Why “Death Valley”?
The Death Valley moniker for Big Red’s Harding Stadium got its start when Coach Reno Saccoccia took the reigns back in the early 80’s. There have been reports of references made as early as the mid 70’s however. Three main factors play into the name: First, Steubenville is located in the upper Ohio Valley, which is a gritty steel-mill area of hard working people. Second, Harding Stadium sits adjacent to the Union Cemetery, the largest cemetery in the area, and the visitors have a direct view of the many tombstones and monuments from their seats. Third, and the main reason, is that Big Red wins a vast majority of their games on the fabled grounds. With the rabid fans sitting directly upon the field, and the many amenities offered, Death Valley gives Big Red a tremendous home field advantage.
