The Fieldhouse

[Huskyhoops25]

How many of you remember games in the Fieldhouse? Unfortunately I was there during the latter years of the Perno career, when we were getting mopped by the likes of Nova, Gtown, and the Johnnies, but I do have fond memories of the crazy atmosphere, the 90 degree heat, 4000 plus fans stomping on the wooden bleachers and Earl Kelley jacking shots from anywhere over half court.

 

[8893]

I have fond memories of the floor getting mopped in between plays because of leaks in the roof. I also have fond memories of needing nothing other than a student ID (and maybe a few bucks?) to enter.

 

[uchusky32]

I remember Ray Broxton breaking his back on a missed dunk pinned to the rim! May he rest in Husky Heaven!

 

[Catsailor]

Wes B shoots from mid-court--waiting, waiting, waiting, studying for exam, cking out girl two seats in front of me, waiting, waiting swish-yes!

 

[Huskyhoops25]

I remember walking though the Fieldhouse on those cold January days between classes to keep warm and seeing the girls play before maybe 50 fans.

 

[Vuce]

We used to sneak up to the upper bleachers and watch JC's early teams practice there. Calhoun really laid into some guys (Cyrulik for one).

 

[TRest]

Anyone lift weights in back of the bleachers?

 

[Fishy]

The last game I went to at the Fieldhouse was Cliff's last game - the loss to UAB in the NIT. There was a Whalers' game at HCC, so the game was moved to the Fieldhouse.

My roommate got up at 5 am to go wait for tickets. I slept in and got a ticket on a whim sometime later that afternoon....ended up right next to him which pissed him off to no end.

UConn played a terrible game - Alan Ogg dominated Cliff on the defensive end and Andy Kennedy (now the coach at Ole Miss) had like 25 points.

UConn got close late, but some freshman kept pulling free throws out of his ass and UAB moved on.

 

[Pudge]

Joey Whelton. Al Weston. Lee Otis Wilson.

Before the 3 pt line, we had some of the longest range shooters I had seen. And we didn't get the extra 1. Pretty much gunning in the offense which was totally contradictory of the rest of the way Dee Rowe played. We played most all the great Eastern teams. But probably rarely saw more than a few outside our region. The games were full & the atmosphere was fun.

 

[ThetaZoo]

How many of you remember games in the Fieldhouse? Unfortunately I was there during the latter years of the Perno career, when we were getting mopped by the likes of Nova, Gtown, and the Johnnies, but I do have fond memories of the crazy atmosphere, the 90 degree heat, 4000 plus fans stomping on the wooden bleachers and Earl Kelley jacking shots from anywhere over half court.

Arrived the year after Bialosuknia graduated so my generation was Bob Staak, Bob Boyd, Doug Melody etc. Best live game I saw was, of all things, the 'slow-down game' with URI. We weren't given a chance with several suspensions but we pulled it out. URI was loaded that year...Dwight Tolliver and another Hartford kid whose name I can't remember were the stars.

 

[CL82]

I remember walking though the Fieldhouse on those cold January days between classes to keep warm and seeing the girls play before maybe 50 fans.

Anyone lift weights in back of the bleachers?

I remember lifting weights behind the bleachers during the girls games.

 

[RM99]

I loved watching games in the Field House. I use to collect tickets and listen to the crowd and JC's choice words. These would let me know how we were doing. Another fond memory is my now husband guarding the access to the locker room under the basket during the 1988 NIT quarter finals against VCU. We won 69-60 and this sent them to The Garden to beat Boston College and Ohio State to win the NIT. I remember the noise and dust, it was hard to hear and see! It was Fabulous.

 

[Palatine]

Yep, I remember Wes and Toby. I remember Bob Cousey coaching BCU. Al Weston and Joey Whelton was a great backcourt.

 

[Husky1964]

Saw Jim Calhoun of AIC play against Toby and Dom Perno.

 

[amory]

Way before my time. But I did recently see a video of a game in the fieldhouse and saw that we had an outline of the state of CT at center court which I think is awesome. We should bring it back.

