Buzz
Today's stadiums are the modern-day equivalents of ancient Coliseums, having borne witness to some of the greatest feats in sports history. Yet, within their hallowed walls, they've also been the sites of numerous tragic events, leaving behind the lingering spirits of those who lost their lives. Here are ten such incidents.
10. The Roof Collapse at the Stanford-Cal 'Big Game' at San Francisco Field, 1900
The highly anticipated football game between Stanford University and the University of California Berkeley on Thanksgiving Day in 1900 was the 10th meeting of these two teams. This particular game was dubbed the 'Big Game.' At the time, Stanford's stadium in San Francisco’s Mission District was little more than an open field, lacking proper seating for the large crowd expected. Temporary stands were hastily constructed in the days leading up to the match.
For fans unwilling to pay the $1 entry fee to sit in the stands, many found alternative spots to watch the game. One such location was the roof of the Pacific Glass Works building across from the field, offering a clear view of the action. Although there were efforts to prevent spectators from climbing onto the roof, it was rumored that some fans paid 'fees' for access, though the authorities likely couldn’t have stopped them anyway.
Around 20 minutes into the game, the Pacific Glass Works building, which had an estimated 400 people on its roof, finally gave way. Below, inside the factory, were 15 tons of molten glass and a furnace with temperatures nearing 500 degrees. A worker at the scene later described witnessing a young man fall and land in the furnace, where the heat caused his body to 'curl up like a worm.'
The catastrophe resulted in 22 deaths, with nearly 100 others sustaining severe injuries. This remains the deadliest sports disaster in U.S. history. San Francisco Field is no longer standing, and no memorial exists to commemorate the tragedy. Today, a university building occupies the site where the disaster occurred.
9. The Ibrox Stadium Disasters in Glasgow, 1902 & 1971
Stadiums are often said to host a ghost or two wandering their stands, but Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow seems to have more than its fair share. This is due to two major tragedies that occurred there during the 20th century.
On April 5, 1902, during a football match between England and Scotland, a stand collapsed under the weight of the spectators, resulting in 25 fatalities and over 500 injuries. The previous night’s heavy rainfall had weakened the newly constructed wooden stand. The disaster occurred just five minutes into the second half. Despite the tragedy, the match continued until the end to avoid panic and a potential mass exit, which could have worsened the situation. This event is considered the first of its kind in British football history.
Almost seven decades later, in 1971, another catastrophic event took place at Ibrox when 66 fans were crushed on Stairway 13 while exiting the stadium. The incident began when a child fell, causing a fatal pileup on the stairs. More than 200 others were injured. Tragically, this wasn't the first such occurrence; in 1961, two people had died on the same stairway, but the ongoing concerns were not properly addressed until the 1971 disaster.
8. The Corralejas Bullring Stadium Collapse in Colombia, 1980
On January 20, 1980, tragedy struck when the hastily constructed three-tier stands at the Corralejas bullring in Colombia collapsed, claiming numerous lives and resulting in the suspension of the traditional festivities for the next twenty years.
The temporary stands were built each year just before the festival and dismantled afterward. The area had been hit by heavy rainfall, and during that afternoon’s bullfight, a sudden thunderstorm swept in. As the downpour soaked the grounds, panic set in, and people rushed to flee, causing the already unstable stands to collapse.
In the chaos, some people jumped from the stands in a desperate attempt to escape, while others ran in all directions, including toward the bull ring, where four enraged bulls waited. The panic led to numerous casualties, with many, including children, being trampled. A total of 222 lives were lost, and hundreds more were injured.
Approximately 40,000 spectators were in the stadium or at nearby food stands when the disaster struck. The aftermath was a scene of utter devastation. One witness recalled seeing 'blood everywhere' and bodies left where they fell.
7. Incidents At Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium
While the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore hasn't witnessed any major disasters, two unusual incidents, one fatal, occurred within a decade of each other.
