Rose Hill Gym
Architectural style
Some of the features of the building that display a Gothic Revival architectural style include arches and arch-like shapes, buttresses around the windows for exterior support, stone carvings, a parapet with crenellations commonly used in medieval castles, a stone sculpture of a cross and Fordham's emblem above the main arch to the entrance, and walls made of rough light field stones.
History
The Gymnasium hosted its first basketball game on January 16, 1925. The game was refereed by Frankie Frisch, a Fordham alumni, and New York Giants' second baseman.
During World War 2, this gym was used as a U.S. Army barracks to shelter the soldiers and separate them from the general public. On May 11, 1946, President Harry Truman visited this barrack and rang a ship bell that remains there today. Fordham athletic teams continue to ring this bell after conference championship wins.
Renovations
The Rose Hill Gymnasium was almost renovated in the early 1970s. Vince Lombardi, a Fordham football alumni, wanted to transform the small gym into a 10,500-seat gym. This plan fell through when Lombardi died in 1970, and the head basketball coach Digger Phelps left Fordham for Notre Dame in 1971. Instead, Fordham University built a separate athletic facility attached to the gym.
In 2018, the Rose Hill Gymnasium basketball court was renamed the Frank McLaughlin Family Basketball Court after alumnus Frank McLaughlin, who was a basketball player (1965–1969), assistant coach (1970–1971), and athletic director (1985–2012) for Fordham University.
In 2019, Caldwell & Walsh Building Construction Inc. renovated the gym floors from old wood to a modern shock-absorbing material. The renovation was completed in a four-and-a-half-month period.
See also
References
- ^ "Mag: Yale, Bulter among nation's oldest basketball stadiums". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
- ^ Hanson, Dave (2015-11-26). "Rose Hill Gymnasium – Fordham Rams". Stadium Journey. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ At Fordham, Gym Has History if Not Allure
- ^ "Glossary - Loyola's Historic Architecture - Department of History - Loyola University Maryland". www.loyola.edu. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
- ^ "Mag: Yale, Bulter among nation's oldest basketball stadiums". ESPN.com. 2011-11-07. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ Krupnick, Matt (2014-03-11). "At Fordham, Gym Has History if Not Allure". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ "Rose Hill Gym to be Renovated, Renamed". The Fordham Ram. 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ^ "Basketball Court Renovation Nears Completion". Fordham Newsroom. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2021-04-09.