Gallagher-Iba Arena

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Coordinates: 36°07′33″N, 97°3′54″W

Gallagher-Iba Arena
"The Madison Square Garden of The Plains"
Location W Hall of Fame Ave & N Duck St
Stillwater, OK 74078
Opened December 9, 1938
Owner Oklahoma State University
Operator Oklahoma State University
Surface White Maple basketball court (original 1938 court)
Construction cost $1.5 million (original)
$55 million (Renovation)
Architect Gary Sparks (Renovation)
Former names 4-H Clubs and Student Activities Building, Gallagher Hall
Tenants Oklahoma State University Athletics
Capacity 13,611

Gallagher-Iba Arena, once dubbed “Madison Square Garden of the Plains”,[1] is the basketball and wrestling venue at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Originally completed in 1938 and named the 4-H Club and Student Activities Building, it was soon renamed Gallagher Hall to honor wrestling coach, Ed Gallagher. After renovations in 1987, the name became Gallagher-Iba Arena, as a tribute to longtime basketball coach and innovator, Henry Iba.

Contents

[edit] History

The first basketball game was played on December 9, 1938 when Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies beat Phog Allen’s Kansas Jayhawks, 21-15, in a battle between two of the nation's early basketball powers. In its original configuration, seating was limited to 6,381 although attendance totals at wrestling matches and basketball games could swell to over 8,000 in the years before fire codes.[citation needed] Though small by today's standards, it was the largest collegiate facility in the country when completed.[2] The original maple floor, still in use today, was the most expensive of its kind in America when it was installed in 1938.[3].

Over the years, the Gallagher-Iba gained a reputation for its intimidating noise levels.[neutrality disputed] Oklahoma State calls it the "Rowdiest Arena in the Country" in its marketing campaigns[citation needed] and it has lived up to the name.[neutrality disputed] Former wrestling coach Myron Roderick claimed that during the 1983 Big 8 finals, over 8,000 fans packed the old barn and saw unranked Darryl Monasmith beat the defending national champion from Iowa State. According to Roderick, "It got so loud, a lot of the lights busted in Gallagher. And thatís the loudest I've ever heard it. It was unbelievable."[4]

[edit] "Gallagher's House of Horrors"

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The Pokes set a new wrestling attendance record in the first season after expansion, packing in 10,802 for Bedlam on February 18.[when?] Previously, the largest crowd was estimated at 8,300. Since wrestling began in Gallagher-Iba Arena, the Cowboys have won 34 NCAA titles and have had 34 unbeaten and untied campaigns at home. One of their longest winning streaks ran with the arena’s opening in 1939 and lasted until February 16, 1951. During that period, O-State won 37 straight home duals, including no ties. From the final dual of 1959 through the first five home duals of the 1967 season, Oklahoma State wrestled 61 duals without a loss, finishing with an impressive 60-0-1 record before the streak was broken by Bedlam rival Oklahoma 19-13. On February 3, 1939, Oklahoma A&M wrestled for the first time inside the arena, defeating Indiana 18-6. On February 3, 1989, the Oklahoma State Cowboys hosted the Hoosiers in a celebration of the 50-year anniversary of the first Gallagher Hall dual. The Cowboys defeated the Hoosiers, 28-6, in the 1989 dual. OSU’s latest home winning streak of 50 consecutive duals was the second-longest such streak without a loss or tie (it began near the end of the 1986 season). That streak came to an end on January 30, 1993, when Penn State handed the Pokes a sound 38-7 defeat, O-State’s worst loss ever on its home mat. In only five seasons have OSU teams lost more than one home dual during the season, including the 1992-93 season when OSU finished below .500 for the first time ever in Gallagher-Iba Arena. In contrast, six Cowboy teams have won at least 10 home duals during a single season.

[edit] The Modern Gallagher-Iba

OSU Spirit Rider in front of Gallagher-Iba Arena
OSU Spirit Rider in front of Gallagher-Iba Arena

In the 1990s, Oklahoma State was in desperate need of a larger basketball arena. Instead of building a new arena off campus, the decision was made to expand Gallagher-Iba Arena from a modest 6,381 seats to its current 13,611 seats. The structure of the new Gallagher-Iba Arena was built around the old arena during the basketball season to allow games to be played, essentially the new Athletics Center encapsulated the old gym. Once the exterior was nearly completed, the roof of the old arena was dismantled. The old sightlines and the original white maple floor were kept (it remains the oldest original basketball court floor still in use). The expansion, completed in time for the 2000 Cowboy basketball season, cost $55 million and was designed by Gary Sparks and built by Manhattan Construction. The Cowboys opened the new Gallagher-Iba Arena with a 70-60 victory over the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans.

