Frank Youell Field - Oakland

Oakland Tribune August 22, 1962 ³

Frank Youell Field was a temporary football field where the Oakland Raiders played from 1962 to 1965 while the Coliseum was being built. It had seating for about 20,000 fans.

It was named for city council member, undertaker and sports booster, Frank J. Youell. Talks about a stadium to attract a sports team began in 1960, with all of the mayors of Alameda County in attendance. After the city council resolution in support of attracting an American Football League team to Oakland, Youell encouraged them to place a bond measure on the upcoming ballot, and that the "Peralta Plan" (where the field was ultimately built) be reviewed. ² Construction began in November, 1961. ⁴

Between 1963 and 1965, the Raiders were 15-5 while playing at Youell Field. The last regular season game played at the field was against the New York Jets and some guy named Joe Namath.

The site had been the location of the Auditorium Village Housing Project, temporary housing built for the numerous workers who came to the Bay Area during WWII. The stadium was demolished in 1969 to make space for more parking for Laney College. ¹