On May 2, 1964, just before a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians, the stadium’s most tragic event took place. The day was designated as Safety Patrol Day, with 20,000 free tickets given to children who had worked throughout the year to ensure the safety of their classmates commuting to and from school.
As the national anthem played, excited young fans crowded onto the escalator between the lower and upper decks, with up to four people standing on a single step, eager to reach their seats. However, the gate at the top only allowed one person to exit at a time, causing a bottleneck. This quickly led to a crush of bodies, and the children fell backward, tumbling over each other as the escalator continued to move.
By the time people realized the severity of the situation, a young girl had lost her life and 46 others were severely injured. A witness described the scene saying, 'It looked like someone had gone through here with a hatchet.'
On December 19, 1976, mere minutes after a football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Colts ended, a small plane crash-landed in the stadium's upper tier. Remarkably, no fatalities occurred, though the incident left the crowd shaken. Had the game run over even a little longer, the death toll could have easily been in the triple digits. The pilot, 33-year-old Donald Kroner, was arrested and charged with violating air safety laws and destruction of property.
6. Hillsborough Stadium Disaster, Sheffield, England, 1989
April 15, 1989, stands as the darkest day in the history of English football, casting a long shadow over the sport. At Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death during an FA Cup semifinal match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The tragedy unfolded at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium, where an overcrowded terrace led to the fatal crush. The horrifying event was broadcast live on national television.
Since the 1970s, a troubling wave of violence had begun to mar the sport, particularly on the terraces. As each decade passed, this violent trend grew more pervasive, prompting a shift in crowd control strategies. During the 1980s, the primary focus of security became the prevention of hooliganism rather than ensuring the safety of fans.
As a result, fans were often separated, sometimes by tall fences that resembled cages. This not only painted a grim picture of the sport but also contributed to the negative reputation of football in England. In fact, the severity of the violence ultimately led to a ban on English clubs participating in European competitions.
Although there was no sign of “crowd trouble” on that fateful Saturday in April 1989, the presence of fencing around the terraces prevented fans from escaping to safety onto the field. In the aftermath, the South Yorkshire Police faced considerable criticism. Accusations ranged from prioritizing traffic management around the stadium over crowd control to allegedly covering up vital evidence in the years that followed.
5. Estadio Nacional Disaster, Peru, 1964
The event that became known as the worst disaster in Association Football history began on May 24, 1964, when the referee disallowed a goal that would have leveled the score for the home team. Argentina led Peru 1–0 with just over five minutes remaining when the controversial decision was made. The enraged crowd reacted violently, and by the time the riot ended, 263 lives had been lost. In the aftermath, the Peruvian government declared a week of national mourning, and Lima was described as a 'disaster region.'
In the chaos that followed, many fans were crushed as they attempted to escape the stadium, while others surged onto the field to confront the referee. Terraces were set ablaze, and the entire stadium was engulfed in tear gas deployed by the police, which only escalated the confusion and panic. Mounted police were soon called in to restore some semblance of order. The field itself resembled a battlefield, and some rioters carried the violence into nearby businesses and homes, causing significant damage to buildings.
As expected, the match was called off in the wake of the mayhem.
4. Bradford City Fire, Valley Parade, England, 1985
On May 11, 1985, Valley Parade, the football ground in Bradford, became the scene of a horrific tragedy that claimed 56 lives and left 265 others injured. What had begun as a joyous celebration for Bradford City Football Club, marking their first trophy in over 50 years, quickly turned into disaster. By the end of the first half of their match with Lincoln City, the main stand had erupted into a blazing inferno.
The stand, which had not been renovated from its original wooden structure, was set alight by a single cigarette butt thrown carelessly by a fan. The fire spread with devastating speed, completely consuming the stand. Firefighters arrived just four minutes after the blaze began, but by that time, the stand was entirely destroyed.
In the ensuing panic, some fans rushed onto the field, with some already engulfed in flames. This chaos led to further casualties from people being trampled. The bodies of the victims were discovered both on the field and behind the stands near the turnstiles. Tragically, an elderly couple was also found dead in their seats once the fire was brought under control.
