stadium–Armory
Metrobus: 96, 97, B2, D6
Address:2400 East Capitol Street SE
Construction Cost:$24 million
($ in dollars)
Former Names:District of Columbia Stadium
(1961–1969)
Seating Capacity:Baseball


43,500 (1961)
45,016 (1971)
45,596 (2005)
Football or soccer:
56,692 (1961)
45,596 (2005–2019)
20,000 (2012–2017, MLS)

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about 2miles due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the west bank of the Anacostia River and next to the D.C. Armory. Opened in 1961, it was owned by the federal government until 1986.[3]

RFK Stadium was home to a National Football League (NFL) team, two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, five professional soccer teams, two college football teams, a bowl game, and a USFL team. It hosted five NFC Championship games, two MLB All-Star Games, men's and women's World Cup matches, nine men's and women's first-round soccer games of the 1996 Olympics, three MLS Cup matches, two MLS All-Star games, and numerous American friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches. It hosted college football, college soccer, baseball exhibitions, boxing matches, a cycling race, an American Le Mans Series auto race, marathons, and dozens of major concerts and other events.

RFK was one of the first major stadiums designed to host both baseball and football. Although other stadiums already served this purpose, such as Cleveland Stadium (1931) and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium (1950), RFK was one of the first to employ what became known as the circular "cookie-cutter" design.

It is owned and operated by Events DC, the successor agency to the DC Armory Board, a quasi-public organization affiliated with the city government, under a lease that runs until 2038 from the National Park Service, which owns the land.[4]

In September 2019, Events DC officials announced plans to demolish the stadium due to maintenance costs. In September 2020, the cost was estimated at $20 million. Demolition of the surrounding area began in 2023, however, demolition of the stadium itself has not begun as of 2024.[5] [6]

As of February 2024, there is an active bill in the U.S. Congress[7] to extend the lease by 99 years.[8] This bill passed the House on February 28, 2024, and is pending before the Senate.[9]

On May 2, 2024 it was announced that the stadium was set to be demolished.[10]

History

Planning

The idea of a stadium at this location originated in 1930 when plans were developed by the "Allied Architects of Washington, in cooperation with the Fine Arts and National Capital Park and Planning Commissions and the Board of Trade."[11] Plans were further developed in 1932 when the Roosevelt Memorial Association (RMA) proposed a National Stadium for the site[12] and Allied Architects, a group of local architects organized in 1925 to secure large-scale projects from the government, made designs for it.[13] A "National Stadium" in Washington was an idea that had been pursued since 1916, when Congressman George Hulbert of New York proposed the construction of a 50,000-seat stadium at East Potomac Park for the purpose of attracting the 1920 Olympics. It was thought that such a stadium could attract Davis Cup tennis matches, polo tournaments and the annual Army-Navy football game. A later effort by DC Director of Public Buildings and Parks Ulysses S. Grant III and Congressman Hamilton Fish of New York sought to turn the National Stadium into a 100,000-seat memorial to Theodore Roosevelt, suitable for hosting inaugurations, possibly on the National Mall or Theodore Roosevelt Island. This attracted the attention of the RMA, which suggested the East Capital location. This would allow the Lincoln Memorial, then under construction west of the Capitol, and the Roosevelt memorial to become bookend monuments to the two great Republican presidents. The effort lost steam when Congress chose not to fund the stadium in time to move the 1932 Olympics from Los Angeles.[14]

The idea of a stadium gained support in 1938, when Senator Robert Reynolds of North Carolina pushed for the creation of a municipal outdoor stadium within the District, citing the "fact that America is the only major country not possessing a stadium with facilities to accommodate the Olympic Games". The following year a model of the proposed stadium, to be located near the current site of RFK Stadium, was presented to the public. By 1941, the National Capital Planning Commission had begun buying property for a stadium, purchasing the land between East Capitol, C, 19th and 21st NE.[15] A few years later, on December 20, 1944, Congress created a nine-man National Memorial Stadium Commission to study the idea.[16] They intended the stadium to be a memorial to the veterans of the World Wars. The commission wrote a report recommending that a 100,000-seat stadium be built near the site of RFK in time for the 1948 Olympics, but it failed to get funding.[17]

Ignored in the early 1950s, a new stadium again drew interest in 1954. Congressman Charles R. Howell of New Jersey proposed legislation to build a stadium, again with hopes of attracting the Olympics. He pushed for a report, completed in 1956 by the National Capital Planning Commission entitled "Preliminary Report on Sites for National Memorial Stadium", which identified the "East Capitol Site" to be used for the stadium. In September 1957, "The District of Columbia Stadium Act" was introduced and authorized a 50,000-seat stadium to be used by the Senators and Redskins at the Armory site. It was signed into law by President Eisenhower on July 29, 1958, with an estimated cost of $7.5 to $8.6 million. The lease for the stadium was signed by the D.C. Armory Board and the Department of the Interior on December 12, 1958. The stadium, the first major multisport facility built for both football and baseball, was designed by George Dahl, Ewin Engineering Associates (since 1954 part of what became Volkert, Inc.) and Osborn Engineering. Groundbreaking for the venue was in 1960 on July 8, and construction proceeded over the following 14 months. The existing venue for baseball (and football) in Washington was Griffith Stadium, about 4miles northwest.

While Redskins' owner George Preston Marshall was pleased with the stadium, Senators' owner Calvin Griffith was not. It wasn't where he wanted it to be (he had preferred to play at a site in Washington's Northwest Quadrant) and he'd have to pay rent and let others run the parking and concessions. The Senators' attendance figures had suffered after the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles in 1954 and Griffith then grew to prefer the less racially-defined demographics and profit potential of the Minnesota market.[18] In 1960, when the American League granted the city of Minneapolis an expansion team, Griffith proposed that he be allowed to move his team to Minneapolis-Saint Paul and give the expansion team to Washington. Upon league approval, the team moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season and Washington fielded a "new Senators" team, entering the junior circuit in with the Los Angeles Angels.

Opening

The stadium opened in autumn 1961 as District of Columbia Stadium, often shortened to D.C. Stadium. The new venue opened for football even though construction was not completed until the following spring.[19]

Its first official event was an NFL regular season game on October 1, ten days after the final MLB baseball game at Griffith Stadium. The Redskins lost that game to the New York Giants 24–21 before 36,767 fans, including President John F. Kennedy.[20] This was slightly more than the attendance record at Griffith Stadium of 36,591 on October 26, 1947 (in a game vs the Bears).

At a college football game labeled the "Dedication Game," the stadium was dedicated on October 7. George Washington University became the first home team to win at the stadium with a 30–6 defeat of VMI.[21] [22]

Its first sell-out came on November 23, 1961, for the first of what were to be annual Thanksgiving Day high-school football games between the D.C. public school champion and the D.C. Catholic school champion: Eastern defeated St. John's 34–14.[23] [24]

The first Major League Baseball game was played on April 9, 1962, after two exhibition games against the Pirates had been cancelled. President John F. Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first pitch in front of 44,383 fans, who watched the Senators defeat the Detroit Tigers 4–1 and Senators shortstop Bob Johnson hit the first home run.[25] [26] The previous Washington baseball attendance record was 38,701 at Griffith Stadium on October 11, 1925, at the fourth game of the World Series, and was the largest ever for a professional sports event in Washington.[27] The previous largest baseball opening day figure had been 31,728 (on April 19, 1948).

When it opened, D.C. Stadium hosted the Redskins, the Senators, and the GWU Colonials football team, all of whom had previously used Griffith Stadium: the GWU Colonials shut down their football team at the end of the 1966 season, while the Senators moved to Dallas-Fort Worth at the end of the 1971 season, and became the Texas Rangers, playing in Arlington Stadium.

Early years

In 1961, Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall refused to integrate his team with black players, but President Kennedy forced his hand by refusing to allow the team to play in the stadium, which was on Federal land, unless he desegregated the organization. In 1962, Marshall relented and selected Ernie Davis first overall in the 1962 draft. However, Davis refused to play for the team and was traded for Bobby Mitchell, with Marshall later signing four other black players for the season as the last NFL owner to integrate.[28]

In 1961 and 1962, D.C. Stadium hosted the annual city title game, matching the D.C. Public Schools champion and the titleholder for the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, played before capacity crowds on Thanksgiving Day. The November 22, 1962, game between St. John's, a predominantly white school in Northwest D.C., and Eastern, a majority-black school just blocks from the stadium, ended in a racially motivated riot.[29] [30]

In 1964, the stadium emerged as an element in the Bobby Baker bribery scandal. Don B. Reynolds, a Maryland insurance businessman, made a statement in August 1964 which he claimed that Matthew McCloskey, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and Kennedy's ambassador to Ireland, paid a $25,000 kickback through Reynolds and at the instruction of Baker to the Kennedy-Johnson campaign as payback for the stadium construction contract.[31] Baker later went to jail for tax fraud, and the FBI investigated the awarding of the stadium contract, although McCloskey was never charged.[32]

Renaming the stadium

The stadium was renamed in January 1969 for U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy,[33] who had been assassinated in Los Angeles seven months earlier. The announcement was made by Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall on January 18, in the last days of the Johnson Administration.[34] [35] The dedication ceremony at the stadium was held several months later on June 7.[36]

Senators depart

The Senators' final game was at RFK on Thursday night, September 30, 1971,[37] with less than 15,000 in attendance.[38] Rains from Hurricane Ginger threatened the event, but the game proceeded. Fan favorite Frank "Hondo" Howard hit a home run (RFK's last until 2005) in the sixth inning to spark a four-run rally to tie the game; the Senators scored two more in the eighth to go up but the game was forfeited to the Yankees after unruly fans stormed the field with two outs in the top of the ninth. Subsequent efforts to bring baseball back to RFK, including an attempt to attract the San Diego Padres in,[39] [40] [41] and a plan to have the nearby Baltimore Orioles play eleven home games there in 1976, all failed.[42] The former was derailed by lease issues with the city in San Diego, and the latter was shot down by commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who had planned to expand the league with four teams (aiming for Seattle, New Orleans, Toronto and Washington that would see an 14-team NL and AL).[43] [44] The expansion for was later reduced to two teams to be placed in the American League with Toronto and Seattle, and the next wasn't until (speculation for expansion had started as early as 1989 with Washington as a city in mind, but it proved fruitless). In the mid-1990s RFK was planned to be the home of the yet-to-be-named Washington team, a charter franchise of the United League (UL) which was planned to be a third league of Major League Baseball (MLB).

