MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg College will install a new video scoreboard at Edor Nelson Field this summer, with its unveiling slated for the field namesake's 100th birthday, college officials have announced.
The Nevco brand scoreboard, measuring roughly 20-feet-high by 40-feet-wide, will include a 13-foot-high, 22-foot-wide, high-definition video display. The scoreboard, which will replace the existing board on the south side of the field, will be adaptable to the five sports that are played on the field -- football, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball and women's lacrosse.
In addition, a smaller scoreboard will be installed against the bleachers on the north end of the field, facing the south-side bench area, and a new sound system will be installed.
The scoreboard is slated to be installed by Aug. 18, which is the 100th birthday of Edor Nelson '38, for whom the field is named. An Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame honoree, Nelson was the longtime coach of Augsburg's baseball and football teams during a four-decade span.
"This scoreboard is a great addition to our athletic facilities, a great way to improve our outdoor athletic field and a great way to honor Edor Nelson," said Jeff Swenson '79, Augsburg athletic director. "We have five teams that use our outdoor athletic field, more than any other facility we have. This will enhance the game-day experience for both our fans and our student-athletes. This is what our fans and student-athletes deserve."
Fundraising is still in progress for the scoreboard. People wishing to donate to the project can contact Swenson at 612-330-1241 or at swensonj@augsburg.edu for more details.
The video equipment included with the scoreboard will also enable Augsburg to enhance its webcasts of athletic events. Through its longtime partnership with Stretch Internet, Augsburg produces approximately 140 webcasts of athletic events per year, including most of its home contests.
"It's a great tribute to a dad and coach who dedicated his life to serve and influence the lives of others and make a difference," said Bruce Nelson '72, president of the Augsburg A-Club athletic alumni association and Edor Nelson's son.
The scoreboard project is the latest improvement to Edor Nelson Field, which has served as the outdoor athletic field on the Augsburg campus since 1984. In recent years, a new press box was constructed on the field and new spectator seating was installed. Last summer, a new FieldTurf Revolution surface was installed on the field, along with new field pads, windscreens and new fencing.
"We're very excited to get this new scoreboard," said Frank Haege, Augsburg football head coach. "It will be a great benefit to our fans, alumni and especially for our recruits. It will add a lot of class and excitement for gamedays at Augsburg College."
The field was originally named Anderson-Nelson Field, named for Nelson and former Augsburg basketball coach and athletic director Ernie Anderson '37. In 2001, the field was renamed Edor Nelson Field, after the college renamed the main competition court at Si Melby Hall in Anderson's honor.
A native of Dawson, Minn., Edor Nelson earned Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame honors as both a student-athlete and coach. As an athlete, he was a multi-sport star in football, basketball and baseball. After serving his country in World War II -- including six months of imprisonment in a German prison camp -- he returned to the United States, earning his master's degree at the University of Minnesota in 1947. He taught and coached for three years in Lamberton, Minn., and returned to Augsburg in 1946. He coached football from 1947 to 1969 and coached baseball from 1946 to 1979, also coaching hockey and wrestling at Augsburg for a short time in the 1950s.
Edor Nelson Field is unique among Minnesota colleges and universities for its versatility, as a home for five Augsburg sports teams. The field is also used for Augsburg classes, intramurals and other activities, and is rented frequently by local sports leagues. To maximize its versatility, the college installed an air-inflated dome, purchased from the Yeadon Corporation, to cover the field during the winter months. A new dome from Yeadon was installed in the winter of 2006.