Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Denny Faith Field at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium 49 N Main St Albany, TX 76430
Year Opened: 1937
Capacity: 2,906
Albany HS
Albany, Texas is a small bedroom community in Shackelford County, approximately 30 miles northeast of Abilene. Established in 1873 in the shadows of Fort Griffin, Albany became an important support community and valued stop on the Western Cattle Drive Trail. Blazed by Captain John T. Lytle, the trail allowed Southern ranchers to drive an estimated six million head of cattle north, to provide stock cattle for growing northern ranches and supply reservations on the northern Great Plains.
In Albany today, like most small Texas towns, on fall Friday nights the focus of most citizens shifts to the local high school football field. The field in this historic community is fittingly draped in its own bit of lore, as it was built into the hill where the original Albany public school was built in 1884. Interestingly, the stadium’s namesake Robert Nail was not known for his athletic prowess, but for being a playwright, most notably writing Fort Griffin Fandangle, the oldest outdoor musical in Texas. Coach Denny Faith, whom the field was dedicated to in 2019, is still the Head Coach and Athletic Director here, with over 40 years of service to the community.
Food & Beverage 4
Concessions at Albany games benefit the Albany Athletic Booster club. While there are no specialty food items available, stereotypical fare is served. If large items are to your liking, burgers, hot dogs, Frito pie, and nachos are available for $6 or less. Snack items include candy bars, pretzels, chips, pickles, and popcorn for $1 to $4 each. 20-ounce Coca-Cola products, water, and Powerade are all available for $2.
There are also hamburger, hot dog, and Frito pie meal deals that include a drink, chips, and candy for a discounted price – at the most recent game I attended, I purchased a burger meal deal which included a cheeseburger, chips, Coke Zero, and Snickers for $10.
Atmosphere 3
Walking up to the main gate, you are welcomed by two regal, statuesque lions guarding an imposing large stone archway. The iconic image is impressive and sets the tone for a memorable experience. When you realize that the stones utilized to form the entrance were from the original school, which dates back to the early 1920s, the nod to history is evident. Add in unusual features such as stair-step home stands made of native stone, and a corner of the southeast end zone that is mere feet from the surrounding trees and perimeter fence, and fans are welcomed to a one-of-a-kind encounter. The home side lower section also has several rows of natural tiered seating built into the hill – these tiers are lined with stone and are wide enough for folding chairs, which prove popular with knowledgeable fans.
When the teams run onto the field here, each respective school’s band plays, and the crowd cheers. Albany has a loud air horn that blows on big plays to excite the fans as well; the game is exciting and the air is filled with energy all night.
Neighborhood 4
Even though it is the county seat of Shackelford County, Albany is basically a bedroom community due to its location just 30 miles northeast of Abilene. Surrounded by numerous large working ranches and with a rich history steeped in western lore, it is no surprise that Albany has a strong agricultural background. Along with oil production and wildlife hunting, industry tied to the land is a major factor in the area.
There is one hotel in Albany, a few blocks from Robert Nail Memorial Stadium. The Albany Inn is within walking distance, but several more options are about 28 miles southwest, in Abilene – just a couple of suggestions out of many include Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Express And Suites.
If you have extra time, the Old Jail Art Center, Fort Griffin State Park, the historic downtown area, and Webb Memorial Park and Swimming Pool are all interesting places to visit. If visiting Abilene, family entertainment options to consider include the Abilene Zoo, Frontier Texas, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Grace Museum, and the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame.
There are a few restaurant choices just a few blocks from the stadium – these include Goodnight Steakhouse and Saloon, Ice House, Los Cazadores Mexican Restaurant, and Dairy Queen. I would suggest Goodnight Steakhouse if you have the time for a well-cooked steak. There are also numerous choices at the Interstate 20/Highway 351 intersection if you are coming from Abilene. Or, if you are traveling from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, budget an extra hour or so into your travels and stop in Strawn at Mary’s for a chicken fried steak!
Fans 4
Like most high school football games in Texas, the crowd is large and highly involved. There is a saying used here – “The whole town shuts down on Friday nights for the football game”, which might very well apply in Albany. It seems that most of the hillside lower seating is packed, and much of the metal stands above the walkway are filled as well. During my most recent visit, the visitor side was packed tightly, and overflow fans were lined up on both sides of the fence from end zone to end zone.
Access 4
Albany is located 30 miles northeast of Abilene, Texas on US Highway 180, via Texas Highway 351. Nail Stadium is easily visible, one block off Main Street (US-180) behind the First Baptist Church.
There are entry gates on either the home (north) or visitor (south) side of the facility. There is a large parking lot between the church and Nail Stadium, with handicap parking and full ADA access available on the home side of the venue. Parking on the visitor side will be along South First Street, but that gate is only accessible via large steps.
Return on Investment 5
Ticket prices to attend games in Albany are $5 for adults and $3 for school aged students. There is no charge for parking. Figure in the ability to purchase a tasty meal deal from the concession stand and you get an excellent return on investment here.
Extras 4
The aforementioned two lions in front of the stone archway give a majestic feel to the entrance.
Despite the east-west orientation of the field, which can cause issues for the players, you’ll get a nice sunset – west Texas sunsets are always worth extra points, no matter your location.
The merchandise booth housed in the historic rock building, plus the tiered step seating, bridge generations of Lions history and continue to carry the legacy of Robert Nail into the future.
Final Thoughts
Texas high school football is popular, as evidenced by the famous book and subsequent movie and TV show, all with the same name, Friday Night Lights. While many communities across the Lone Star State have built new, shiny, state of the art multipurpose facilities, Albany has gone against the counterculture and continues to play football on the same field where the game was played over a century ago.
Denny Faith Field has some unique features which are memorable; considering the history of the Lions athletic program since Coach Faith has been its leader, a trip to historic Nail Stadium should be on every casual high school football fan’s bucket list.
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