For much of the 1970s and 1980s, RFK was primarily known as the home of the Redskins, where they played during their three Super Bowl championship seasons. It also hosted several short-lived professional soccer teams and in 1983–1984 the Washington Federals of the USFL. In 1980, it hosted the Soccer Bowl, the championship game of the NASL.

D.C. United moves in, Redskins move out, Nationals come and go

Major changes to the stadium came in 1996. Following the success of hosting matches in the 1994 World Cup and 1996 Summer Olympics, RFK became home to one of the charter teams of the new Major League Soccer. On April 20, 1996, it played host to the first home match of D.C. United, a 2–1 loss to the LA Galaxy.

However, later that year the stadium hosted the Redskins' final home game in Washington, D.C. After nearly a decade of negotiating for a new stadium with Mayors Sharon Pratt Kelly and Marion Barry, abandoning them in 1992 and 1993 in search of a suburban site and then having a 1994 agreement collapse in the face of neighborhood complaints, environmental concerns and a dispute in Congress (over what some members viewed as the team's racially insensitive name and the use of federal land for private profit), Jack Kent Cooke decided to move his team to Maryland.[45] [46] [47] On December 22, 1996, the Redskins won their last game at RFK Stadium 37–10 over the Dallas Cowboys, reprising their first win there in 1961, before 56,454, the largest football crowd in stadium history. The Redskins then moved east to FedExField in 1997, leaving D.C. United as the stadium's only major tenant for much of the next decade, though from 2001 to 2003 they were joined by the Washington Freedom of the short-lived Women's United Soccer Association.

After hosting 16 exhibition games after the Senators' departure, baseball returned to RFK temporarily in 2005.[48] That year the National League's newly renamed Washington Nationals made it their home while a new permanent home, Nationals Park, was constructed. On April 14, 2005, before a crowd of 45,496 including President Bush and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, the Nationals beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5–3 victory in their first game at RFK. President George W. Bush, formerly a part-owner of the Texas Rangers (the former Senators), threw out the first pitch becoming the last president, and the first since Richard Nixon, to do so in RFK Stadium. Bush threw a ball saved by former Senators pitcher Joe Grzenda from that teams ill-fated final home game—the ball Grzenda would have pitched to Yankee second baseman Horace Clarke when fans rioted and forced the forfeit. The last MLB game at RFK, a 5–3 Nationals win over the Phillies, was played on September 23, 2007, and in 2008 the Nationals moved to their new stadium.

The last team leaves

In 2008, RFK was once again primarily the host of D.C. United, though it also hosted a college football bowl game, the Military Bowl, from 2008 to 2012, before it moved in 2013 to in Annapolis, Maryland.[49] On July 25, 2013, the District of Columbia and D.C. United announced a tentative deal to build a $300 million, 20,000–25,000-seat stadium at Buzzard Point.[50] [51] Groundbreaking on the new soccer stadium, Audi Field, occurred in February 2017, and on October 22, 2017, RFK hosted its last MLS match, a 2–1 D.C. United loss to the New York Red Bulls.[52]

Demolition

On September 5, 2019, Events DC announced plans to demolish the stadium by 2021. Officials said the decision would save $2 million a year on maintenance and $1.5 million a year on utilities.[53] One year later, they hired a contractor to oversee the demolition, which was expected to begin in 2022 and cost $20 million.[54] In July 2022, Events DC announced that the removal of hazardous materials had begun and would "take several months," and that demolition would "be completed by the end of 2023."[55] In the same month, several fires occurred inside the stadium. The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department firefighters and emergency workers responded and extinguished them. They indicated that the fires were in "below grade levels". No injuries were reported, and cause of the fires is currently unknown.[56] [57] In November 2022, a sale of stadium seats was announced ahead of the 2023 demolition.[58] [59], crews have begun gutting areas of the site, though structural demolition has not begun.[60] On May 2, 2024 the NPS announced that it had determined the stadium could be demolished with no significant impacts to the natural, cultural and human environment, meaning they could issue a permit to the District to demolish the stadium.[61]

Name

The stadium opened in October 1961 named the District of Columbia Stadium, but the media quickly shortened that to D.C. Stadium and sometimes, in the early days, as "Washington Stadium".[62] On January 18, 1969, in the last days of the Johnson Administration, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall announced that the stadium would be renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, in Kennedy's honor. The official renaming ceremony was held but by then many had already been referring to it as "RFK Stadium" or simply "RFK". Coincidentally, following the death of John F. Kennedy in 1963, the Armory Board had directed that the stadium be renamed for him,[63] but the plan faltered when a few weeks later the Philadelphia city council passed a bill renaming Philadelphia Stadium as "John F. Kennedy Stadium".[64]

Robert Kennedy was not without connection to the stadium; as attorney general in the early 1960s, his Justice Department played a role in the Redskins' racial integration.[65] Along with Udall, Kennedy threatened to revoke the team's lease at the federally owned stadium until it promised to sign African American players.[66] His brother John attended the first event there and threw out the first pitch. In 2008, a nearby bridge was renamed for Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's wife.

On April 14, 2005, just before the Nationals' home opener, the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission announced an agreement with the Department of Defense under which the military would pay the city about $6 million for naming rights and the right to place recruiting kiosks and signage in the stadium. In return, the stadium would be dubbed "Armed Forces Field at RFK Stadium".[67] This plan was dropped within days, however, after several prominent members of Congress questioned the use of public funds for a stadium sponsorship.[68]

Similar proposals to sell the naming rights to the National Guard, ProFunds (a Bethesda, Maryland investment company), and Sony[69] were formed and discarded in 2005 and 2006.

Tenants

George Washington Colonials (1961–1966)

See main article: George Washington Colonials football. The other team to move from Griffith to D.C. Stadium was the George Washington University Colonials college football team. The stadium was dedicated during the October 7, 1961, game against VMI, the first college football game there, which GWU won 30–6. The Colonials were forced to play their first three games on the road to allow the stadium to be completed. In the following years, because the Senators had priority, GWU waited until October (when baseball season was over) to schedule games. From 1961 to 1964 they played road games in September, and in 1965 and 1966 they played at high school stadiums in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia.[70] [71]

The Colonials had no real success at D.C. Stadium. GWU was during its D.C. Stadium years and never posted a winning record. The Colonials weren't much better at D.C. Stadium where their record was, facing off against Army twice and against a Liberty Bowl-bound West Virginia in 1964 (all losses).[72] Perhaps their biggest win was the 1964 upset of Villanova, which came to Washington with a 6–1 record. Sophomore quarterback Garry Lyle, the school's last NFL draftee, led the Colonials to a

The final George Washington football game to date, and the last at D.C. Stadium, came on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1966, when the team lost to, 16–7.[73]

After the season was over, GW President Dr. Lloyd H. Elliott chose to reevaluate GW's football program.[74] On December 19, 1966, head coach Jim Camp, conference coach of the year, resigned citing the uncertainty. The next day, a member of the Board of Trustees announced that the school would drop football.[75] On January 19, 1967, the decision became official.[76] GW decided to use the football program's funding to eventually build the Charles E. Smith Center for the basketball team. Poor game attendance and the expense, estimated at $254,000 during the 1966 season, contributed to the decision. Former GW player Harry Ledford believed that most people were unwilling to drive on Friday nights to D.C. Stadium, which was perceived as an unsafe area and lacked rail transit. Maryland and Virginia were nationally competitive teams that drew potential suburban spectators away from GW.[77]

Washington Redskins (1961–1996)

See main article: Washington Commanders. RFK Stadium was home to the Washington Redskins for 36 seasons, from 1961 through 1996. The football field was aligned northwest to southeast, along the first baseline.

The Redskins' first game in D.C. Stadium was its first event, a 24–21 loss to the New York Giants on October 1, 1961. The first win in the stadium came at the end of the season on December 17, over its future archrival, the struggling second-year Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins played 266 regular-season games at RFK, compiling a record, including an impressive record in the playoffs.

In its twelfth season, RFK hosted its first professional football playoff game on Christmas Eve 1972, a 16–3 Redskins' win over the Green Bay Packers. It was the city's first postseason game in three decades, following the NFL championship game victory in 1942. The stadium hosted the NFC Championship Game five times (1972, 1982, 1983, 1987, and 1991), 2nd only to Candlestick Park, and the Redskins won them all. They are the only team to win five NFC titles at the same stadium. In the subsequent Super Bowls, Washington won three (XVII, XXII, XXVI).

The Redskins' last game at the stadium was a victory, as 56,454 saw a win over the division champion Cowboys on December 22, 1996.[78] [79]

Washington Senators (1962–1971)

The Washington Senators of the American League played at RFK Stadium from 1962 through 1971. They played their first season in 1961 at Griffith Stadium.

In its ten seasons as the Senators' home field, RFK Stadium was known as a hitters' park, aided by the stagnant heat (and humidity) of Washington summers. Slugger Frank Howard, (255lb), hit a number of "tape-measure" home runs, a few of which landed in the center field area of the upper deck. The seats he hit with his home runs are painted white, rather than the gold of the rest of the upper deck. Howard came to the Senators from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965. He hit the Senators' final RFK homer, in the sixth inning on September 30, 1971. With two outs in the top of the ninth,[80] a fan riot turned a 7–5 Senators lead over the New York Yankees into a 9–0 forfeit loss, the first in the majors in 17 years.[81] [82]

These Senators' only winning season came in 1969 at ; they never made the postseason. They had a home record at RFK of representing the most games, wins, and losses by any team at RFK in any sport. The stadium hosted the All-Star Game twice, in 1962 (first of two) and 1969, both won by the visiting National League. Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon all attended games there. President Johnson was scheduled to throw out the first pitch in 1968, but the opening game was delayed following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., so Vice President Hubert Humphrey got the privilege.[83] President Nixon was to throw out the first ball at the 1969 game to celebrate baseball's centennial, but it was postponed due to rain and so Nixon chose instead to greet the Apollo 11 astronauts. Vice President Spiro Agnew filled in.[84]

Washington Whips (1967–68)

See main article: Washington Whips. In 1967, D.C. Stadium became the home of its first professional soccer team, the Washington Whips. They played 23 regular-season games at D.C. Stadium over 16 months, putting together a home record as well as losing an exhibition against Pelé and his standout Brazilian club Santos FC, for a total RFK record of .[85] 20,189 fans attended the Santos exhibition, more than three times as large as a typical Whips match, making it the most heavily attended soccer game in DC history at the time. The game was heavily promoted in the local press and the Whips, who were struggling to attract fans to their regular matches, provided additional incentive through a "Meet Pelé" contest.[86]

RFK served as the venue for the inaugural match of the United Soccer Association (USA), a May 26, 1967, match between the Whips and the Cleveland Stokers, won by the Stokers.

