Behrman Stadium

Behrman Stadium is a sports playing facility located in Algiers, New Orleans. It was originally home to former high schools Holy Name of Mary and Behrman High (which later became O. P. Walker) and L.B. Landry High schools. Behrman Stadium which is run by N.O.R.D. is the second oldest prep stadiums in the New Orleans area, behind City Park's Tad Gormely Stadium, built in 1937.^[1]

History

Behrman Stadium was built in 1938 and is the second-oldest prep facility in New Orleans and serves Edna Karr and Walker-Landry high schools which amounts to 2,396 students. The New Orleans Recreation Department is the operating body and there is a neighborhood-based booster club. The stadium was named for former five-term New Orleans Mayor Martin Behrman. As well as the stadium, there is a community pool, tennis courts, track field and gymnasium. Sports camps are held at the park during the summer, including: tennis, dance and cheerleading. At capacity, it accommodates 2,500 patrons on each side, with standing-room only areas at the end zones.

It is also the place where LSU great Billy Cannon once ran high school track and field and where L.B. Landry coach Felix "Zoo" James stood up for racial equality; making the Landry football team the first predominantly African American high school to call the facility home in the early 1960s. Famous footballers who played here in their early years include: former Miami Dolphins All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain, former LSU quarterback Herb Tyler, Saints former cornerback Keenan Lewis and Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace.^[2]

Conditions

By 2005, the stadium was in a bad condition due to financial underfunding^[1] It was not until 2011 that funding improved when a partnership of the NFL Youth Football Fund, the New Orleans Saints and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) issued a grant for renovation including synthetic turf and digital play clocks.^[3]

Security and Public Safety

Due to the stadium being located in an area riddled with violence, it became the main site for numerous shootout's, post athletic games. Before security cameras where installed, the lack of a police presence was common which enabled criminals to carry fire arms into the stadium. The first shooting happened on the night of September 28, 1979 after a football game. A 17-year old boy was shot multiple times outside Behrman Stadium.^[4] Years later, security was in place at the exits and are authorized to search for harmful items due to the safety policy.^[5]

References