Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse
Encyclopedia
Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse was a 3,200-seat multi-purpose arena
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. The arena, home to the Saint Joseph's University
Hawks basketball
opened in 1949 and was inaugurated on November 26 with a loss to the University of Rhode Island
. The first women's varsity home game was a loss to Immaculata University
on January 17, 1974. The building was dedicated to all college soldier-heroes on its dedication day, Veterans Day 1949.
In addition to serving as an arena for the basketball teams, Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse also contains locker rooms for students, faculty, and other varsity teams, an additional recreation room, squash
courts, a swimming pool, and a weight room.
On October 26, 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
spoke to 3,400 people in the Fieldhouse. Today, a bronze plaque in the lobby recognizes his visit.
The Hawks won 34 consecutive games in Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. In the 1980s and 90's, the Fieldhouse served as the practice home for the Philadelphia 76ers
. There were over 125 sellouts over the last 15 years the Fieldhouse was open.
The final game at the Fieldhouse was a win over #8 ranked Xavier University on March 5, 2008. The sellout crowd included Hawk legends Jameer Nelson
and Jack Ramsay
.
The Fieldhouse is currently going through extensive renovations and additions, with many sections of the building being razed for expansion purposes. Work began in the Fall of 2007. The final product of the project will add 1,000 seats to the arena, as well as the addition of a new basketball center, concourse, entrance and lobby on 54th and Overbrook and concessions. The renovations will continue through 2009, resulting in the Saint Joseph's men's basketball team playing their home games at the historic Palestra
on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania
, with the women playing on the campus of Philadelphia University. With the reopening, the fieldhouse will be renamed the Michael J. Hagan Arena, in honor of Hagan who donated $10 million to the project. The renovations are expected to cost approximately $25 million.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. The arena, home to the Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
Hawks basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
opened in 1949 and was inaugurated on November 26 with a loss to the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
. The first women's varsity home game was a loss to Immaculata University
Immaculata University
Immaculata University is a Catholic University on King Road in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.-History:Immaculata was founded as Villa Maria College, a women's college in 1920. It was the first Catholic college for women in the Philadelphia area...
on January 17, 1974. The building was dedicated to all college soldier-heroes on its dedication day, Veterans Day 1949.
In addition to serving as an arena for the basketball teams, Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse also contains locker rooms for students, faculty, and other varsity teams, an additional recreation room, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
courts, a swimming pool, and a weight room.
On October 26, 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
spoke to 3,400 people in the Fieldhouse. Today, a bronze plaque in the lobby recognizes his visit.
The Hawks won 34 consecutive games in Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. In the 1980s and 90's, the Fieldhouse served as the practice home for the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. There were over 125 sellouts over the last 15 years the Fieldhouse was open.
The final game at the Fieldhouse was a win over #8 ranked Xavier University on March 5, 2008. The sellout crowd included Hawk legends Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson
Jameer Nelson is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the NBA. He played college basketball at Saint Joseph's University and was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets but was traded to the Orlando Magic, where he has played for his...
and Jack Ramsay
Jack Ramsay
Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
.
The Fieldhouse is currently going through extensive renovations and additions, with many sections of the building being razed for expansion purposes. Work began in the Fall of 2007. The final product of the project will add 1,000 seats to the arena, as well as the addition of a new basketball center, concourse, entrance and lobby on 54th and Overbrook and concessions. The renovations will continue through 2009, resulting in the Saint Joseph's men's basketball team playing their home games at the historic Palestra
Palestra
The Palestra, also known as the Cathedral of College Basketball, is a historic arena and the home gym of the University of Pennsylvania Quakers men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball teams, wrestling team, and Philadelphia Big 5 basketball. Located at 215 South 33rd St...
on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, with the women playing on the campus of Philadelphia University. With the reopening, the fieldhouse will be renamed the Michael J. Hagan Arena, in honor of Hagan who donated $10 million to the project. The renovations are expected to cost approximately $25 million.