In their first season, the Whips were one of the league's top teams and they were staffed by the Aberdeen Football Club of the Scottish Football League or the Aberdeen Dons. They finished 5–2–5, good enough to win the Eastern Division and play for the USA Championship against the Los Angeles Wolves.

The owners estimated that they needed to attract 16,000 fans per game, but they never broke 10,000 and averaged only 6,200. Towards the end of the 1967 season, the Whips resorted to organizing British Isles sporting contests such as cricket, hurling, and rugby before games in hopes of luring expatriates.

In 1968, to stay viable, they negotiated a reduction in the lease payment and reduced admission prices by one-third; among other discounts. The USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the new North American Soccer League. Despite problems on and off the field, the team found itself in a battle for a playoff spot and towards the end of the season crowds swelled to as much as 14,227 in what proved to be the deciding match for the NASL Atlantic Division title. This September 7, 1968, match against the Atlanta Chiefs was the last for the Whips at D.C. Stadium. That season, the team went 15–10–7 drawing an average of 6,586 fans. After a tour of Europe, the Whips folded in October 1968.

Howard Bison (1970–2016)

See main article: Howard Bison football. No team has a longer history with RFK Stadium than the Howard Bison football team, who played there 42 times over nearly 46 years (the Detroit Tigers are 2nd by ~8 months, having played their first game there April 9, 1962, and their last on June 20, 2007). Between their first game in 1970 and last, in 2016, they earned a record, winning more games at RFK than any other college football program.

Looking to play on a bigger stage than Howard Stadium, they began scheduling games at RFK. Howard's first RFK game was a 24–7 victory over Fisk on October 24, 1970.[87] From 1974 to 1976, Howard played all but one of their home games at RFK and in 1977 they played half their home games there.[88] After the 1977 season they returned to Howard Stadium, but continued to play their annual homecoming game at RFK through 1985. After the 1985 season, Howard Stadium was refurbished and renamed, and for the next 7 years, Howard played all of their home games there.

In 1992, they returned to RFK for a game against Bowie State that was marked by taunting and a game-ending scuffle.[89] From 1993 to 1999 Howard played at least one game a year at RFK including the Greater Washington Urban League Classic, at one point called the Hampton-Howard Classic, against Hampton from 1994 to 1999. In 2000 that game moved to Giants Stadium and Howard spent more than a decade away from RFK.

Starting in 2011 and through the 2016 season, Howard played in the Nation's Football Classic at RFK, matching up against Morehouse at first and then Hampton again.[90] In 2017, Events DC announced that they would discontinue the Classic and thus the last Bison game at RFK Stadium was a 34–7 loss to Hampton on September 16, 2016.[91] [92]

Washington Diplomats (1974–1981 and 1988–1990)

See main article: Washington Diplomats. Between 1974 and 1990, three soccer teams played at RFK under the name Washington Diplomats. In 1974, two Maryland businessmen purchased the rights to the Baltimore Bays of the semi-professional American Soccer League, moved the team to the District and renamed it the Washington Diplomats. They signed a lease calculating that an average of 12,000 spectators would allow them to break even. Despite white flight, owners thought that recent completion of the Beltway, the stadium's 12,000 parking spaces and future completion of a Metro station would facilitate attendance. Games were scheduled for Saturday and prices were set low. The Diplomats inaugural game was on May 4 with an attendance of 10,175; Mayor Walter Washington ceremonially kicked off the game, but the Dips lost 5–1 to the defending NASL champion Philadelphia Atoms. Attendance dropped throughout the season.

In 1975, the Diplomats were informed that the recently installed natural turf at RFK would not be ready for opening day, so they scheduled their first two home games that season for W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia. After the games attracted more than 10,000 fans each, the Diplomats moved most of their home games to Woodson, but then moved the last five back to RFK once soccer superstar Pelé was added to the roster of the New York Cosmos. Pelé was so popular that the 1975 Cosmos-Diplomats match broke the NASL attendance record at 35,620.[93] Even with the success of the Cosmos game, attendance declined again and before the 1976 season the Diplomats announced that they had scheduled every home game, except the one against the Cosmos, at Woodson. During the season, they moved that game to Woodson.

After averaging 5,963 at Woodson, the Diplomats decided to ramp up their marketing and move back to RFK in 1977. The team changed everything from the uniforms to the cheerleaders, but the team's disappointing on-the-field performance hurt attendance (a ~31,000 fan game against Pelé and the Cosmos notwithstanding). In 1978, attendance continued to fall, even though the Dips made the playoffs. Success on the field during the 1978 and 1979 seasons (including a franchise-best 19 wins in '79) did not translate to ticket sales and even with a negligible amount of revenue from "indoor Dips" games at the D.C. Armory during the offseason, the franchise continued to lose money.

In 1980, they signed Dutch international superstar Johan Cruyff, the Pelé of the Potomac, from the Los Angeles Aztecs. Needing 20,000 fans per game to break even, they managed to attract 24,000 for the opener and a District record 53,351 for the game against the Pelé-less Cosmos (the fifth-largest soccer crowd at RFK ever), but the team failed to break-even financially. After racking up debts of $5 million, the first incarnation of the Dips folded.

Three months later, the Detroit Express announced a move to D.C. for 1981, and that they would also be the Diplomats. They had trouble attracting fans; and soon folded.

The Diplomats of the NASL, racked up an impressive record at RFK, the best winning percentage of any RFK home team, and were in the playoffs.[94]

In 1987, a new soccer team also called the Washington Diplomats, was formed. They played at RFK, and sometimes at the RFK auxiliary field, for three seasons as part of the ASL and then the APSL. They won the ASL Championship in 1988 but often drew fewer than 1000 fans. In 1990 they finished last in the Southern Division of the APSL East, were unable to pay the rent and folded in October 1990.[95] Over the course of 4 seasons they were at RFK, and 2–0 at the RFK auxiliary field.

Team America (1983)

See main article: Team America (NASL). Team America was a professional version of the United States men's national soccer team which played like a franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 1983 season. The team played its home games at RFK Stadium and was intended by the NASL and the United States Soccer Federation to build fan support for the league and create a cohesive and internationally competitive national team. However, the team finished in last place drawing 12,000 fans per game.

Team America played 19 games at RFK. In those games they went 5–10 in NASL matches and tied three friendlies against Watford F.C. (from the United Kingdom), FC Dinamo Minsk (from the Soviet Union), and Juventus FC (from Italy) for a final record of .

The team's attendance averaged 19,952 through the first seven home matches,[96] including the 50,108 who attended a match vs. Fort Lauderdale that featured a free Beach Boys concert. Losses led to declining attendance as the season wore on. Attendance averaged 13,002 for the entire 1983 season, having played only a single season.[97]

Washington Federals (1983–1984)

See main article: Washington Federals. Washington's only USFL team, the Washington Federals, played two seasons at RFK and during that time, they had the league's worst record each season, and, in 1984, the lowest per-game attendance. For the opening game, 38,000 fans showed up to see the return of former Redskins coach George Allen, the coach of the Chicago Blitz, in a game the Federals lost, 28–7. But attendance quickly dropped off, with as few as 7,303 showing up for a late-season game against the Boston Breakers. The team went 4–14 in 1983 and 3–15 in 1984, averaging 7,700 fans.

With six games remaining in the 1984 season, owner Berl Bernhard sold the team to Florida real estate developer Woody Weiser. In the off-season, that deal fell through. Donald Dizney bought the team, moved it to Orlando and renamed it the Renegades.

After going overall, and at RFK, the Federals ended their run with a 20–17 win over the New Orleans Breakers on June 24, 1984.

D.C. United (1996–2017)

See main article: D.C. United. D.C. United of Major League Soccer played over 400 matches at RFK Stadium from the team's debut in 1996 until 2017, when they moved to a new stadium. During that time, RFK hosted three MLS Cup finals, including the 1997 match won by D.C. United. At RFK, they compiled a record, winning more games at RFK than any team other than the Senators.

With its new stadium, Audi Field, opening in 2018, D.C. United played its final game at RFK on October 22, 2017, completing 22 seasons at the stadium, during which the team won four league titles.[98] [99] At the time, RFK Stadium was the longest-used stadium in MLS and the only one left from the league's debut season. When they shared the stadium with the Nationals from 2005 to 2007, the playing surface and the dimensions of the field that resulted from baseball use drew criticism. D.C. United's departure left RFK with no professional sports tenant; however, after moving to Audi Field, D.C. United continued to use the outer practice fields at RFK for training and leased locker room and basement space there.

Washington Freedom (2001–2003)

See main article: Washington Freedom (soccer). For three seasons, RFK was home to the Women's United Soccer Association team, the Washington Freedom. On April 14, 2001, the Freedom defeated the Bay Area CyberRays 1–0 in WUSA's inaugural match before 34,198 fans, the largest crowd in WUSA history and the largest crowd to watch a women's professional sports event in DC history (the largest crowd for a women's sporting event was 45,946 for the 1996 women's Olympic soccer tournament, also at RFK). Over three years, the Freedom racked up a 15–9–6 record at RFK and finished as one of the league's top teams. They came in 2nd in 2002 and won the league's Founder's Cup in 2003. They played all of their home games at RFK, except for one in 2001 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis to avoid the Washington Grand Prix. Their last game at RFK as part of WUSA was on August 2, 2003, when they defeated the San Jose Cyber Rays. They won the final Founder's Cup in August 2003 and returned to RFK a few days later – minus the players who were playing in the 2003 Women's World Cup – for a victory celebration with the fans, which would be their final WUSA event at RFK. WUSA suspended operation the next month. Their victory in the Founders Cup means that the Freedom won both the first and last games in WUSA history. For a time, their championship banner hung in RFK, but when the Nationals moved in, the banner was moved to the Maryland Soccerplex.

