History
The former town lot was renamed Tournament Park in 1900. It hosted the first Rose Bowl Game in 1902 and again from 1916 to 1922, eight games in all, with seating for 43,000 by 1922, much of it temporary wooden bleachers the city deemed unsafe. USC played some games there, and Caltech used it for football until the school dropped the sport.
The game moved to the new Rose Bowl stadium in 1923. Caltech maintains the site as South Athletic Field.
Why it matters: Site of the first Rose Bowl Game (1902).
Timeline
- 1900Named Tournament Park[1]
The former town lot was renamed Tournament Park.
- 1902First Rose Bowl Game[1]
The first Rose Bowl Game was played at the park.
- November 5, 1911Vin Fiz landing[1]
Calbraith Perry Rodgers landed the Vin Fiz there before 20,000 people.
- 1922Last Rose Bowl at the park[1]
The last of eight Rose Bowl Games at the park was played; the city deemed many bleachers unsafe.
- 1923Rose Bowl stadium opens[1]
The New Year's Day game moved to the new Rose Bowl stadium.
The site today
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
|---|---|
| Current use | Caltech's South Athletic Field, used for track and field[1] |
| Mapped location | Approximate historic location |
Teams & events
| Caltech Beavers | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Rose Bowl Game | 1902–1922 · event 1902 and 1916-1922 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Location | Pasadena, California |
|---|---|
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football, Track & field |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | 1900[1] |
| Physical status | Standing, repurposed |
| Final capacity | 43,000[1] |
| Capacity notes | 43,000 in 1922, many in temporary wooden bleachers. |
| Closure | The Rose Bowl Game moved to the new Rose Bowl stadium in 1923. |
Sources
- Tournament Park, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, coordinates, current land use, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.