HISTORIC HAYWARD FIELD
A Legend Reborn At the heart of Eugene’s successful bids for the 2008, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Historic Hayward Field is the nation’s most impressive track and field venue. And there is no place on earth like TrackTown USA. The 2008 Trials were an unmitigated success that could have only happened here; the magical performances, the heart-stopping moments, the records, the drama, the joy, the tears. All of which played out for the nation to watch before the most appreciative home to track and field in the world. The 2012 Trials not only matched that success, but exceeded it in every way imaginable, cementing the community’s status as TrackTown USA. The 2008 Trials marked only the beginning of the legendary venue’s rebirth. In the coming years, TrackTown USA will be the epicenter of the nation’s most prestigious championship meets. The NCAA Championships will return to Eugene for the 2013 and 2014 events, while the IAAF World Junior Championships will be held at Hayward Field in 2014, a first on U.S. soil. In 2011, the USA Track & Field Championships were contested at Hayward Field for the second time in three years. In 2013, Track Town, USA welcomed the NCAA Championships for the 11th time since 1962—the most of any venue in modern history. The University of Oregon’s Hayward Field, one of the most famous track and field facilities in the world, is named for Bill Hayward, who coached the University of Oregon’s men’s team from 1904-1947. Hayward Field was initially constructed for football in 1919. Two years later, a six-lane cinder track was installed and track events were transferred from Kincaid Field on the opposite edge of campus. The facility was utilized for both sports until the opening of Autzen Stadium in 1967. The stadium has undergone significant improvements in modern history; in 2008 a new track surface, stadium lights, a remarkable video board and newly configured infield were unveiled. The birth of track and field on the University of Oregon campus dates back to 1895. The student body (then numbering 353) built a quarter-mile dirt track at Kincaid Field, now the site of 13th Avenue and Kincaid Street, to practice for their annual field day, held in conjunction with commencement exercises. In 1900, the Ducks started competing in dual meets against regional universities and opponents and sported a 13-3 record in their first nine years—including an
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