The Freedom continued, first as an exhibition team called the Washington Freedom Soccer Club, and then as a member of the W-League and the Women's Professional Soccer league in 2006. Their home stadium was the Maryland Soccerplex, but they continued to play a few games at RFK. In 2004 they played an exhibition against Nottingham Forest, which they won 8–0.[100] They returned on June 22, 2008, in a W-League match, which they won 5–0, against the Richmond Kickers Destiny that was part of a doubleheader with DC United.[101] In 2009, the Freedom moved to the WPS and while they continued to play most of their home games in Maryland, they played 3 of 10 home games at RFK in 2009 and one game there in 2010.[102] [103] In the years after WUSA suspended operations, the Freedom went 5–0–1 at RFK, bringing their combined RFK total to . After the 2010 season, the Freedom's owners had had enough and sold the team to Dan Borislow, owner of the phone service MagicJack. He moved them to Boca Raton, Florida for the team's last season. The Freedom's final game at RFK was a 3–1 victory over Saint Louis Athletica on May 1, 2010.

Washington Nationals (2005–2007)

See main article: Washington Nationals. After playing as the Montreal Expos from 1969 to 2004, the Expos franchise moved to Washington, D.C., to become the Washington Nationals for the 2005 season. The Nationals played their first three seasons (2005–2007) at RFK, then moved to Nationals Park in 2008. While the Nationals played at RFK, it was the fourth-oldest active stadium in the majors, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium.[104]

During the Nationals' three seasons there, RFK then became known as a pitchers' park. While Frank Howard hit at least 44 home runs for three straight seasons at RFK for the second Washington Senators franchise from 1968 through 1970, the 2005 Nationals had only one hitter with more than 15 home runs, José Guillén with 24. However, in his lone season with the team in 2006, Alfonso Soriano hit 46 home runs.

During their three seasons at RFK, the Nationals failed to make the playoffs or post a winning record. They went 41–40 at home in 2005 and 2006 and 40–41 in 2007 to finish with a record at RFK.

Design

The stadium's design was circular, attempting to facilitate both football and baseball. It was the first to use the so-called "cookie-cutter" concept, an approach also used in Philadelphia, New York, Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis, San Diego, Cincinnati, Oakland, and Pittsburgh.

While the perimeter of the stadium is circular, the front edge of the upper and lower decks form a "V" shape in deference to the baseball configuration. The rows of seating in the upper and lower decks follow the "V" layout, and the discrepancy between the shapes of the inner and outer rings permits more rows of seats to be inserted along the foul lines than at home plate and in the outfield. As a result, the height of the outside wall rises and falls in waves, and this is echoed in the roof, resulting in a "butterfly" appearance when seen at ground level from the west. This feature is unique among the circular stadiums of the 1960s, and it was reused by the Kingdome and Tropicana Field for their seating layouts.

The upper deck is cantilevered so that there are no columns from the lower deck obstructing views there.[105] Such a design is less compatible with the later demand for luxury boxes, due to weight; in contrast, FedExField has columns that obstruct views.[106] The design at RFK allowed the upper deck to shake when fans stomped in unison.[107]

In 1961, the stadium represented a new level of luxury. It offered 50,000 seats, each 22inches wide (at a time when the typical seat was only 15–), air-conditioned locker rooms and a lounge for player's wives. It had a machine-operated tarpaulin to cover the field, yard-wide aisles, and ramps that made it possible to empty the stadium in just 15 minutes. The ticket office was connected to the ticket windows by pneumatic tubes. The press boxes could be enclosed and expanded for big events. The stadium had a holding cell for drunks and brawlers. It had 12,000 parking spaces and was served by 300 buses. It had lighting that was twice as bright as Griffith Stadium.

It was not ideal for either sport, due to the different geometries of the playing fields. As the playing field dimensions for football and baseball vary greatly, seating had to accommodate the larger playing surface. This would prove to be the case at nearly every multi-purpose/cookie-cutter stadium.

As a baseball park, RFK was a target of scorn from baseball purists, largely because it was one of the few stadiums with no lower-deck seats in the outfield. The only outfield seats were in the upper deck, above a high wall. According to Sporting News publications in the 1960s, over 27,000 seats—roughly 60% of the listed capacity of 45,000 for baseball—were in the upper tier or mezzanine levels. The lower-to-upper proportion improved for the Redskins with end-zone seats. The first ten rows of the football configuration were nearly at the field level, making it difficult to see over the players. The baseball diamond was aligned due east (home plate to center field), and the football field ran along the first baseline (northwest to southeast).

A complex conversion was necessary, at a cost of $40,000 each time, to change the stadium from a football configuration to baseball and back again; in its final form, this included rolling the third-base lower-level seats into the outfield along a buried rail, dropping the hydraulic pitcher's mound 3feet into the ground, and laying sod over the infield dirt. Later facilities were designed so the seating configuration could be changed more quickly and at a lower cost. The conversion was required several times per year during the Senators' joint tenancy with the Redskins (1962–71) but became much more frequent during the Nationals/D.C. United era; in 2005, the conversion was made over twenty times.

Originally the seats located behind the stadium's third-base dugout were removed for baseball games and put back in place when the stadium was converted to the football (and later soccer) configuration. When these sections were in place, RFK seated approximately 56,000. With the Nationals' arrival in 2005, this particular segment of the stands was permanently removed to facilitate the switch between the baseball and soccer configurations. These seats were not restored following the Nationals' move to Nationals Park, leaving the stadium's seating capacity at approximately 46,000. The majority of the upper-deck seats normally were not made available for D.C. United matches, so the stadium's reduced capacity normally was not problematic for the club.

During the years when the stadium was without baseball (1972–2004), the rotating seats remained in the football configuration. If an exhibition baseball game was scheduled, the left-field wall was only 250feet from home plate, and a large screen was erected in left field for some games.

Some of RFK's quirks endear the venue to fans and players. The large rolling bleacher section is less stable than other seating, allowing fans to jump in rhythm to cause the whole area to bounce. Also, despite its small size (it never seated more than 58,000), because of the stadium's design and the proximity of the fans to the field when configured for football, the stadium was extremely loud when the usual sell-out Redskins crowds became vocal. Legend has it that Redskins head coach George Allen would order a large rolling door in the side of the stadium to be opened when visiting teams were attempting field goals at critical moments in games so that a swirling wind from off the Potomac and Anacostia rivers might interfere with the flight of the kicked ball.

Since the stadium is on a direct sightline with the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, light towers were not allowed; instead, arc lights were placed on its curved, dipping roof.

Events D.C.—the city agency which operates RFK Stadium—began a strategic planning process in November 2013 to study options for the future of the stadium, its 80acres campus and the nonmilitary portions of the adjacent D.C. Armory. Events D.C. said one option to be studied was demolition within a decade, while another would be the status quo. The strategic planning process also included the design and development of options. The agency said that RFK Stadium has generated $4 million to $5 million a year in revenues since 1997, which did not cover operating expenses.[108] In August 2014, Events D.C. chose the consulting firm of Brailsford & Dunlavey to create the master plan.[109]

Seating capacity

Baseball
YearsCapacity
1962–197043,500[110]
1971–200445,016
Football
YearsCapacity
1961–196449,219[111]
1965–196950,000[112]
197050,415[113]
197153,041[114]
197253,039[115]
197354,381[116]
197454,395[117]
1975–197655,004[118]
1977–197955,031[119]
1980–198355,045[120]
198455,431[121]
1985–199155,750[122]
1992–200456,454[123]
Soccer
YearsCapacity
1996–200456,454
2005–201746,000[124]

Dimensions

The dimensions of the baseball field were down the foul lines, 380feet to the power alleys and to center field during the Senators' time. The official distances when the Nationals arrived were identical, except for two additional feet to center field. After complaints from Nationals hitters it was discovered in July 2005 that the fence had actually been put in place incorrectly, and it was 394.74feet to the power alleys in left; to the right-field power alley; and 407.83feet to center field. The section of wall containing the 380feet sign was moved closer to the foul lines to more accurately represent the distance shown on the signs but no changes were made to the actual dimensions.

The approximate elevation of the playing field is above sea level.

Sports events

Baseball

Two major league teams called RFK home, the Senators (1962–71) and the Nationals (2005–07). In between, the stadium hosted an assortment of exhibition games, old-timer games, and at least one college baseball exhibition game. In addition, from 1988 to 1991 the RFK auxiliary field served as the home stadium of the George Washington Colonials college baseball team, and hosted some Howard University and Interhigh League and D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association championship baseball games.

The last winning pitcher in any baseball game at RFK was Luis Ayala of the Nationals, the last runner to score was Chase Utley of the Phillies and the last home run was also hit by Chase Utley the day before off Tim Redding.

Football

RFK was the home of two professional football teams, two college football teams, a bowl game and more than one college all-star game. It hosted neutral-site college football games, various HBCU games, and high school regular season and championship games.[154]

Professional football

Records

Bowl games

HBCU games

College All-Star Games

Neutral site games for local colleges

High schools

RFK has occasionally hosted high school football games, but never has done so regularly.[172] On August 14, 2018, DC Events announced the DC Events Kickoff Classic, a football tripleheader featuring six Washington, D.C., high schools, with games between Dunbar and Maret, Archbishop Carroll and Woodrow Wilson, and Friendship Collegiate Academy and H. D. Woodson. The first Classic was held on September 15, 2018, and the second, only a double-header, was the following year.[173] [174] The 2019 Classic represented the last official event in the stadium, coming days after the announcement that the stadium would be razed and months before the coronavirus pandemic. On September 14, 2019 the final game of any sport at RFK Stadium saw Friendship Collegiate defeat H.D. Woodson, 34–6 to win the Clash of Ward 7 Titans trophy. The last touchdown scored at RFK was on a pass from Collegiate's Dyson Smith to Taron Riddick.[175]

Soccer

See main article: D.C. United, Washington Freedom (soccer), United States men's national soccer team and United States women's national soccer team.

