Sams Stadium celebrates 53rd year

Joe Rodriguez fondly remembers a Sams Memorial Stadium that had grass and a simple scoreboard. In 1957, with a seating capacity of 9,500, it was considered a state of the art athletic field.

Rodriguez, the Brownsville Independent School District athletic director, insists “the stadium” is still state of the art today.

Sams Memorial Stadium has been the home of Brownsville football games since 1954, where more than 500 varsity home games have been played, Rodriguez said.

BISD spokeswoman Drue Brown said the construction of stadium cost approximately $300,000 at the time it was built.

According to www.westegg.com/inflation, an online inflation calculator, that would be more than $2 million today.

Brown said the stadium was funded entirely by the Earl C. Sams Foundation, which was run by Sams’ daughters, Gladys Porter and Camille Lightner.

Rodriguez started coaching at Sams Stadium in 1957.

“We played a lot of great games here when I was coaching,” he said.

Rodriguez refers to the stadium as the “living room of the community.”

“People come and gather, have fun, there’s graduations and all kinds of programs,” he said.

As such, Rodriguez said, Sams belongs to the community.

“It is heartening to see how respectful the community is of it. “

Rodriguez remembers teams from Breckenridge and Corpus Christi Miller high schools played in Sams Stadium on their path to state championships.

For Brownsville youth, playing in the legendary stadium is an unforgettable experience, Rodriguez said.

“For young people, it’s an experience and we are glad we are able to offer that,” he said. “I feel very appreciative that I’m able to be a part of Sams Stadium. … I love Sams Stadium.”