History
Football was played on the site from 1880, when Kentucky University beat Centre in what the state marker calls the first college game in the South. Concrete stands opened in October 1916 and the field was dedicated to Judge Richard G. Stoll; in 1924 the grandstands were named McLean Stadium after Price McLean, who was fatally injured in a 1923 game.
Kentucky played its last game there on November 11, 1972 and moved to Commonwealth Stadium in 1973. The stadium was razed in the 1970s, and the Singletary Center for the Arts now stands on its south end.
Why it matters: University of Kentucky football home through the Bear Bryant era.
Timeline
- April 9, 1880
Kentucky University (now Transylvania) beat Centre 13 3/4-0 on the field, described as the first college football game in the South.
- October 1916
The concrete stands opened and the field was dedicated to Judge Richard G. Stoll.
- November 1924McLean Stadium[1]
The grandstands were named McLean Stadium for Price McLean, fatally injured in a 1923 game.
- November 11, 1972Last Kentucky game[1]
Kentucky beat Vanderbilt 14-13 in its final game at the stadium.
- November 24, 1972Final games[1]
The KHSAA state championship games were the last games played there.
- 2008Historic marker[1]
A Kentucky historical marker was erected.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | The Singletary Center for the Arts on the south end; a field on the north end used until 2018 by the marching band and intramurals.[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| Kentucky Wildcats | SEC |
|---|
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Stoll Field; McLean Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Avenue of Champions, Lexington, Kentucky[3] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | October 1916[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | November 24, 1972[1] |
| Demolished | 1970–1979[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Closure | Replaced by Commonwealth Stadium (1973). |
Documented details
Sources
- Stoll Field/McLean Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: closed, current land use, demolished, events, opened
- Stoll Field (Kentucky Historical Marker #2262), ExploreKYHistory (Kentucky Historical Society). Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: events, opened
- McLean Stadium (former) Improvements - Lexington KY, The Living New Deal. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, coordinates
Research confidence
Key facts on this page (opening, closing, status and location) are each supported by sources, with key dates corroborated by at least two independent sources. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Living New Deal says the stadium was known as Stoll Field from 1916 to 1923; Wikipedia dates the McLean Stadium name to November 1924.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.