Although not designed for soccer, RFK Stadium, starting in the mid-1970s, became a center of American soccer, rivaled only by the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, in terms of its history as a soccer venue.[176] It is the only facility in the world to have hosted the FIFA World Cup (in 1994), the FIFA Women's World Cup (in 2003), Olympic group stages for men and women (in 1996), the MLS Cup (in 1997, 2000, and 2007), the North American Soccer League's Soccer Bowl (in 1980) and CONCACAF Champions' Cup matches (in 1988 and 1998). The United States men's national soccer team played more of its matches at RFK stadium than at any other site, and D.C. United played 347 regular-season matches there.

In addition to being the home stadium of DC United, the Diplomats, the Freedom, the Whips and Team America, RFK also hosted three friendly Washington Darts games in 1970.[177]

Notable soccer dates at the stadium include:

College soccer

RFK hosted at least two college soccer games, once when Maryland moved their game there due to wet field conditions at Ludwig Field and again for a scheduled game following their national championship season. It has hosted several other Maryland games at the auxiliary field.

United States men's national team matches

The United States men's national soccer team has played more games at RFK Stadium than any other stadium.[203] At times it was suggested that due to the nature of RFK and its quirkiness that it would be a suitable national stadium if US Soccer were ever to seek one out.[204] [205] Several prominent members of the national team have scored at RFK, including Brian McBride, Cobi Jones, Eric Wynalda, Joe-Max Moore, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Landon Donovan. Winners are listed first.

DateCompetitionTeamScoreTeamAttendance
October 6, 1977Friendly1–1Unknown
May 12, 1990 AFC Ajax1–118,245
October 19, 19912–116,351
May 30, 19921992 U.S. Cup3–135,696
October 13, 1993Friendly1–123,927
June 18, 19951995 U.S. Cup4–038,615
October 8, 1995Friendly4–310,216
June 12, 19961996 U.S. Cup2–019,350
November 3, 19961998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)2–030,082
October 3, 19971–151,528
May 30, 1998Friendly0–046,037
June 13, 1999 1–040,119
June 3, 20002000 U.S. Cup4–016,570
September 3, 20002002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)1–051,556
September 1, 20013–254,282
May 12, 2002Friendly2–130,413
November 17, 20022–025,390
October 13, 20042006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)6–022,000
October 11, 20082010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)6–120,249
July 8, 20092009 CONCACAF Gold Cup2–126,079
October 14, 20092010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)2–236,243
June 19, 20112011 CONCACAF Gold Cup2–045,424
June 2, 2013US Soccer Centennial Match4–347,359
September 4, 2015Friendly2–128,896
October 11, 20161–19,012

1994 FIFA World Cup matches

DateTime (UTC−5)Team No. 1Res.Team No. 2RoundAttendance
1994-06-1916:00 1-0Group E52,395
1994-06-2419:30 2-1Group F50,535
1994-06-2512:301-1Group E52,535
1994-06-2912:300-1 Group F52,959
1994-07-0216:30 3-0Round of 1653,121

1996 Summer Olympics

DateTime (UTC−5)Team No. 1Res.Team No. 2RoundAttendance
1996-07-2015:00 2-0Group A34,796
1996-07-2112:00 1-0Group C45,946
1996-07-2115:002-2Group F45,946
1996-07-2219:301-1Group A25,811
1996-07-2318:30 3-2Group F28,000
1996-07-2321:00 3-2Group C27,849
1996-07-2419:301-1Group A58,012
1996-07-2518:30 4-0Group F30,237
1996-07-2521:001-1Group C30,237

Boxing

Late on May 22, 1993, 9,000 saw Riddick Bowe record a second-round knockout over Jesse Ferguson to retain his WBA heavyweight On the same day Roy Jones recorded a unanimous decision over Bernard Hopkins to capture the vacant IBF middleweight title.

Motor sports

Lap recordsThe official race lap records at the Grand Prix of Washington D.C. are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleDate
Grand Prix Circuit: 2.673 km (2002)
1:03.883[206] 2002 Grand Prix of Washington D.C.
1:07.332 Jon Field2002 Grand Prix of Washington D.C.
1:09.802
1:12.921
On July 21, 2002, the Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., was run over a 1.66miles temporary circuit laid out in the RFK stadium parking lot. The 140-lap race was the American Le Mans Series' first event in the District of Columbia, and the city's first major motor sports event in 80 years.[207]

Before the race, residents living near the stadium expressed concerns about traffic, parking, and the noise the lengthy event would create. Two months before the race, The Washington Post reported that District officials had ignored laws and regulations requiring an environmental impact assessment for the race, and that Le Mans officials had lied to the city about noise levels.[208] After the race, American Le Mans officials reneged on a promise to remove the Jersey barriers outlining the racecourse, leaving the unsightly structures in the parking lots for removal at the city's expense.[209] When the American Le Mans organization tried to hold a second race at RFK in 2003, outraged residents forced D.C. officials to cancel the city's 10-year lease with the company. No more races were ever held.[210] [211]

The venue saw a return to racing in the 2014 Global Rallycross Championship. Much like most of the circuits for GRC at the time, the track was a temporary circuit laid out across the stadium's parking lot. Patrik Sandell won the first race, and the event returned for 2 more years.[212]

Cycling

The final stage of the 1992 Tour DuPont was a 14.7miles time trial from RFK to Rock Creek Park and back. Greg LeMond came in third for the stage and won the Tour, the last major win of his career.[213] [214] He won $50,000 and a kiss from Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly.[215] Steve Hegg won the stage.[216]

Rugby

Rugby union

On June 2, 2018, Wales national rugby union team played the South Africa national rugby union team at RFK Stadium. It was "Wales' fifth test on US soil, the previous four outings all against the United States national rugby union team.[217] " Wales ran out winners 22–20 in front of a crowd of 21,357.[218]

Rugby league

DateWinnerScoreOpponentCompetitionAttendance
March 17, 1995 Ireland 24–22 -
March 17, 1996 Ireland A 26–6 -

Concerts

20th century

In August 1966, the Beatles performed at the stadium.

Between 1973 and 1995, Grateful Dead performed at the stadium 15 times: on June 9, 1973, June 10, 1973, July 6, 1986, July 7, 1986, July 12, 1989, July 13, 1989, July 12, 1990, June 14, 1991, June 20, 1992, June 25, 1993, June 26, 1993, July 16, 1994, July 17, 1994, June 24, 1995, and June 25, 1995.

In May 1974 and September 1984, Michael Jackson and The Jacksons performed at the stadium.

On May 16, 1987 and May 19, 1992, Genesis performed at the stadium twice as part of their Invincible Touch and We Can't Dance tours.

On June 1, 1988, Pink Floyd performed at the stadium as part of their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour.

On June 10, 1988, Kingdom Come, Metallica, Dokken, Scorpions, and Van Halen performed at the stadium as part of the Monsters of Rock Tour.

On July 17, 1992, Metallica and Guns N' Roses performed at the stadium as part of their Stadium Tour.

On August 1 and August 3, 1994, the Rolling Stones opened their Voodoo Lounge Tour with two shows at the stadium.

From 1993 to 1999 and from 2001 to 2004, rock radio station WHFS held its annual HFStival rock concert at RFK Stadium.

On July 9 and July 10, 1994, Pink Floyd returned to the stadium with two concerts as part of their The Division Bell Tour.

21st century

On July 4, 2015, Foo Fighters held their 20th-anniversary concert at RFK Stadium.[219] }

Other events

In film

In the 2014 film , the stadium is featured as damaged when Magneto uses his powers to place it as a barricade around the White House. At the end of the film, a newspaper article announces the stadium is to begin reconstruction.[226] RFK is shown being prepped for a baseball game; however, the movie is set in 1973, two years after the Washington Senators left for Texas.

Washington Hall of Stars

See also Washington Nationals Ring of Honor, Washington DC Sports Hall of Fame

During the Redskins' tenure, the Washington Hall of Stars was displayed on a series of white-and-red signs hung in a ring around the stadium's mezzanine, honoring D.C. sports greats from various sports. With the reconfiguration of the stadium, it was replaced by a series of dark-green banners over the center-field and right-field fences in order to make room for out-of-town scoreboards and advertising signage. There are 15 separate panels honoring 82 figures. Nationals Park also hosts a smaller version of the display.

To the right of Panel 15 were four banners honoring D.C. United's MLS Cup wins: 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004. To the right of these banners was D.C. United's "Tradition of Excellence" banner, which honors John Harkes and Marco Etcheverry. To the left of those banners were four banners honoring D.C. United's MLS Supporters Shield wins: 1997, 1999, 2006 and 2007. Those moved to Audi Field with D.C. United.

