Bill Garrett Fieldhouse

Bill Garrett Fieldhouse
Former names	IU Fieldhouse; Wildermuth Intramural Center
Location	1025 E 7th; Bloomington, IN 47405
Coordinates	39°10′09″N86°31′15″W / 39.169203°N 86.520907°W
Owner	Indiana University
Operator	Indiana University
Capacity	8,000 (approx., former)
Construction
Opened	December 13, 1928
Construction cost	$350,000
Tenants
	Indiana Hoosiers ; (Intramurals - current); (Men's basketball - 1928–60)

Last updated December 17, 2023

The Bill Garrett Fieldhouse or William Leon Garrett Fieldhouse (previously called The Fieldhouse) is an on-campus gymnasium used for intramural sports at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It was formerly the home of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.

Current use

Today the Fieldhouse, now called the Bill Garrett Fieldhouse, has several rows of basketball courts. Because it is attached to the former School of Health, Physical Education & Recreation (HPER) it was referred to as the "hyper." As of 2012, the Indiana University School of HPER has been renamed the School of Public Health-Bloomington.^[1]

In 2010, a women's locker room was added and the men's and faculty/staff locker rooms underwent renovations.^[2] On July 5, 2011 a roof fire caused major damage to the facility estimated to cost $3 million.^[3] As a result, substantial repairs and replacements were made to the damaged section of the roof, courts and track, lights, and windows. It did not re-open until the summer of 2012.

History

The Fieldhouse was built adjacent to the Men's Gymnasium as a venue to host the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team, whose popularity had outgrown the previous gymnasium. The basketball team first played in the Fieldhouse for the 1928–29 season.^[4] It served as the state of Indiana's first true basketball stadium and was considered one of the classic venues in college basketball during its time.

The Fieldhouse could seat up to 8,000 spectators and was later extended to seat 10,000. It provided extensive lighting on the floor and baskets, and also featured a center court press box that could seat 35 journalists and had 10 built-in telegraph wires. It originally cost $350,000 and was paid for with construction bonds and a $2.00 fee levied against each Indiana University student.^[4]

The first game at the facility was held on December 8, 1928 when the Hoosiers faced the Washington Bears and lost 31–30.^[4] However, the dedication game for the Fieldhouse on December 13, 1928 saw a 34–26 victory over the Pennsylvania Quakers team. The dedication game was a sold-out gala that included Indiana Governor-elect Harry Leslie and Big Ten Conference Commissioner John L. Griffith.

Indiana star player (and later coach) Branch McCracken scored the first point in the facility with a free throw.^[4] McCracken went on to earn All-American honors the following season. He returned in the 1938–39 season to succeed Everett Dean as coach of the men's basketball team. The facility saw six perfect seasons including a 24-game unbeaten home winning streak from 1938 to 1941. During the 1940s and 1950s McCracken's fast-breaking teams would earn the nickname "Hurryin' Hoosiers".

Throughout the facility's tenure as home to the men's basketball team, the Fieldhouse hosted two national championship teams - in the 1939-40 and 1952-53 seasons - and five conference titles. The Hoosiers compiled a 234–74 record in the facility. Besides the two national titles, it was the home of five Big Ten Conference Championships, 20 All-Americans, 17 All-Big Ten First Team selections and three Big Ten Most Valuable Players.^[4]

The final game was played on February 29, 1960 by an Indiana squad led by Walt Bellamy that defeated Big Ten champions Ohio State in a 99–83 victory (Ohio State went on to win the national championship).^[4] The basketball team moved out in 1960 to the "New" IU Fieldhouse before moving into the current home, now known as Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, in 1971.

The sports facility had been formerly named "Wildermuth Intramural Center" after Ora Wildermuth, a former university trustee who held "extraordinarily strong opposition to racial integration".^[5]^[6] The trustees had approved a recommendation to honor Bill Garrett, the "first black basketball player to regularly play in the Big Ten conference", by renaming the facility to "William L. Garrett-Ora L. Wildermuth Intramural Center" on February 20, 2009.^[5]^[6] However, the school announced four days later that it would not implement the change due to lack of support from Garrett's family.^[5] Eventually, in 2018, Wildermuth's name was stripped from the facility, and the trustees renamed the facility "Intramural Center".^[5]

The facility was renamed to honor former IU All-American Bill Garrett in 2020.^[7]

Related Research Articles

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Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, formerly named and still commonly referred to as simply Assembly Hall, is a 17,222-seat arena on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the home of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball and women's basketball teams. It opened in 1971, replacing the "New" IU Fieldhouse. The court is named after Branch McCracken, the men's basketball coach who led the school to its first two NCAA National Championships in 1940 and 1953.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinkle Fieldhouse</span> Historic indoor arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

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The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers play at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on the Branch McCracken Court in Bloomington, Indiana on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. Indiana has won five NCAA Championships in men's basketball – the first two under coach Branch McCracken and the latter three under Bob Knight. For forty-seven years and counting, Indiana's 1976 squad remains the last undefeated NCAA men's basketball champion.

