| Notes |
- A life ends, but a legacy begins
In the summer of 1962, atop a grassy knoll at Zanesville High School, a young man was relaxing with some of his teammates between two-a-day football practices. Overlooking what was then known as the automotive wing, he commented to his friends that the natural valley lying below them would be a great setting for a football stadium.
Little did that young man -- All Ohio football player John D. Sulsberger -- or anyone else know that a stadium would indeed be built there, and it would be named in memory of him.
The son of Dr. J. Diehl and Elizabeth Henneberg Sulsberger, John graduated from ZHS in 1963. He was awarded a four-year scholarship to play football at Ohio State University by that school's legendary coach, Woody Hayes. Not only was John an outstanding football player at Zanesville High School, he was also a good student; a member of Student Council, Science Club and Varsity Z; and, as a member of Thespians, participated in class plays and Bandwagon. He was a friend of everyone who had a privilege to know him.
Woody Hayes thought so much of John Sulsberger that he arranged for John to be a roommate of his son, Steve Hayes, who was also entering Ohio State as a freshman.
But John was diagnosed in the fall of 1963 with cancer, and we now know that summer at Ohio State was the highlight of his all-too-short life. He practiced with the Ohio State football team, but was sometimes too ill to fully participate.
Then, on December 20, 1963, John Sulsberger lost the battle with his illness.
After his son's death, Dr. Sulsberger frequently visited with Zanesville High School's football coach, George Vlerebome. During one of those meetings, Dr. Sulsberger suggested that he and his wife establish a scholarship in their son's memory. But when Coach Vlerebome approached ZHS Principal James Burrier about this possibility, the principal suggested that building a stadium in John Sulsberger's memory would be appropriate.
Coach Vlerebome discussed this possibility with Dr. Sulsberger, who went home and talked about it with his wife. It was then the Sulsbergers decided to donate the money to build a stadium in tribute to John. Although they were prepared to provide the entire amount, some members of the community also expressed their wish to make contributions to the project.
During the planning stages, Coach Vlerebome and Dr. Sulsberger visited numerous stadiums throughout Ohio. A nationally known architect -- John Schooley of the Columbus-based firm Schooley, Cornelius & Schooley -- was commissioned to design the stadium, incorporating suggestions proposed by Dr. Sulsberger and Coach Vlerebome. Dunzweiler Construction Co. submitted the lowest bid ($278,075.04 -- equal to $1,782,000 today) and construction began in June 1964.
But a major obstacle occurred as the opening date neared and the project fully on schedule. The redwood stadium seats purchased from Snider-Flautt Lumber Co. were destroyed in a fire. However, on November 13, 1964 -- less than six months after the groundbreaking -- the first football game was played in the stadium, against the archrival Newark Wildcats.
That game was to decide the Central Ohio League championship. Woody Hayes, the dedication speaker, gave an inspiring and emotional message to a capacity crowd of 8,000.
The John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium continues to serve the community as an outstanding athletics complex. In addition to athletic events including football games, soccer matches and track-and-field meets, the stadium has hosted marching band competitions, performances by the school's Devilettes, and many commencement ceremonies.
Thousands of students have benefitted from one family's lasting tribute to an exemplary young man, outstanding athlete and excellent student.
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1945 - 1963 (18 years)