Public transportation

RFK Stadium sits 0.5miles from the Stadium-Armory station of the Washington Metro. The station is served by the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines. It is also served directly by Metrobus lines B2, D6, 96 and 97.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. Ballpark Tour. March 11, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20130406051839/http://www.ballparktour.com/RFK_Stadium.html. April 6, 2013.
  2. Web site: 50 Years: Willie Leak maintains TifGrand bermudagrass at RFK Stadium. SportsTurf. November 30, 2001. July 11, 2015.
  3. News: District of Columbia gets RFK Stadium . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . October 18, 1986 . 11.
  4. News: City Will Study RFK Stadium Options in Wake of Soccer Deal. Mike. DeBonis. The Washington Post. August 2, 2013. September 30, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130914225713/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-02/local/41000776_1_stadium-deal-soccer-deal-stadium-revenue. September 14, 2013.
  5. Beaujon . Andrew . What's Next for RFK Stadium? . May 23, 2023 . . April 26, 2023.
  6. News: Janezich . Larry . Update on Demolition of RFK – Phase 3 Structural Demolition To Begin . May 23, 2023 . Capitol Hill Corner . March 30, 2023 .
  7. Web site: . 2023-07-27 . H.R. 4984 (IH) - D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act . 2023-11-23 . GovInfo.
  8. Web site: Segraves . Mark . 2023-09-20 . RFK Stadium site redevelopment advances, after House Oversight Committee drama . 2023-11-23 . WRC-TV.
  9. Web site: H.R.4984 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act Congress.gov Library of Congress . 28 February 2024 . H.R.4984 - D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act.
  10. News: Meagan . Flynn . RFK Stadium officially set to be demolished . The Washington Post . 2024-05-02.
  11. News: East Capitol Plan Boosted As Asset . B-8 . . December 21, 1930.
  12. Web site: [Stadium ("National Stadium Project"), Washington, D.C. Bird's-eye perspective of site]]. D. C.. Allied Architects of Washington. August 9, 1932. www.loc.gov.
  13. Book: Scott. Pamela. Tepfer. Diane. [{{google books |plainurl=y |id=tcbCO3_lq2oC}} Capital Drawings: Architectural Designs for Washington, D.C., from the Library of Congress]. 2005. JHU Press. 0801872324. 36–37.
  14. Book: Dyersson. Mark. Trumpboer. Robert. The Rise of Stadiums in the Modern United States: Cathedrals of Sport. September 13, 2013. Routledge. 978-1317989288. 59–65.
  15. News: Nearly All Land for D.C. Stadium bought . The Evening Star . February 20, 1941.
  16. Web site: Roberts. Jay. Return to RFK. December 30, 2017.
  17. Book: Adams. Brett. Capital Sporting Grounds: A History of Stadium and Ballpark Construction in Washington, Part 3. November 24, 2008. McFarland. 978-0786452507. 139–148.
  18. News: Subsidize baseball. attorney suggests . Milwaukee Journal . UPI . July 30, 1958 . 21.
  19. News: Jail is Stadium's Newest Asset . The News-Star . . . 17 . January 17, 2018 . September 28, 1961 . subscription.
  20. News: Giants Ruin Redskin Debut In New Stadium With 24-21 Victory: Y. A. TITTLE LEADS RALLY N.Y. Comes From Behind 21-7 First Period Deficit . The Baltimore Sun . Associated Press . October 2, 1961 . S24 . .
  21. Web site: Venue History . EventsDC.com . Events DC . October 4, 2023 .
  22. Baseball to Play First Game at Nationals Park . George Washington University Official Athletic Site . George Washington University . December 29, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112907/http://www.gwsports.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/022908aab.html . December 29, 2017 . February 29, 2008.
  23. News: Preps Draw Crown . . . 16 . Newspapers.com . January 20, 2018 . November 24, 1961 . subscription.
  24. News: Evans . Judith . When Eastern Ruled the City . October 4, 2023 . The Washington Post . November 22, 2001 . In 1961, ... Eastern won its first City Title with a 34-14 victory over St. John's....
  25. News: Nats defeat Tigers behind Daniels, JFK . April 10, 1962 . 9 . . . Google News.
  26. News: Daniels does duty; hurls opening win . . . Associated Press . April 10, 1962 . 13 . Google News.
  27. News: Stadium, howling Marine steal spotlight . . Fredericksburg, Virginia . Buttram . Bill . April 10, 1962 . 6 . Google News.
  28. News: A 'Showdown' That Changed Football's Racial History. June 24, 2020. NPR. September 4, 2011.
  29. News: Bring Back the City-wide Championship . May 26, 2022 . . November 23, 1981.
  30. News: McKenna . Dave . Could the City Football Title Game Return to RFK? . May 26, 2022 . . October 14, 2011.
  31. News: Key Man Held Back Records . subscription . January 29, 2018 . . 12 . Newspapers.com . February 2, 1965.
  32. News: McCloskey Faces Suit, FBI Probe . . 5 . Newspapers.com . January 23, 1964 . April 19, 2017.
  33. News: Stadium renamed for Robert Kennedy . Toledo Blade . Associated Press . January 19, 1968 . 16A.
  34. News: D.C. Stadium name changed to honor R.F.K. . . UPI . January 19, 1969 . 2, section 2.
  35. Web site: End runs, curve balls and last-minute shots: How RFK Stadium got its name. WTOP-TV . (Washington, DC) . Massimo . Rick . October 20, 2017 . May 16, 2018.
  36. News: Stadium dedicated to Sen. Kennedy . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania) . Associated Press . June 8, 1969 . 3.
  37. News: Ginger may send Nats away wet . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . Polk . James R.. September 30, 1971 .
  38. News: Fans 'finish off' the Senators . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . Lowitt . Bruce . October 1, 1971 .
  39. News: 'We're going to fill stadium,' promises D.C. mayor Washington . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . Seppy . Tom. May 29, 1973. 6.
  40. News: Bavasi hoping to keep Padres in San Diego . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . May 30, 1973. 14.
  41. News: San Diego Padres were once so close to moving to D.C. they had uniforms and everything . The Washington Post . Russell . Jake . June 16, 2016 . May 15, 2018.
  42. News: Capitol Excited about new Team . January 15, 2018 . The Jacksonville Daily Journal . 12 . Newspapers.com . May 30, 1973 . subscription.
  43. News: Kuhn rejects Birds in D.C. . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . October 15, 1975. 9.
  44. News: Birds '76 RFK Plans Rejected . January 15, 2018 . . 36 . Newspapers.com . October 15, 1975 . subscription.
  45. News: Weil. Martin. Wilgoren. Debbi. Redskins Continue Negotiations Over RFK, New Stadium. December 29, 2017. December 8, 1992.
  46. News: Schneider. Howard. Harris. Hamil R.. BARRY'S STADIUM PLAN WOULD REPLACE RFK. December 29, 2017. November 10, 1995.
  47. News: Sell. Dave. FOR JACK KENT COOKE, THIS WEEKEND WAS A VERY BIG DEAL. December 29, 2017. December 5, 1995.
  48. Web site: Washington, D.C. Ballparks. January 4, 2018.
  49. News: Military Bowl Moving to Annapolis, Adds Conference USA for '13. Chip. Patterson. CBS Sports. May 20, 2013. May 21, 2013.
  50. News: Deal reached for new stadium . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927074329/http://www.stadiadirectory.com/deal-reached-for-new-d-c-united-stadium/ . dead . September 27, 2013 . StadiaDirectory . July 25, 2013 . July 25, 2013 .
  51. Web site: Term Sheet DC United Stadium Project . District of Columbia and DC Soccer LLC . July 25, 2013 . District of Columbia Office of the City Administrator . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033833/http://oca.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oca/page_content/attachments/Soccer%20Stadium%20Term%20Sheet%20%28executed%20copy%29.pdf . March 4, 2016 .
  52. News: DC United 1, New York Red Bulls 2 2017 MLS Match Recap . December 29, 2017 . October 22, 2017.
  53. News: McCartney. Robert. Bye-bye, bouncy seats: District to raze RFK Stadium by 2021. The Washington Post. September 5, 2019. September 5, 2019.
  54. News: Will . Vitka . DC names partner company for RFK Stadium demolition project . September 10, 2020 . WTOP-FM.
  55. News: Jose . Umana . RFK Stadium demolition to be completed by 2023 . July 6, 2022 . July 7, 2022 . WTOP-FM.
  56. News: Andrew . Gould . NFL World Reacts To The RFK Stadium Fire News. July 5, 2022 . The Spun.
  57. News: Jim . Reineking . Authorities respond to fire at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.. July 5, 2022 . USA Today.
  58. News: Moore . Jack . RFK Stadium's iconic orange seats up for sale ahead of demolition . November 20, 2022 . WTOP-FM . November 3, 2022 .
  59. News: Matthews . Brad . Orange seats from RFK Stadium on sale to fans ahead of planned demolition . November 20, 2022 . . November 4, 2022.
  60. Web site: RFK Stadium Demolition Updates - October 2023 . . 2023-10-11 . . 2023-11-18.
  61. News: Hansen . Drew . RFK Stadium cleared for demolition . 3 May 2024 . 3 May 2024.
  62. News: Griffith Stadium Now Ghost Park . News-Journal . 44 . Newspapers.com . January 17, 2018 . September 21, 1961 . subscription.
  63. News: Kennedy Memorial . January 28, 2018 . . 4 . Newspapers.com . December 6, 1963 . subscription.
  64. News: Stadium Honors John F. Kennedy . January 28, 2018 . The Times Record . 16 . Newspapers.com . December 27, 1963 . subscription.
  65. Smith, Thomas G., – Showdown: JFK and the Integration of the Washington Redskins, Beacon Press (2011), pp. 1-2
  66. Web site: Smith . Thomas G. . A 'Showdown' That Changed Football's Racial History . NPR . September 4, 2011 . August 28, 2017.
  67. News: RFK's Field May Be Named For Military . The Washington Post . April 14, 2005.
  68. News: Investing Firm Close to Deal on Renaming RFK . The Washington Post . May 4, 2005.
  69. Web site: Surround sound. Washington Business Journal.
  70. News: January 20, 1967 . George Washington U Drops Grid Program . January 14, 2018 . . 63 . Newspapers.com . Associated Press.
  71. News: September 27, 1962 . Colonials, Like Cats, Seek First Win Saturday . January 14, 2018 . . . 15 . Newspapers.com.
  72. Web site: George Washington Colonials School History . January 14, 2018 . Sports Reference.
  73. Denlinger, Kenneth. "Villanova Claws GW In Final, 16-7". The Washington Post. November 25, 1966. p. D1.
  74. Denlinger, Kenneth. "GW Decides On Football Path Today". The Washington Post. January 19, 1967. p. G1.
  75. News: December 21, 1966 . George Washington Will Drop Football . January 14, 2018 . . . 17 . Newspapers.com . Associated Press.
  76. Denlinger, Kenneth. "Within Reach GW Will Put Emphasis on Basketball Recruiters Abound Transfer Rules Waived". The Washington Post. January 20, 1967. p. E1.
