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The Edor Nelson Field is dedicated by Don Stoner The skies opened and a constant
rain fell on the artificial turf all afternoon. The visitors from St. John's
University further dampened spirits by beating Augsburg, 48-14. And the guest
of honor was on crutches, as the result of knee replacement surgery. But
nothing was going to stop Augsburg from honoring coaching legend Edor Nelson
’38. The College rededicated the outdoor athletic field in Nelson's honor
at a halftime ceremony during the Sept. 22 football game. In 1984, the College named its newly-constructed outdoor athletic field as Anderson-Nelson Field, in honor of Nelson and longtime athletic director and men's basketball coach Ernie Anderson. In February, the College dedicated the court at Melby Hall in Anderson's honor. "You have truly been a champion of the athletic program, and a champion of all the student-athletes whose lives you have touched," said Paul Grauer, men's athletic director, during the halftime ceremony. Nelson said that much of the credit for the field should be attributed to the donors who gave time and money to make the field a reality—men like Carl Benson ’51, Ray Grinde ’57, and Jeroy Carlson ’48. He chose to honor the donors, along with all the athletes he coached and taught during his four decades at Augsburg. A special luncheon was held before the game, where more than 150 guests paid tribute to Nelson. Fans also had a chance to pay tribute to Nelson during a post-game reception in the Melby Hall lobby. During his four decades of service to Augsburg, Nelson served the College in a variety of roles, most notably as the longtime coach of the football and baseball teams. He was also an associate professor in Augsburg's health and physical education department for 32 years, retiring in 1978. – Don Stoner is sports information coordinator Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center is dedicated in Melby Hall Augsburg News Service Lucille Messerer spoke at the opening of the newly-expanded Fitness Center dedicated to her husband, the late Hoyt Messerer ’39. President Frame presided as both the Fitness Center and the Gertrude and Richard Pautz Plaza were dedicated at Melby Hall. From before dawn to late at night, one of the most active places on campus is the Fitness Center. Open to all members of the Augsburg community, including alumni, the center was doubled in size during the renovations of Melby Hall in 2000, making it one of the largest in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Hoyt Messerer ’39, a football, basketball, and baseball athlete at Augsburg and one of the four founders of the A-Club, died in May.
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