Armstrong Stadium

Although Bettendorf’s football program began in 1951, it wasn’t until 1953 that the  Bulldog’s played their first home game at the then-new Armstrong Stadium located  on 23rd Street where  the High School also was positioned.  Prior to the existence of Armstrong  Stadium—also known as the “23rd Street Stadium”—all “home” football  games were played at Brady Stadium in Davenport.

The 23rd Street  Stadium has a rich history of winning and in its initial season, the Bulldogs  went 4-4-1 and placed 3rd in the Illowa Conference.  Two years later  in 1955, Armstrong Stadium witnessed Bettendorf go 6-2 while being the Illowa  Runner-up and a mere five years after the first game was ever played in the new  facility, the 1957 Bulldogs went 7-2 and won their first conference  championship.

The 1957  marked the beginning of a remarkable run in which Bettendorf not only won  four-straight conference titles, but also 25-straight games from 1958-60.  As  well, the 1960 team was named by the United Press International as the  "Mythical State Champions” of Iowa after a stellar season in which they not only  defeated Burlington—the previous defending state champion, 34-18—but also set a  new school record for most points scored in nine games (42.3 average) will still  stands today.  That season Head Coach Merritt Parsons was also named “Coach of  the Year” by the Des Moines Register while offensive tackle Steve  Grossman earned “Quad City Lineman of the Year” honors.

Armstrong  Stadium was home to the Bulldogs for 27 seasons and in that time span,  Bettendorf won eight conference championships in three different conferences:   the Illowa, Little Six, and Mississippi Valley.  The stadium also oversaw four  different Bettendorf head coaches in Wayne Grady, Merrit Parsons, Ray Oles, and  Merv Habenicht.  

Although a new high school was built at the current 18th Street location in  1973, home football games continued to be played at the 23rd Street  Stadium until the 1980 season when TouVelle Stadium opened.

The old high  school and former stadium are now utilized by the Mississippi Bend Area  Education Agency (AEA 9).