  77. http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/1999/08/30/Sports/When-We.Played.Football.The.Gw.Boys.Of.Fall.18901966-16420.shtml When we played football: the GW boys of fall, 1890-1966
  78. News: Final play at RFK . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press . White . Joseph . December 23, 1996 . A1.
  79. News: It's a Redskins day at RFK . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Associated Press . White . Joseph . December 23, 1996 . B1.
  80. News: October 1, 1971 . Fans' farewell: 'Short stinks' . Milwaukee Journal . 14, part 2 . press dispatches.
  81. News: Lowitt . Bruce . October 1, 1971 . Fans 'finish off' Senators . Free Lance-Star . Fredericksburg, Virginia . 6 . Associated Press.
  82. News: October 1, 1971 . Senators last 'hurrah;' fans cause forfeit 9-0 . Chicago Tribune . 1, section 3 . UPI.
  83. News: April 11, 1968 . Vice President Opens 1968 Baseball Season . January 29, 2018 . . 3 . Newspapers.com . Associated Press.
  84. News: July 23, 1969 . Hopes Pinned on Improved Weather Today . subscription . January 15, 2018 . . Salisbury, Maryland . 22 . Newspapers.com.
  85. Web site: Washington Whips Games . February 2, 2018.
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  87. News: October 17, 1970 . Perfect 1920 Bisons Reunite After 50 Years . subscription . January 19, 2018 . . 14 . Newspapers.com.
  88. News: August 10, 1974 . Washington, D.C. . subscription . January 19, 2018 . The Pittsburgh Courier . 10 . Newspapers.com.
  89. News: Hente . Karl . November 1, 1992 . HOWARD ROUTS BOWIE ST. IN CONTEST CALLED OFF WITH 2:36 LEFT . January 21, 2018.
  90. News: Wang . Gene . September 17, 2005 . Howard and Hampton reprise the battle for the 'real HU' . January 21, 2018.
  91. News: Hopkins . Tatyana . June 12, 2017 . Nation's Football Classic Cancelled . January 21, 2018 . The Washington Informer.
  92. News: Wang . Gene . September 17, 2016 . Howard football suffers demoralizing loss to Hampton in Nation's Football Classic . January 15, 2018.
  93. News: June 30, 1975 . Pelé Packs Stands at RFK Stadium . subscription . January 30, 2018 . . 15 . Newspapers.com.
  94. Web site: Washington Diplomats Games . January 30, 2018 . Soccer Stats.
  95. News: Jackson . James H. . October 30, 1990 . Bays, Stars merger Diplomats kick in . January 31, 2018.
  96. Red, White, Black and Blue . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140504211958/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121147/index.htm . May 4, 2014 . Sports Illustrated.
  97. Web site: NASL All-Time Attendance . https://web.archive.org/web/20081205084843/http://www.kenn.com/the_blog/?page_id=496 . December 5, 2008 . kenn.com.
  98. News: Rodriguez. Alicia. DC United to open Audi Field on July 14 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC. January 12, 2018. January 4, 2018.
  99. News: D.C. United celebrates its past on emotional final day at RFK Stadium . Steven . Goff . October 22, 2017 . February 1, 2018 . The Washington Post.
  100. News: Sweezy . Christian . July 15, 2015 . Nothing Left to Lose . February 26, 2018.
  101. Web site: 2008 Washington Freedom W-League Thread . February 26, 2018.
  102. Web site: D.C. UNITED AND WASHINGTON FREEDOM TO PLAY DOUBLE-HEADER AT RFK STADIUM MAY 1 . February 26, 2018.
  103. News: Goff . Stephen . May 23, 2009 . Freedom, United Kick Off First of Three Twin Bills at RFK Stadium . February 26, 2018.
  104. News: Nats Move From Halfway House to Home. Romano. Ross. GW Hatchet. September 24, 2007. August 25, 2014.
  105. News: Forgey . Benjamin . March 30, 1991 . RFK Stadium, Ready for the First Pitch . . January 15, 2024.
  106. Web site: Breakdown Of The Fedex Field Seating Chart. . fromthisseat.com . January 15, 2024.
  107. News: Amenabar . Teddy . September 6, 2019 . 'Like you were inside a drum': Readers share their memories from RFK Stadium . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190910190657/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/09/06/like-you-were-inside-drum-readers-share-their-memories-rfk-stadium/. September 10, 2019 . . January 15, 2024.
  108. News: Events D.C. Looks at Next Steps for RFK. Cooper. Rebecca. Washington Business Journal. November 27, 2013. August 25, 2014.
  109. News: Events D.C. to Award Contract for RFK Memorial Stadium Master Plan. Sernovitz. Daniel J.. Washington Business Journal. August 18, 2014. August 25, 2014.
  110. http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/american/rfksta.htm RFK Stadium
  111. News: Jurgensen Hurls 4 Scoring Passes; Mitchell, Carpenter, Taylor and Cola Elude WeakenedDefensive Secondary. William N.. Wallace. The New York Times. November 30, 1964. December 24, 2011.
  112. News: Draft Choices to Play in U.S. Bowl. Lewiston Morning Tribune. January 6, 1962. December 24, 2011.
  113. News: Larry Brown Gains 1,000-Yard Club. The Free Lance–Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. December 14, 1970. December 24, 2011.
  114. News: Redskins Smash Giants. The Palm Beach Post. December 6, 1971. December 24, 2011.
  115. News: Packer Rookie Picked Clean. Jerry. Izenberg. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230126/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/1946162442.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+28,+1972&author=&pub=Boston+Globe+(1960-1979)&desc=Packer+rookie+picked+clean&pqatl=google. dead. November 7, 2012. The Boston Globe. November 28, 1972. December 24, 2011.
  116. Web site: 1973 Washington Redskins Schedule. National Football League. November 28, 2011.
  117. News: Grambling Is Seeking Bid to Bowl. Al. Harving. The New York Times. November 6, 1975. December 24, 2011.
  118. News: Sunday Scouting Report. Los Angeles Times. September 19, 1975. December 24, 2011. November 7, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230139/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/679425572.html?dids=679425572:679425572&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+19,+1975&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=SUNDAY+SCOUTING+REPORT&pqatl=google. dead.
  119. News: Cowboys Win, 14–7, on Dorsett's TD. Leonard. Shapiro. The Washington Post. November 28, 1977. November 27, 2011.
  120. News: Redskins Nip Eagles to Stay Undefeated. Cameron C.. Snyder. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230152/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1787491722.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+29,+1982&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Redskins+nip+Eagles+to+stay+undefeated&pqatl=google. dead. November 7, 2012. The Baltimore Sun. November 29, 1982. December 24, 2011.
  121. News: Redskins Run Over Cowboys as Riggins hits 10,000 Yards. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 15, 1984. December 24, 2011.
  122. News: Redskins Reload; Champs Have Firepower to Win Again; Prospects of Repeating Downplayed. Gary. Mihoces. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230213/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55861912.html?dids=55861912:55861912&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+30,+1988&author=Gary+Mihoces&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Redskins+reload%3BChamps+have+firepower+to+win+again%3BProspects+of+repeating+downplayed&pqatl=google. dead. November 7, 2012. USA Today. August 30, 1988. December 24, 2011.
  123. News: Pro Football, NFC: Young and Rice Re-Ignite 49er Fireworks. The New York Times. November 29, 1993. December 24, 2011.
  124. News: USA vs. Germany friendly at RFK Stadium. The Washington Post. June 2, 2013. June 2, 2013.
  125. News: Teams battle on and on – then Solons win in 22nd . Spokane Daily Chronicle . (Washington) . Associated Press . June 13, 1967 . 15.
  126. News: Senators outlast Sox in 22 innings. Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . June 13, 1967 . 3B.
  127. News: Ted sees spoiler role for Nats . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . Polk . James R. . April 7, 1969 . 15.
  128. News: New managers find openers little tough. Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Associated Press . Nissenson . Herschel . April 8, 1969 . 6.
  129. Web site: This Date In Baseball. Paul. Montella . March 29, 2012. ESPN. February 1, 2018. Associated Press.
  130. News: It's official: Nixon No. 1 fan . Free-Lance Star . Fredericksburg, Virginia . Associated Press . Grimsley . Will . July 23, 1969 . 8.
  131. News: Nixon heads for recovery of moon craft . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington) . Associated Press . July 24, 1969 . 1 .
  132. News: Bombs away! NL stars shell AL hurlers, 9-3 . Milwaukee Sentinel . Chapman . Lou . July 24, 1969 . 1, part 2 .
  133. News: This old-timers game is a real crackerjack . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania) . (Baltimore Sun) . Baker . Kent . July 1, 1984 . 101.
  134. News: Old-timers game moves to Buffalo . The Washington Post . December 3, 1987 . May 16, 2018.
  135. News: Glory names from baseball's past will play in Buffalo on June 20 . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press . May 29, 1988 . May 16, 2018.
  136. Web site: Appel. Marty. CRACKER JACK OLD TIMERS GAMES. The National Past Time Museum. January 11, 2015. January 28, 2018.
  137. Web site: Baseball is Back at RFK Stadium in 1987 – Ghosts of DC. May 8, 2012. GhostsOfDC.org. February 1, 2018.
  138. News: Washington's Baseball Morsel . Thomas . Boswell . February 24, 1987 . February 1, 2018 . The Washington Post.
  139. News: Justice . Richard . 36,123 See Orioles Lose at RFK to Mets . The Washington Post . April 4, 1989.
  140. News: Gildea . William . Baseball a Memory--Again . The Washington Post . April 3, 1989.
  141. News: Gazuza Hurls Win Against Soviet Nine. The Journal News – White Plains New York. May 7, 1989.
  142. News: Goff . Stephen . Chilly RFK Exhibition Stokes Fire for Expansion . The Washington Post . April 8, 1990.
  143. News: Justice . Richard . Lining Up for Baseball . The Washington Post . April 7, 1991.
  144. News: Maske . Mark . Orioles Downed at RFK, Head for Home, Opener . The Washington Post . April 8, 1991.
  145. News: Fachet . Robert . In Washington for Just a Day, Orioles Fall at RFK . The Washington Post . April 5, 1992.
  146. News: Gildea . William . The Faithful Come to RFK, Knowing This Is All There Is . The Washington Post . April 6, 1992.
  147. News: Justice. Richard. ORIOLES ON SEASON'S DOORSTEP AT RFK. December 28, 2017. April 3, 1998.