The 1952–53 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 12th year. A member of the Big Ten Conference, they played home games on campus in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana.

The 1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 2nd year. The team played its home games in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The Indiana Hoosiers women's basketball team is the intercollegiate women's basketball program representing Indiana University Bloomington. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in NCAA Division I. The Hoosiers play home basketball games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on the university campus in Bloomington, Indiana.

The Men's Gymnasium is an on-campus indoor athletic facility on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. From 1917–1928, it also served as the home of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team.

The Indiana Hoosiers field hockey team is the intercollegiate field hockey program representing Indiana University. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Indiana field hockey team plays its home games at the IU Field Hockey Complex on the university campus in Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana has appeared in the NCAA tournament twice and finished runner-up in the Big Ten three times since the field hockey program was created in 2000. The team is currently coached by Kayla Bashore.

The 1962–63 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 22nd year. The team played its home games in New Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The 1961–62 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 21st year. The team played its home games in New Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The 1957–58 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 17th year. The team played its home games in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The 1953–54 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 13th year. The team played its home games in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The 1950–51 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 10th year. The team played its home games in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The 2020–21 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Archie Miller, in his fourth and final year as Indiana head coach. The team played its home games at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers finished the season 12–15, 7–12 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for the 10th place. As the No. 10 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they lost in the first round to Rutgers.

References

↑ "History: About Us: School of Public Health: Indiana University". publichealth.indiana.edu. Indiana University. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
↑ "Main Locker Room Renovation Project" . Retrieved 4 April 2012.
↑ "Wildermuth Intramural Center Closure" . Retrieved 4 April 2012.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Hiner, Jason (2005). Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia . United States: Sports Publishing. pp. 448. ISBN 1-58261-655-8.
1 2 3 4 "Indiana University gym no longer named after segregationist, school says".
1 2 "Intramural Center renamed for IU basketball star Bill Garrett". 12 June 2020.
↑ "IU President announces plans to rename campus structures". Office of the President. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.

External links

2005-06 IU Hoosiers Men's Basketball Media Guide
Archived 2014-03-04 at the Wayback Machine

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "History: About Us: School of Public Health: Indiana University". publichealth.indiana.edu. Indiana University. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2022.

[2] "Main Locker Room Renovation Project" . Retrieved 4 April 2012.

[3] "Wildermuth Intramural Center Closure" . Retrieved 4 April 2012.

[Hiner-4] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hiner, Jason (2005). Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia . United States: Sports Publishing. pp. 448. ISBN 1-58261-655-8.

[garrett.indystar-5] 1 2 3 4 "Indiana University gym no longer named after segregationist, school says".

[garrett.iu-6] 1 2 "Intramural Center renamed for IU basketball star Bill Garrett". 12 June 2020.

[7] "IU President announces plans to rename campus structures". Office of the President. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.

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v t e Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
Venues	Old Assembly Hall (1900–1917) Men's Gymnasium (1917–1928) The Fieldhouse (1928–1960) New Fieldhouse (1960–1971) Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (1971–present) Cook Hall (practice)
Rivalries	Illinois Kentucky Purdue
Culture & lore	2011 Kentucky upset A Season on the Brink (film) Blue blood status Crimson Guard Crossroads Classic "Indiana, Our Indiana"
People	Head coaches NBA draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
NCAA national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

Construction

Former names	IU Fieldhouse Wildermuth Intramural Center
Location	1025 E 7th Bloomington, IN 47405
Coordinates	39°10′09″N86°31′15″W / 39.169203°N 86.520907°W / 39.169203; -86.520907
Owner	Indiana University
Operator	Indiana University
Capacity	8,000 (approx., former)
Opened	December 13, 1928
Construction cost	$350,000
Tenants
Indiana Hoosiers (Intramurals - current) (Men's basketball - 1928–60)