3. 2022 World Cup Stadium Deaths, Qatar
Reports suggest that the stadiums being built for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are already haunted by the spirits of the alleged 1,200 workers who died during their construction. If this figure proves accurate, it raises serious concerns for FIFA and activists around the globe, who worry that workers are not only being exploited but also subjected to unsafe and perilous working conditions.
While fatalities during the construction of large stadiums or monumental structures are not uncommon, most projects typically result in one or two deaths at most. However, having over 1,000 fatalities six years before the event even begins is unprecedented. Beyond the stadiums themselves, the construction of surrounding amenities and transport links has also contributed to the tragic loss of workers' lives.
The 2022 World Cup has already been tainted by controversy, with accusations of corruption and vote-rigging casting a dark shadow over the event. This is far from the image that either Qatar or FIFA would want to present to the world.
2. Deaths and Cover-Up at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 1982
Although the official death toll was reported as 66, numerous investigations and eyewitness testimonies suggest that the actual number was closer to 350, making it the deadliest disaster ever to occur at a football association match.
On October 20, 1982, Spartak Moscow faced Haarlem in a crucial match for a spot in the final 16 of that year's UEFA championship. With Spartak trailing 1-0 late in the game, the severe Russian winter prompted many fans to leave early in hopes of getting a head start on their journey home.
However, when Spartak equalized with a last-minute goal, many of the departing fans rushed back into the stadium. The icy tunnels and steps made for treacherous footing, and a tragic situation ensued when fans entering the stadium collided with those leaving. The militia present at the game refused to open side entrances, exacerbating the chaos and leading to a crush of bodies.
When it became clear that a disaster had occurred, authorities seemed to direct foreign fans away from the scene, opening alternate exits for them. The cover-up was evident when the Vechernaya Moskva (Moscow Evening Paper) barely acknowledged the tragedy, stating simply, “An incident occurred yesterday at Luzhniki. After the football match, some spectators were injured.”
What was even more alarming was the report that the deceased had been buried in a mass grave. Relatives were given less than an hour to mourn their loved ones before being told not to speak of the tragedy, especially to foreigners. Those who disobeyed could face a lengthy prison sentence.
It was only after the fall of communism in the early 1990s that the details of that tragic night in the frozen streets of Moscow began to emerge, piecing together the full story of what had happened.
1. 'Black Saturday' Philadelphia, 1903
When it first opened in 1887, the Philadelphia Base Ball Park, often called the 'Baker Bowl,' was hailed as a state-of-the-art baseball stadium. With its innovative use of brickwork, and while still incorporating wood into its structure, the stadium could accommodate thousands of spectators. It was regarded as the first truly 'modern' baseball venue.
Before a game against the Baltimore Orioles on August 6, 1894, a fire broke out in the stands, completely destroying the stadium. While no lives were lost and only a few minor injuries occurred, the blaze was an ominous sign of the greater disaster that would strike the stadium nine years later. The venue was rebuilt with concrete and steel, reopening in 1895.
On the evening of August 8, 1903, now officially named National League Park, the Philadelphia Phillies were set to play the Boston Beaneaters. Just before 6:00 PM, an unfortunate incident unfolded, resulting in 12 deaths and hundreds more injured.
Two intoxicated men were walking past the stadium, being jeered and taunted by a group of teenagers trailing them. As they passed the children, one of the men, in an act of retaliation, suddenly grabbed a teenage girl by her hair, stumbling in the process and falling on top of her.
The commotion below did not escape the attention of those in the stadium, especially with the cries for help from the children. A crowd began to form on a balcony above, which was never meant to support so many people. It was only intended to serve as a passageway to and from the stand.
It was estimated that around 300 people had crowded onto the balcony before it suddenly gave way. Hundreds were piled on top of each other on the ground below. As people from the stand pushed forward to see what was happening, even more fell. By the time order was finally restored, 12 had perished, and over 200 were severely injured.