  148. News: RFK Set For Expos, Cardinals. December 28, 2017. March 28, 1999.
  149. News: Nakamura . David . Farenthold . David A. . In Nationals' D.C. Debut, Fans Shrug Off Snags . The Washington Post . April 4, 2005.
  150. News: 34 years, nine games later . Free Lance-Star . (Fredericksburg, Virginia) . Warters . Nathan . April 14, 2005 . B1.
  151. Web site: Looking back at five great baseball moments at RFK Stadium . Andrew . Mearns . October 22, 2017. Major League Baseball. February 1, 2018.
  152. Web site: Soriano Joins Elite Group. Bill. Ladson. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. September 16, 2006. December 24, 2011.
  153. News: Phils find no relief in loss . Reading Eagle . (Pennsylvania) . September 24, 2007 . D1.
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  155. News: The scheduled 19-game round robin series involving NFL All-Stars. December 28, 2017. October 13, 1982.
  156. Web site: Washington Federals, United States Football League. January 16, 2014. FunWhileItLasted.net. February 1, 2018.
  157. News: Solomon. Jon. Military Bowl reports college football's smallest bowl crowd in 7 years. December 28, 2012. AL.com. December 28, 2012.
  158. News: Grambling-Morgan State Collide at RFK Stadium. The Pittsburgh Courier. September 6, 1975.
  159. News: Carter. Russell. Name Changes, Teams Same. January 22, 2018. October 31, 1978.
  160. News: Hente. Kent. BISON AGAIN ENJOYING THE CLASSICS. December 28, 2017. October 4, 1991.
  161. News: Fogg . Sam . Hall Aerials West to 33-19 Victory . The Warren County Observer . 21 . Newspapers.com . January 22, 2018 . January 8, 1962 . subscription.
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  163. News: FOOTBALL CLASSIC AT RFK GIVES OTHERS A CHANCE. December 28, 2017. January 14, 1993.
  164. News: Navy Blitz made Pitt 12-0 Victim . Simpson's Leader-Times . . 15 . Newspapers.com . January 22, 2018 . October 18, 1965 . subscription.
  165. News: Frostburg Gains Sixth Straight Victory . January 22, 2018 . The Morning Herald . Hagerstown, Maryland . 16 . Newspapers.com . October 19, 1970 . subscription.
  166. News: Kentucky State has talent, lacks depth . The Courier-Journal . Louisville, Kentucky . 177 . Newspapers.com . January 22, 2018 . August 27, 1972 . subscription.
  167. News: Navy-Air Force . January 22, 2018 . Hobbs Daily News-Sun . 6 . Newspapers.com . October 5, 1975 . subscription.
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  170. News: Football Shoots Down Salisbury in OT to Win Third Annual Regents' Cup Game. January 22, 2018. October 11, 2001.
  171. News: Brooks. J.. Georgetown football to host Harvard at RFK Stadium. December 28, 2017. August 1, 2017.
  172. News: D.C. high school football triple-header set for RFK Stadium in September . Pell . Samantha . . August 14, 2018 . August 18, 2018.
  173. News: Williams . Gary . Friendship, Wilson, Dunbar Victorious in DC Kickoff Classic . . February 20, 2019 . September 17, 2018.
  174. News: Raggs . Tramel . Friendship Collegiate handles H.D. Woodson in D.C. Kickoff Classic . The Washington Post . July 26, 2020 . September 14, 2019.
  175. Web site: Recap: Friendship Collegiate Academy vs. Woodson 2019 . . July 19, 2022.
  176. News: Perspective – American soccer made its home at aging, funky RFK Stadium . Steven . Goff . October 20, 2017 . February 1, 2018 . The Washington Post.
  177. News: D.C. Soccer Scheduled. The Federal Times. May 13, 1970.
  178. News: Stokers Defeat Washington . January 31, 2018 . Medina County Gazette . 6 . . Newspapers.com . May 27, 1967.
  179. Web site: Washington Darts Friendlies. February 5, 2018.
  180. Web site: Washington Diplomats Archives • Fun While It Lasted. Fun While It Lasted. January 7, 2018 . February 1, 2018.
  181. News: Feinstein. John. Dips Stripped of 2 Goals, Lose, 2-1, Before 53,351. January 30, 2018. The Washington Post. June 2, 1980.
  182. Web site: Team America, North American Soccer League. December 22, 2013. FunWhileItLasted.net. February 1, 2018.
  183. News: Berkowitz . Steve . Diplomats Gain Tie in Final . The Washington Post . June 8, 1987.
  184. News: Huff. Donald. Diplomats Lose, 2-1, In Opener; 2,451 Fans Watch Eagles Win at RFK. April 18, 1988.
  185. News: Freeman. Mike. Soccer. January 31, 2018. June 29, 1988.
  186. News: Goff . Steven . All-Stars Overcome Diplomats, 2-1 . The Washington Post . June 30, 1989.
  187. News: Goff. Stephen. MERGER PROPOSAL FOLLOWS DROP IN ATTENDANCE, STRAIN ON BUDGETS. January 31, 2018. The Washington Post . June 28, 1990.
  188. Web site: Belgium v. Saudi Arabia: '94 World Cup Game at RFK Stadium – Ghosts of DC. March 25, 2012. GhostsOfDC.org. February 1, 2018.
  189. Web site: Diego Maradona goal voted the FIFA World Cup Goal of the Century. https://web.archive.org/web/20150912131216/http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2002/m=5/news=diego-maradona-goal-voted-the-fifa-world-cup-153-goal-the-century-82406.html. dead. September 12, 2015. May 30, 2002. FIFA. February 1, 2018.
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  192. News: Constable . Pamela . Pamela Constable . At RFK, A Home Team Sell-Out . The Washington Post . July 25, 1996.
  193. Ronaldinho Gives Glimpse. Sports Illustrated. July 30, 2003. May 10, 2014.
  194. Web site: Ronaldinhosamba barcelona career life info barca report knowledge. https://web.archive.org/web/20080104054436/http://www.ronaldinhosamba.com/ronaldinho_barcelona%20career_info_goal_news_new_barca_life.html. March 24, 2007. January 4, 2008.
  195. Web site: Adu Starts Well Out of the Blocks. Marc. Connolly. ESPN. April 3, 2004. May 10, 2014. October 5, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121005141023/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=296253&root=mls&cc=5901. dead.
  196. Web site: Dempsey, U.S. Stun Germany in 7-goal Thriller. ESPN. June 2, 2013. August 12, 2013.
  197. Web site: Central American Cup 2014 to Open in Washington, D.C. with Triple-Header. January 31, 2018.
  198. News: Goff. Steven. D.C. United exits CONCACAF Champions League. January 31, 2018. March 1, 2016.
  199. News: Goff . Steven . RFK Stadium comes back to life for one night of old-school soccer charm . March 29, 2019 . The Washington Post . March 26, 2019.
  200. Web site: Haiti – El Salvador live – 2 June 2019 – Eurosport . . Eurosport.com. June 2, 2019 .
  201. Web site: ACC Champs End Regular Season at Home. December 28, 2017.
  202. News: Deacs Close Spring Season with 3-1 Win Against Maryland. March 5, 2018. April 20, 2009.
  203. Web site: U.S. Ready for 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinal Match Against Jamaica. US Soccer. June 17, 2011. December 24, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120130045851/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2011/06/US-Ready-for-Gold-Cup-Quarterfinal-Match-against-Jamaica.aspx. January 30, 2012.
  204. Web site: RFK as our National Soccer Stadium. Match Fit USA. October 20, 2009. December 24, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306184251/http://www.matchfitusa.com/2009/10/rfk-national-soccer-stadium.html. March 6, 2012.
  205. Web site: Every Big American Soccer Game Should Be Played in RFK. Bill. Simmons. Bill Simmons. ESPN. October 16, 2009. December 24, 2011.
  206. Web site: American Le Mans Series Washington 2002. May 25, 2022.
  207. Web site: National Capital Grand Prix. DC Pages. December 24, 2011. September 28, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928193600/http://www.dcpages.com/Autos/National_Grand_Prix/History/. dead.
  208. News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . D.C. Panel Ignored Car Race's Environmental Impact . The Washington Post . May 19, 2002 . none.
    News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . Unwillingly, Grand Prix Neighbors Off to Races . The Washington Post . July 20, 2002 . none. ; News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . Grand Prix Firm Misled D.C. Agency On Sound Barrier . The Washington Post . July 28, 2002.
  209. News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . Car-Race Barriers Still Clog RFK Lots . The Washington Post . April 3, 2003.
  210. News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . D.C. Panel Blamed in Canceled Race . The Washington Post . March 9, 2003 . none.
    News: Kovaleski . Serge F. . D.C. Agency Cancels Grand Prix Contract . The Washington Post . April 5, 2003.
  211. National Grand Prix of Washington . DC Watch . August 9, 2001 . December 24, 2011.
  212. Web site: Third annual Global Rallycross Washington DC returns to RFK Stadium July 29–30. us.motorsport.com. May 26, 2016 .
  213. Web site: Cranor. David. From the Archives: The Tour de Trump comes to Arlington and Washington. TheWashcycle. December 28, 2017.
  214. News: Greg LeMond Ending Career. Samuel. Abt. The New York Times. December 3, 1994. April 12, 2016.
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  216. News: Tour Du Pont. The Gettysburg Times. May 18, 1992.
  217. News: Wales Confirm They Will Play Historic Test Match This Summer. February 26, 2018. RugbyLAD. 2018-02-26.
  218. Web site: Thriller At RFK As Wales Beats Boks . florugby. June 3, 2018 .
  219. https://www.concertarchives.org/venues/rfk-stadium--2 "RFK Concert History"
  220. News: Manasso . John . CITY TITLE GAME REVISITED . January 31, 2018 . The Washington Post . November 26, 1994.
  221. News: Payton . Randolph . Traditional Thanksgiving Treats . January 31, 2018 . The Washington Post . November 24, 1983.
  222. Web site: Travel through time and explore the rich history of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. . . January 26, 2018.
  223. Web site: George Michael Speech at Equality Rocks Concert (2000) . George Michael Forever . November 20, 2022 . April 9, 2019.
  224. Web site: RFK Stadium – A Historic Venue . https://web.archive.org/web/20091211022431/http://www.eaglebankbowl.org/wp-content/themes/lifestyle_40/pdf/presskit/RFKStadiumAHistoricVenue.pdf . December 11, 2009 . eaglebankbowl.org.
  225. News: Brian . Trompeter . World Police & Fire Games kick off at RFK Stadium . January 26, 2018 . insidenova.com . June 27, 2015.
  226. Web site: Lingebach . Chris . X-Men Movie Swings and Misses on D.C. Baseball History (Video) . . August 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140605030137/http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/05/22/x-men-movie-swings-and-misses-on-d-c-baseball-history-video/ . June 5, 2014 . May 22, 2014.

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