More than 3,000 pumpkins decorate the Pumpkin House in Kenova, an event that has turned into a community carnival but started out with five simple carved pumpkins.
Home » Stories » September 6, 1980: Singer John Denver Helps Dedicate New Mountaineer Field
Published
September 6, 1980: Singer John Denver Helps Dedicate New Mountaineer Field
Listen
Share this Article
On September 6, 1980, singer John Denver and some 50,000 West Virginia University fans belted out a rousing rendition of “Country Roads” to dedicate new Mountaineer Field in Morgantown.
The big day also marked the first game for new football coach Don Nehlen. WVU’s 41-27 victory over Cincinnati would be the first of 149 wins at WVU for Nehlen, who was on his way to becoming the most successful coach in school history and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
New Mountaineer Field replaced the old one, built in 1924, on the downtown campus. The new stadium initially seated 50,000, but expansions increased it to 63,500. The stadium’s largest crowd—some 70,000 fans—showed up in 1993 to watch WVU beat Miami of Florida to win its first Big East Conference title, in the midst of an undefeated regular season.
In the ‘90s, luxury skyboxes were added, and the Caperton Indoor Facility was completed, allowing teams to practice regardless of weather. In 2003, the stadium was renamed in honor of benefactor Mylan Puskar, while the playing field is still known as Mountaineer Field.
Watch the performance
Add WVPB as a preferred source on Google to see more from our team
Southern West Virginia has rich but often overlooked musical traditions. Chris Haddox is a WVU professor of sustainable design, but he's also spent years uncovering more information on those overlooked musicians. We spoke with him to learn more about his effort to shine a light on the musical talents of local miners, now with the help of a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
On Oct. 23, Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, will release a new album for choir, cello, piano and live electronics called Eternity in an Hour via Decca Records. Listen to the entire interview between Whitacre and Matt Jackfert.
It’s not often that we associate West Virginia's obesity rates with good news – but data released last month from the nonprofit Trust for America's Health finds West Virginia is one of just two states nationwide to show a significant drop in adult obesity rates. We find out what's causing the decline – and whether it's likely to continue.