Gallagher-Iba Arena was named the best college gymnasium by CBS SportsLine.com in August 2001,[5] and was ranked #1 by ESPNU in their countdown of America's top college basketball arenas.[citation needed]

On January 15, 2005, the court was officially named after Eddie Sutton as Eddie Sutton Court.[6]

On March 4, 2005, ESPNU held its debut, which was simulcast on ESPN2, at Gallagher-Iba Arena. To commemorate the event, 3 doors down provided a free concert at the arena.[7] The OSU Basketball team and coaches, including Eddie Sutton, were present at the event.

One seat in the arena is permanently reserved for "Mr. Iba",[citation needed] as Coach Iba was known. During the December 9, 2005 Bedlam wrestling dual, a permanently reserved seat for Ed Gallagher was unveiled, adjacent to Iba's.[citation needed]

On January 12, 2008, Gallagher-Iba played host to the highest attended women's sporting event in the state of Oklahoma 13,611[8] (a sellout) as the OSU Cowgirls beat the OU Sooners in basketball 82-63.

Along with the expansion of the historic arena, the new Athletics Center has many features. A total of 14 luxury suites stretch across the west side of the facility, overlooking both the basketball court and the football field. Banners signifying the success of Oklahoma State Athletics are hung from the rafters, as well as a banner commemorating the loss of ten members of the OSU basketball family when they were killed in a plane crash in Colorado. The pride of OSU athletic triumphs are also illustrated in photographic and trophy displays in the new Heritage Hall, which opened this fall.

[edit] Camp Sutton

In the same spirit of Duke's students christening their village of tents "Krzyzewskiville", Oklahoma State students have begun referring to their temporary towns as "Camp Sutton", in honor of retired head coach Eddie Sutton. Students that camp out for basketball games are generally considered[weasel words] die hard fans by the rest of the student body. Nestled under the looming presence of Gallagher-Iba Arena, twin cities of tents are pitched on the north and south sides of the arena, in hopes of securing floor seats in either the northside or southside student sections. In recent years, Camp Sutton has grown into an increasingly over-the-top affair. Some students played a part in what is believed to be the longest continuous Camp Sutton campout;[citation needed] from January 11, 2007 to February 27, 2007 (Four days before the Texas game and up to the K-State game.) The camp lasted from the second Oklahoma State University Big 12 home game to the last Big 12 home game of the season. Several groups of student campers from the Northside Nasties and the Southside Savages all joined together and lived under over 1700 square feet of tarps duct taped and tied together, nicknamed the Thunderdome. It was occupied every day (except times during sporting events)for the entire campout. The campers stayed outside even after there was a declared state of emergency in the state of Oklahoma due to the freezing weather and snow.[citation needed] During football season, Camp Sutton briefly becomes known as "Gundyville" to students camping out to validate their student football tickets to high profile games.[citation needed]

Although students had camped outside Gallagher-Iba Arena for years, the name Camp Sutton was added during January 2006. Coincidentally, this would be Eddie's last season as head coach. The name Camp Sutton—first coined by journalism student Michael Harris during the 2003-04 season—was added as Student Government Association members Allison Ealey and Eric Martin legitimized camping procedures with the help of the Athletic Department.[citation needed] Students would now be required to register tents in order of arrival, beginning four days before the game and continuing on. During this time period, at least one member of the "tent" was required to be present. A tent being ten people or less, this means that several students weathered freezing temperatures and sleepless nights in order to obtain seating to basketball games.

The first game under the new procedures was the Bedlam game of 2006, with over 55 tents registering. The new policy was so successful that around 400 students were granted admission in six minutes, and the Athletic Department saw the value of providing safe and fair admissions to students based upon arrival times.

During the 2006-2007 Men's Basketball season, the camp was moved to the south side of Boone Pickens Stadium. This was done to provide more electrical outlets to the campers, and to provide a wind block from the prevailing northerly, and generally quite strong, Oklahoma winter winds. The policy was in effect from the second home Big 12 game until the last Big 12 home game of the season.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gallagher-Iba Arena - Official Website Of Oklahoma State Cowboy And Cowgirl Athletics
  2. ^ A past enriches the future - Cowboy Journal - Fall 2000
  3. ^ Facilities - Official Website Of Oklahoma State Cowboy And Cowgirl Athletics
  4. ^ A past enriches the future - Cowboy Journal - Fall 2000
  5. ^ "Cameron Indoor Stadium is great, but the best in the land is...", by Dan Wetzel, CBS SportsLine, August 7, 2001, retrieved April 8, 2006
  6. ^ USA Today OSU vs. ISU game story, 1/15/2005. usatoday.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
  7. ^ "Top-Selling Band 3 Doors Down to Perform at ESPNU Launch Pep Rally Friday", Business Wire, March 2, 2005, retrieved April 9, 2006
  8. ^ Ride 'em, Cowgirl Riley scores 45 points as Cowgirls fulfill promise to fans, end Bedlam skid in front of record crowd | NewsOK.com

[edit] External links

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