During the fall of 1936, FDR's Work Progress Administration employed 1,000 workers to construct Lynn’s first new football stadium. The facility would cost 500 thousand dollars and take two years to build. During mid-construction on Thanksgiving Day in 1937, Lynn English defeated Classical, 13-6 in Municipal Stadium. The new stadium would be renamed Manning Bowl in 1938 for Mayor J. Fred Manning.    

Over the years hundreds of exciting high school and semi-professional games would be played at Manning Bowl. Names like Dick Fecteau, Harry Agganis, Tony Conigliaro, and Paul Cavanaugh were but a few of the athletes that suited up. Several high school greats went on to play in the NFL.

Manning Bowl was home to many other events besides football. There were memorial services for presidents FDR in 1945 and JFK in 1963. Concerts featuring the Rolling Stones and Motley Crue packed the Bowl while Aerosmith set the attendance record with 25,000 fans in 1985. Circuses, Wrestlmania and the Drum-Bugle Corps. provided summer time entertainment.

Electrical problems in 2004 ended the night games and structural problems closed the south side. The last football game played in the Bowl was on Thanksgiving Day, 2004 and saw the Bulldogs defeat Classical, 28-8 before 8,000 fans that were forced to sit on the "Classical side."

Check out the model General Electric distributed to commerate their furnishing new lighting for Manning Bowl. (Another eBay purchase!)

Manning Bowl was neglected for years and left open to vandals and the homeless. It was replaced with a field and bleachers in 2006. Additional funding was found to complete the new Manning Field Complex by 2008.

Top photos are courtesy of Di Lynn Ring, NYC.

Historical information courtesy of Lynn's Sports Historian, Mr. Bob Keaney.