TOWSON, Md. – On September 20, 1968, John Yingling was part of history as then Towson State College played its first collegiate football game – dropping a 31-8 decision to Ursinus College – in a junior varsity match-up.

On October 7, more than fifty-five years after that initial contest, the lower practice fields used by the current Towson University football team will be officially named the "John B. Yingling '71 & Family Practice Field," due to Yingling's generous gifts to his alma mater for more than three decades.

"I was a junior college transfer, and the whole experience at then Towson State was a really positive one for me." Yingling said. "In addition to playing football, I was in a fraternity and met my wife, Sharon. I just love sports – particularly football. It has been a big part of my life and it still is. I wanted to give back."

The following season with Yingling as a senior, Towson played its first varsity season – finishing with a 4-4-1 record under leadership of head coach Carl Runk. Three of the four losses in 1969 were by a total of four points. After opening the season with three straight losses, the Tigers went on a five-game unbeaten streak with four wins and a 34-34 tie at Ursinus.

"We had a lot of junior college transfers, like me," said Yingling, who attended Wesley College after graduating from Westminster High School. "Our first game was against Washington & Lee and it was about 95 degrees. We lost by one point. The next game we lost to Shepherd by a point. We went on to go 4-4-1 and our four losses were by a combined total of 13 points. We were in every game. The highlight of the season was playing Randolph Macon. We lost 31-22 but they went on to win Division III national championship. The week later we beat Frostburg for the first win in school history It was a fun season."

After graduating from Towson University in 1971 and working in the financial services industry, Yingling joined the family business and in 1983 became president of Crawford Yingling Insurance in downtown Westminster.  He is now Chairman of the Board as his son, Benjamin, runs the day-to-day operation.

After an initial first gift of $25 in 1989, Yingling has committed more than $1.1 million in support of projects and programs at Towson. Over the past six years, he has committed nearly $1 million in Athletics Capital Projects, which support current and ongoing improvements to athletics facilities. In addition, the Yingling family supported the creation of an endowed scholarship in the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics for students enrolled in Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry or Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geological Sciences.

"When I was a student, the campus only went down to Burdick Hall. You look now, the university has made a huge step forward and we have made a lot of progress as an athletics facility," Yingling added. "I love this football program and have seen it through its duration. I am very excited about the dedication. My family has been active in Carroll County for years. My brother and nephew played football for McDaniel College and our family donated the lights to that stadium."

Earlier this month, Yingling traveled to College Park with the Towson football team for the season opener versus Maryland.

"I had an awesome time." Yingling said. "The kids were great. The coaches welcomed me with open arms. Maryland's coach was quoted as saying Towson had some very good players. Coach Shinnick is a very solid coach who stresses fundamentals. He is a good person and is a lot quieter than Coach Runk that's for sure. His record speaks for itself at his prior stops, so I am looking forward to seeing him build the program."