INDIANA’S HALLOWED HARDWOODS

[TheCainer]

This is a nice write up on the history of the venues where this year's NCAA tournament will be played in Indiana. It also includes some of the historical high school gymnasiums from around the state. It's a nice nostalgic read and gives some background information on where Iowa may be playing for those who might be interested.

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/s...d-indiana-venues-hosting-2021-ncaa-tournament

 

[General Tso]

You said hard wood

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

This is a nice write up on the history of the venues where this year's NCAA tournament will be played in Indiana. It also includes some of the historical high school gymnasiums from around the state. It's a nice nostalgic read and gives some background information on where Iowa may be playing for those who might be interested.

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/s...d-indiana-venues-hosting-2021-ncaa-tournament

As long as we don't play in Lucas Oil until the Final Four......

I know we play there for the Big Ten Tournament, but that's just way too cavernous a venue to be played in while empty.

Supposedly, the backdrop is causing shooting issues, or at least it did with the first two games........not that anyone saw that coming or anything.............

 

[HawkRugged17]

You said hard wood

 

[hawkeyeinmo]

As long as we don't play in Lucas Oil until the Final Four......

I know we play there for the Big Ten Tournament, but that's just way too cavernous a venue to be played in while empty.

Supposedly, the backdrop is causing shooting issues, or at least it did with the first two games........not that anyone saw that coming or anything.............

i can see how it can cause issues. In HS I played a basketball game in the Unidome. Depth perception was totally different. Really felt weird walking out of the locker room and seeing the long walk to what appeared to be a tiny court sitting in the middle of the football field.

 

[goodbyebobby]

The court is in, I think, the N end zone for the BTT and probably the regional, but will be in the middle of the field when we tip off for FF.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

The court is in, I think, the N end zone for the BTT and probably the regional, but will be in the middle of the field when we tip off for FF.

They said they'll have two courts set up there for the NCAA Tournament up to the Final Four.

 

[goodbyebobby]

They said they'll have two courts set up there for the NCAA Tournament up to the Final Four.

Really? That's cheesy but they could put other court in opposite end zone.

Whatever, this is pathetic they're doing any of this crap.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

I don't care who you are, Hinkle Fieldhouse is cool as sh!t.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

I know I have bad memories of basketball in the Metrodome...

 

[destewart]

Thanks, good read but I'm wondering about the claim that the Hinkle had the largest capacity of any arena when it opened in 1927, the same year as the Iowa Fieldhouse. 9,100 capacity at Hinkle, maybe Iowa wasn't as big back then but it held 13,000 when I was in school. The look in the picture is similar to the Old Fieldhouse, with the Armory arched window to the west, although the court was oriented the other direction...

Hinkle’s capacity when it opened in 1927 was 15,000. It has been reduced significantly with renovations and different seating arrangements. The capacity in the early 1970’s of Iowa Fieldhiuse was 13,700.

 

[24 so far]

I know I have bad memories of basketball in the Metrodome...

Mixture for me. Saw all the Hawk regional games up there, which was fun regardless of outcome. But also went to the Final Four, and saw eventual Champ Kentucky take out Tim Duncan's Wake Forest team up there in a regional final or something. We were up there primarily to watch Hawkeye Wrestling, and they rolled. Stayed in the same hotel as the Kentucky Basketball team and had a good time in the bar with some of them.

But Duke won it the year I went to the F4 when it was up there, and I had them in a pool, which basically paid for my whole trip! So that part was good about it anyway! (the money part, F Duke! Ha!)

 

[Hawkeye_311]

When Iowa finally leaves Carver I hope it's into a new Fieldhouse style arena. Old school look and feel with modern touches.

 

[destewart]

When Iowa finally leaves Carver I hope it's into a new Fieldhouse style arena. Old school look and feel with modern touches.

Doubtful you ever see such a configuration again. The bowl configuration is ideal fir bssketball and provides the maximum number of good seats. Fieldhouses in their day allowed for multi sport use. Basketball demands quality seating. Track and field do not.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

HHH Dome... 😥 I was there for both NCAA's, when we lost the first game to NC State and later a second round game to Duke with Hurley and Laettner. I do know we lost the NCS game at the FT line and Roy Marble had a chance to send it to OT but missed both FTs.
Later back at the hotel lounge we were drinking away the loss when Valvano came in smoking a cigar. We sent a drink over to his table at which point he walked over to ours and thanked us. We asked him to bring the Wolfpack to Hawkeye Carver the next season but he declined... CSB it was...

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

When Iowa finally leaves Carver I hope it's into a new Fieldhouse style arena. Old school look and feel with modern touches.

Kinda funny, the article on French Lick mentioned how its gym and several other high school gyms were designed by the same dude.

His style was the sunken bowl design - a la CHA - which was most economical. I like CHA, but she's pretty plain.

 

[TheCainer]

Kinda funny, the article on French Lick mentioned how its gym and several other high school gyms were designed by the same dude.

His style was the sunken bowl design - a la CHA - which was most economical. I like CHA, but she's pretty plain.

It's kind of like all of the cookie cutter new baseball stadiums built back in the 60's and 70's. Easy and quick to build.

 

[Hawkeye_311]

Doubtful you ever see such a configuration again. The bowl configuration is ideal fir bssketball and provides the maximum number of good seats. Fieldhouses in their day allowed for multi sport use. Basketball demands quality seating. Track and field do not.

Baylor basketball's new Fieldhouse style arena coming next season.

 

[BigTenChamps04]

I've played at Hinkle, Farmer's Colliseum, Bankers Life, La Lumiere, and some other very cool basketball gyms in the state of Indiana. 12 of the 14 largest high school gyms are located in Indiana.

Nothing beats Hinkle!

 

[TheCainer]

I've played at Hinkle, Farmer's Colliseum, Bankers Life, La Lumiere, and some other very cool basketball gyms in the state of Indiana. 12 of the 14 largest high school gyms are located in Indiana.

Nothing beats Hinkle!

Who did you play for?

 

[24 so far]

HHH Dome... 😥 I was there for both NCAA's, when we lost the first game to NC State and later a second round game to Duke with Hurley and Laettner. I do know we lost the NCS game at the FT line and Roy Marble had a chance to send it to OT but missed both FTs.
Later back at the hotel lounge we were drinking away the loss when Valvano came in smoking a cigar. We sent a drink over to his table at which point he walked over to ours and thanked us. We asked him to bring the Wolfpack to Hawkeye Carver the next season but he declined... CSB it was...

I connected well with an older gentlemen who was with the Kentucky hoops crowd, and by the end of our first cocktail session he was calling back to his bookie trying to get bets on some wrestlers staying at the same hotel! Didn't know anything about the sport, we just gave him some names and where they were seeded and away he went! Ha!

He claimed he was a minor Owner of the St. Louis Cardinals and had a bigger stake in their Triple A affiliate (Louisville I believe?). I had no reason to doubt him, but I was convinced he was telling the truth when I met his 2nd Wife, a gorgeous blond about 30 years younger than him! Had them over to our Suite at the hotel with 6-7 Iowa Wrestling fans in it. Had a great time, real neat guy. Definitely regret not staying in contact with the guy to this day. Dumb move on my part! Ha!