212-Rupp Arena.qxp - University of Kentucky Athletics

Tradition
(1924-50; Won 247, Lost 24)
Alumni Gym is actually “the first house that
Rupp built.” A house filled with tradition.
A house where Kentucky basketball began.
Memorial Coliseum is often referred
to as “the house that Rupp built.” The Wildcats’
current home, Rupp Arena, was dedicated
to the legendary coach in 1976. But the
rich Kentucky basketball tradition began 26
years before the ink was even dry on the
Memorial Coliseum plans.
In 1923, the Athletics Council members
argued to the Board of Trustees that the
old gym in Barker Hall’s Buell Armory was unsafe
for even the small number of people it could
accommodate. Large crowds that had to be
turned away and the probability that the popular
state high school tournament would be moved
away were two major factors that convinced the
Board members that a new gym was in order.
Soon, the 2,800-seat structure was approved
and the Alumni Association began efforts to raise
the $100,000 needed for the Wildcats new home
— a home critics labeled as a “white elephant.”
Alumni Gym, which was complete for the
1924-25 season, holds claim to the birth of Wildcat
basketball mania. The building served as the
home floor for Wildcat squads until 1950. During
that time, Kentucky lost only 24 of its 271 games,
while laying the groundwork to become the winningest
college basketball team in the nation.
Alumni Gym
When Rupp took the reins of the
program in 1930, his squads established a home
record of 201 victories against just eight losses in 19
seasons. He led the Cats to 84 consecutive wins in the
confines of Alumni including 64 consecutive victories
in the Southeastern Conference.
During the last 17 seasons in the
gym, the Wildcats won 12 conference tournament
crowns and three Sugar Bowl championships.
Through 26 seasons at the corner of the Avenue of
Champions and South Limestone, Kentucky suffered
only one losing season, while having 12 campaigns
with three or fewer losses.
The tradition of winning established by the
Kentucky Wildcats created a popularity
unmatched nationwide. The situation soon developed
to where only a portion of the
student body and faculty were admitted to games.
Once inside, fights would break out over the
small number of seats. And for many years, about
all that Kentuckians-at-large knew of their state
University’s famed cage teams consisted of information
gleaned from radio broadcasts and newspaper
reports.
Kentucky basketball became a dynasty
in 1948 after winning the SEC and NCAA championships
and the coveted Olympic gold in London,
England. Led by All-Americans Alex Groza, Ralph
Beard and Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones, with Rupp
coaching from the sidelines, the United States squad
soundly defeated France 65-21 in the gold medal
game to become the 1948 World Champions.
Kentucky closed out its tenure at Alumni Gym with 84 consecutive victories. The gym still stands
at the corner of South Limestone and Avenue of Champions.
In 1950, Kentucky’s reign in Alumni Gym
came to an end following the completion of the
new Memorial Coliseum.
Year-by-Year at Alumni Gym
Year Won Lost Pct.
1924-25 8 2 80.0
1925-26 9 1 90.0
1926-27 2 8 25.0
1927-28 6 2 75.0
1928-29 7 2 77.8
1929-30 12 1 92.3
1930-31 9 0 100.0
1931-32 10 1 90.9
1932-33 10 1 90.9
1933-34 10 0 100.0
1934-35 13 0 100.0
1935-36 11 1 91.7
1936-37 9 1 90.0
1937-38 9 0 100.0
1938-39 9 1 90.0
1939-40 8 1 88.9
1940-41 9 1 90.0
1941-42 10 0 100.0
1942-43 8 1 88.9
1943-44 8 0 100.0
1944-45 10 0 100.0
1945-46 12 0 100.0
1946-47 17 0 100.0
1947-48 11 0 100.0
1948-49 10 0 100.0
1949-50 10 0 100.0
Totals 247 24 91.1
2004-05 Kentucky Basketball • 217