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Offutt Field
Offutt Field is a multi-purpose athletic field, located in the heart of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The field has been home to Griffins football since 2005.
QUICK LINKS:
HISTORY
GOOGLE MAPS
TICKET AND PARKING INFORMATION
QUICK FACTS:
Seating Capacity: 5,000
Surface: Field Turf
Opened: 1890s
HISTORY
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Current Tenants
Seton Hill University (NCAA D2) (2005-Present)
Greensburg-Salem High School (WPIAL) (1894-Present)
Past Tenants
Greensburg Athletic Association (WPPFC) (1890–1900)
Greensburg Red Sox (WPL) (1907)
Greensburg Trojans (PSA) (1934)
Greensburg Red Wings (PSA) (1935–1936)
Greensburg Green Sox (PSA) (1937–1938)
Greensburg Senators (PSA) (1939)
Greensburg Central Catholic H.S. (WPIAL) (1960–1993)
Professional Football
The field was the home of the Greensburg Athletic Association, a professional football team during the 1890s. The field's playing surface once had a stream, known as Jack's Run, which crossed a corner of the field.
Early-day accounts of football games at Athletic Park noted that the football occasionally went into the creek, and players became heroes with the crowd for plunging into the waters to retrieve the ball. On October 26, 1895, during a game between Greensburg and the Carnegie Athletic Club of Braddock, once Greensburg scored a touchdown after only a minute and a half into the game, some spectators at Athletic Park were, according to news reports at time, were "so hilarious over the rout that they threw their hats in the air and some went in the creek" that ran past a corner of the field. In 1916, the field level was raised and the creek covered. Jacob's Run is a part of Jacob's Creek.
The field saw a memorable game that ended in a scoreless draw on November 24, 1894, between Greensburg and the Jeannette Athletic Club. During the first half of the game Greensburg's Lawson Fiscus got into a violent altercation (which was very common in this era) with an unknown Jeannette player. Several accounts of the incident describe Fiscus kicking the Jeannette player in the face. However, the Pittsburgh Press reported that Fiscus had tripped the player and "purposely tramped on his neck." Either way, Jeannette immediately petitioned the referee to expel Fiscus from the game, meanwhile Greensburg defended Fiscus' actions. The arguments continued through to the second half of the game. Finally, either Jeannette or Greensburg stormed off the field in protest and the game was declared a scoreless draw.
Another memorable professional game occurred at the field on Saturday, October 12, 1895, the Greensburg Athletic Association defeated Western University of Pennsylvania (renamed the University of Pittsburgh in 1909), 42-2. In this era of football, it was common for college and professional teams to play each other. During this game it was discovered that Western University's coach gave his players a set of signals, which were commonly used in pre-huddle football days, that had been used by Penn State the year before. Two of the key players of the Greensburg team had starred for Penn State the year before, one of which was player-coach Charlie Atherton. Thus, the team knew what the play was prior to the snap.
Baseball
In the summer of 1936, the Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals, behind Pepper Martin, defeated their Class D Pennsylvania State Association farm team, the Greensburg Red Wings, 11-0, in front of 1,500 spectators at Offutt Field. In 1937, Greensburg Green Sox minor league baseball team was instrumental in getting funds for lights at Offutt Field in the city, setting the stage for night high school football, which debuted that fall. The field hosted minor league teams that were affiliated with the Cardinals, Washington Senators, and Brooklyn Dodgers
High School
The field has been used by Greensburg High School and Salem High School since 1894. The two districts merged in 1960 to form Greensburg-Salem School District. From 1960 until 1993, Greensburg Central Catholic High School played their home games at the stadium.
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Google Maps
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RECOMMENDED ROUTES
From PA-66 South (Delmont):
1: PA-66 South becomes PA-66 Turnpike (Toll Road)
2: Take the PA 130-exit (exit#8) toward Greensburg/Jeannette
3: Turn left onto PA 130 E.
4: Turn left onto PA 130 E (W. Pittsburgh St.)
5: Turn Rt. to field at Urania Ave.
From I70 (New Stanton):
1: Take I-70 E to New Stanton where I-70 becomes US-119
2: Follow US-119 N. toward Greensburg
3: Turn Rt. onto US-119N/PA-130E/PA-819 N. Continue to follow PA-130 E.
4: Turn onto Urania Ave.
From US-30 West (Ligonier):
1: Take Exit onto E. Pittsburgh St.
2: Turn Left onto Urania Avenue
From Pittsburgh:
1: Take I-376 (parkway east) toward Monroeville
2: Merge onto I-76 E/Pennsylvania Turnpike (toll road)
3: Merge onto US-30 W via exit number 67 toward Greensburg.
4: Take the ramp toward Pittsburgh St.
5: Continue on W. Pittsburgh St.
6: W. Pittsburgh St. Becomes PA-130 E
7: Turn right onto Urania Ave.
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TICKET AND PARKING INFORMATION
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. Seton Hill University students, staff and faculty are admitted free with their SHU identification card. For fans' convenience, will call is available at both the Laird Street entrance and the S. Urania Avenue entrance.
- Handicap parking is available for $10 at Offutt Field behind the grandstand. Cars with the necessary handicap tags/credentials are to enter through the Laird Street entrance.
- A limited number of parking spaces are available for $10 inside the Offutt Field perimeter fencing. Fans are to enter through the South Urania Avenue entrance on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Members of the Griffin Athletic Association (GAA) who qualify for preferred parking behind the grandstand are to enter through the Laird Street parking entrance. This includes Gold, Platinum and Diamond Club members.
Griffin-Friendly Offutt Field Parking Map
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Fans are asked to be respectful of our Greensburg neighbors and honor their parking codes, especially in residential areas, during football game-days.
