re: Deaf Valley...when did it change to Death Valley?

Deaf valley sounds gay

for those who want to know the real story/stories...long read.

LSU's Tiger Stadium is famously known as "Death Valley," a nickname that has become synonymous with its intimidating atmosphere and raucous fanbase. There is evidence to suggest that the stadium was initially referred to as "Deaf Valley" due to the overwhelming crowd noise that made it difficult for players and coaches to communicate during games.

The "Deaf Valley" nickname is believed to have originated in part from a nearby Shell gas station owned by former LSU boxing champion Thurman "Crowe" Peele, located at the corner of Highland Road and State Street in Baton Rouge. The station was colloquially called "Deaf Valley Shell" because of the ear-splitting noise from Tiger Stadium on game days, which reportedly shook the walls and rattled the glass of the station. This connection is supported by multiple sources, including journalist Jim Engster and accounts in *The Advocate*, which note that the term "Deaf Valley" was used by LSU fans and locals, particularly in the 1950s through the 1970s. For example, a 1999 account from Ray Cox, who attended LSU Law School in the 1950s, recalled the stadium being called "Deaf Valley" because "everyone's ears would be ringing for a couple of hours after a game."[](LINK [](LINK

The transition from "Deaf Valley" to "Death Valley" is less clear but appears to have solidified around the late 1950s, particularly after LSU's 7-0 victory over Clemson in the 1959 Sugar Bowl, which secured the school's first national title. Some sources suggest that LSU fans adopted "Death Valley" as a playful jab at Clemson, whose Memorial Stadium had been called "Death Valley" since 1948, when Presbyterian College coach Lonnie McMillian coined the term after consistent losses there. LSU fans may have claimed the nickname to assert their stadium's dominance following the Sugar Bowl win.[](LINK [](LINK [](LINK

Another theory posits that the shift from "Deaf" to "Death" occurred naturally due to the Cajun accent prevalent in Louisiana, where "deaf" and "death" can sound similar. This linguistic explanation gained traction in the 1980s and 1990s as sports writers increasingly referred to Tiger Stadium as "Death Valley," possibly influenced by the growing national prominence of LSU football and the existing Clemson nickname. The 1988 "Earthquake Game," where crowd noise from a game-winning touchdown against Auburn registered on a seismograph, further cemented the "Death Valley" moniker as a symbol of the stadium’s fearsome atmosphere.[](LINK [](LINK

However, there is some debate about whether "Death Valley" predated "Deaf Valley" in Baton Rouge. Some sources claim that "Death" was used by fans as early as 1959, tied to the Sugar Bowl victory, while "Deaf Valley" remained in use among locals into the 1980s. By 2010, LSU public address announcer Dan Borne’s poem "Saturday Night in Death Valley" officially embraced the "Death Valley" nickname, which has since been prominently displayed on stadium signage.[](LINK [](LINK

In summary, Tiger Stadium was likely called "Deaf Valley" in its earlier years, possibly starting in the 1950s, due to its loud crowds and the influence of Crowe Peele’s gas station. The shift to "Death Valley" appears to have been driven by the 1959 Sugar Bowl win, a potential linguistic evolution in pronunciation, and the increasing national recognition of LSU’s home-field advantage. Both names reflect the stadium’s reputation as one of college football’s most formidable venues.[](LINK [](LINK [](LINK

You serious Clark?

quote:

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there was a sigh on it that said "Welcome to Death Valley" that was there since at least the Mid-80s when I started going to games.

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Blurry picture but this was South endzone pre-expansion (2008)

Wrong

It was originally called Deaf Valley some idiot journalist mis wrote it as Death Valley and people kept using it, so LSU stuck with it.

I guess you didn't HEAR that has been death Valley for ages

They called the PMAC DEAF DOME back in 80s and early 90s. Tiger stadium has been Death Valley 60 years at least!!