 

[TRest]

Way before my time. But I did recently see a video of a game in the fieldhouse and saw that we had an outline of the state of CT at center court which I think is awesome. We should bring it back.

I always liked having the state profile on center court, like UNC and Indiana do. Games when I was there (79-83) were on a wooden court laid on top of some horrible green synthetic surface. Some here have said the synthetic surface was also used for the hoop court when it was new.

 

[Devland]

Saw Jim Calhoun of AIC play against Toby and Dom Perno.

What ever happened to Calhoun? Did he ever have any success after his AIC days? Last I heard he was a high school coach.

 

[arch]

Some here have said the synthetic surface was also used for the hoop court when it was new.

It's true.

 

[arch]

Saw Jim Calhoun of AIC play against Toby and Dom Perno.

Got to see that too. AIC had a big center who was unmercifully mocked for the full 40 minutes. Also Got to watch Danny Hesford have his best night ever against Cousy's BC squad and their star, a kid named (Johnny) Austin. It was over the holidays and a four hour round trip drive but worth every second after a nice win.

Also believe the most popular team of the time was Wes B and Bill Holowaty's freshmen team.

Oh yeah, it was all free to students.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

I remember Chris Smith.

And, it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT !

I was young...but seriously it was hot in there

 

[UConn77]

From 1973-1977, I never missed an in-session game there. I loved the place. Electric atmosphere and intimidating to the opposing team with the fans on end court right in the games (that's where I sat). Yeah, it was small and stuffy, but it was a great place to watch a game back in the day.

 

[gampelcrazies]

For those who want to see footage of the field house from the 1988 VCU game
http://uconnhuskygames.com/1987-1988-mens-basketball-games-replays/

 

[chapwilvaug72]

i was at uri slowdown game/it was alot more than few suspensions/whole team was banished and only 5 guys suited up, hence slowdown was required

i was there 68-72: stars were bobby boyd, cal chapman, bob staak, ron rhubala, budzinski, melody, custick

superstar bill corley left in 67

dee rowe took over for 69-70 season

student ticket was 50 cents

by 70-71 season the green synthetic floor was installed

i liked the netting up all around from indoor baseball hitting on pitching machine

also liked the raquet ball courts where you duck and enter thru a tiny door

rarely saw an intersectional match up

i was at the Hawaii game vs bob nash on cold nite Jan 1972 when huskies lost a close one: that was greatest yr in Hawaii hoop history

saw dr. J twice at fieldhouse, once on freshman team; what was startling was length of his arms which extended down to his knee caps-he was scary good dude

was getting my student ticket one after noon and coach rowe walked by me with a recruit named Koski from rhode island; this koski was very very tall and very thin-woosa

my swimming classes were good at fieldhouse; it was funny because some ethnic dudes were classified by instructor as natural born "sinkers" so they passed phys ed requirement 2nd semester frosh yr even though they sank like rocks

when harvard came in i saw james brown play who became the announcer for foosball on cbs

also a team called florida southern came to fieldhouse a few times; i saw them; i think they were divII

 

[Bradleypalmer]

From the '79-'83 era:
*** would sit on the floor underneath one basket
*** calling my parents & telling them to watch 11 pm sports on Ch. 8 to see me in back of Dick Galliette while he was doing post-game wrap
*** coming back from winter break in January 1982 & sitting with my dad way up on the wobbly bleachers to watch Patrick Ewing/G'town

From earlier eras:
*** listening to UConn games on WTIC with George Ehrlich and keeping individual scoring on notebook paper
*** watching Joey Whelton's first game at Yale and being amazed by his ballhandling skills (and his hair)
*** the old scoreboard that had that zig-zag UConn logo with the next home game listed

Finally, does anyone remember a game at the Field House when gym was cleared because of a bomb scare and played before an empty gym?

 

[Fishy]

For those who want to see footage of the field house from the 1988 VCU game
http://uconnhuskygames.com/1987-1988-mens-basketball-games-replays/

Funniest part of that video is the "good game" hug between the VCU Ram and Jonathan just before the 1:22 mark.