As the University of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium celebrates its 100th anniversary, the university is recognizing the CAFNR alumnus whose words helped inspire its name and purpose.
Mizzou Athletics installed two plaques in November 2026 honoring Robert McGhee “Peaches” Graham inside the stadium’s North End Zone at Gate 1. The plaques commemorate Graham’s life and military service while sharing the story of the World War I poem that helped inspire two of Mizzou’s most recognizable landmarks: Memorial Union and Memorial Stadium.
The man behind the memorial
Graham attended Mizzou from 1911 to 1915, earning a bachelor’s degree from CAFNR. As a native of Montgomery County, Missouri, he grew up on a family orchard which inspired the nickname “Peaches” during his time at Mizzou. Graham was deeply involved in campus life and played center on the university’s varsity football team during his senior year.
When the United States entered World War I, Graham was eligible for a farmer’s exemption from military service. However, he chose to enlist in August 1917 and was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Army.
While serving in France, Graham wrote a poem titled “The Memorial Tower,” expressing his hope that Mizzou would create lasting tributes to the students and alumni who lost their lives in the war.
Rather than building traditional memorial halls for celebrations, Graham envisioned monuments that would honor the fallen and preserve their memory. His poem called for a towering memorial with spires pointing toward heaven, as well as a football stadium dedicated to those who sacrificed their lives.
“Build ye for us a Stadium grand,” Graham wrote.
A legacy that lives on
Graham was killed in action on July 27, 1918, before seeing his vision become reality. His poem, however, made its way back to Mizzou and prompted the university to reconsider plans for a campus memorial.
Originally planned as Missouri Union, the building was redesigned to include the iconic bell tower that stands as the centerpiece of Memorial Union today, which is also celebrating its centennial this year.
Graham’s words also contributed to the naming of Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1926. The stadium was dedicated to the 117 members of the Mizzou community who died during World War I.
Now, as the stadium marks its centennial, the two plaques inside the North End Zone help preserve Graham’s story for generations of Tigers.
One plaque features the full text of “The Memorial Tower (1918),” written by Graham and his “Buddies.” The second, titled “A Poem to Remember,” features a photograph of Graham in uniform and provides historical context about his life, military service and the influence his poem had on Mizzou.
A century after Memorial Stadium opened, Graham’s words have found a permanent place inside the stadium he once envisioned. The plaques give visitors an opportunity to learn about the CAFNR alumnus whose vision helped shape the stadium into a tribute to those who served and sacrificed.
Read more about Graham and the history of Memorial Stadium and Memorial Union here.