My dad in the Armory in 1957 after KU victory

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BoxsterCy

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Got some great memories of the Armory games
I wonder what was up with all the patriotic bunting.

Must have been something discontinued later. Don't remember that in 1969. Did find a couple of pictures labeled 1956 and 1960 that showed the same thing as the 1957 Kansas game so it wasn't just for that game.

If I had to guess about the bunting I would guess it was a post-WWII thing that carried on for a while. First basketball games weren't held there until 1946 and that would have been right after WII ended.


1956
armory game 1956.jpg

1960
armory game 1960.jpg
 
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ruxCYtable

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Got some great memories of the Armory games


Must have been something discontinued later. Don't remember that in 1969. Did find a couple of pictures labeled 1956 and 1960 that showed the same thing as the 1957 Kansas game so it wasn't just for that game.


1956
View attachment 83774

1960
View attachment 83775
I think, but can't say with 100% certainty, that is also my dad in the center of that 1956 photo. Can't tell from behind but I'm pretty sure I've seen him pictured in a sweater like that and he would have been on the court for just about every game from '55-57.
 

Isualum13

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Not basketball but football related. My grandfather was on the team in 1948. I knew nothing of this until I was reading his obituary about a year ago. He died when I was very young so I don't have a lot of memories of him, but once I found this out I started digging. His obituary only mentioned he enjoyed playing until a knee injury forced him to stop. Learned he wore number 42 during research. Don't know if he ever played in a game, do know he was not a letter winner. Also in the team picture from 1948, from a Wide Right article about the 40s football teams, he doesn't appear to be there. His name is in the 2020 iowa state football fact book. This is where I learned what number he wore. Any of you football history savants able to aid in my search for info?
 

BoxsterCy

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A sidetrack, but I wonder what it was like to watch games for a lot of years at The Armory, then attend games when Hilton opened. (Similar curiosity of changeover from Clyde Williams to JTS).

Armory to Hilton:
Initially? It sucked and I HATED it. Went from guys from the house grabbing and reserving us seats a row or two behind the opponents bench to not so great seats in an big cold empty arena. The Armory was the students place and Hilton was the donors and season ticket holders place and teen me resented the hell out of that. Hilton Magic didn't happen till a long time later. The Old Armory used to really rock. Those metal structured bleachers shook and the place was crazy loud in close games. Overall we weren't very good but at home we were above .500 at least. My freshman year in 1969 were we a very Johnny Orr like 11-2 in the Armory and 1-12 on the road or neutral court! Was an exciting team with Bill Cain at post. Still one of my favorite ISU teams. Had SO much fun that season.

Sat close enough at the Armory that I still have a Mankato State jersey that I8 year old me might have reached over and grabbed. ;) Also close enough to pretty much hear everything the coaches said. For some reason I remember Maury John, than Drakes coach, yelling "Hell bells ref!" We laughed at that. We didn't seem like an f-bombing guy. Guess that was swearing for him.

Also, back in that day the Big Eight tournament was over the Christmas holidays, not at the end of the season.

Clyde to Jack:
Pretty easy transition. Clyde was a dump and teams were usually not good so it was mostly smuggle in booze and drink and throw oranges on the field. ;) Transition was helped a lot by Earl Bruce having some good teams and beating Nebraska there in the new digs.
 

Oldgeezer

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Armory to Hilton:
Initially? It sucked and I HATED it. Went from guys from the house grabbing and reserving us seats a row or two behind the opponents bench to not so great seats in an big cold empty arena. The Armory was the students place and Hilton was the donors and season ticket holders place and teen me resented the hell out of that. Hilton Magic didn't happen till a long time later. The Old Armory used to really rock. Those metal structured bleachers shook and the place was crazy loud in close games. Overall we weren't very good but at home we were above .500 at least. My freshman year in 1969 were we a very Johnny Orr like 11-2 in the Armory and 1-12 on the road or neutral court! Was an exciting team with Bill Cain at post. Still one of my favorite ISU teams. Had SO much fun that season.

Sat close enough at the Armory that I still have a Mankato State jersey that I8 year old me might have reached over and grabbed. ;) Also close enough to pretty much hear everything the coaches said. For some reason I remember Maury John, than Drakes coach, yelling "Hell bells ref!" We laughed at that. We didn't seem like an f-bombing guy. Guess that was swearing for him.

Also, back in that day the Big Eight tournament was over the Christmas holidays, not at the end of the season.

Clyde to Jack:
Pretty easy transition. Clyde was a dump and teams were usually not good so it was mostly smuggle in booze and drink and throw oranges on the field. ;) Transition was helped a lot by Earl Bruce having some good teams and beating Nebraska there in the new digs.
I was at that game-- I am 87 yrs. old now. Ku was up by 1 with seconds left. Everybody knew Gary T would take the shot, but KU had him covered. He flipped the ball to Medsker for the winning shot from about 15 ft. Stranigan used 3 guys to defend Wilt, Medsker behind (he was 6' 8" kinda awkward white guy from Denver. John Crawford in front, and when the ball went to Wilt, Chuck Vogt closed in. KU had a big guy out in the corner all alone and if there had been 3 point shots , cyclones would have been destroyed.. Front row of the Armory seats were right on the floor, and is was louder than Hilton when we got to stamping our feet on the steel bleachers. Whole campus went nuts after the game.
 

AlaCyclone

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I guess I never made the connection. I think I was only in there one time while I was as in school, maybe orientation, a final, I’m not sure. I don’t recall it looking particularly “ militaristic” at the time though.
I took some Military Science Classes in the Armory - when I was in school.
 
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madguy30

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Got some great memories of the Armory games


Must have been something discontinued later. Don't remember that in 1969. Did find a couple of pictures labeled 1956 and 1960 that showed the same thing as the 1957 Kansas game so it wasn't just for that game.

If I had to guess about the bunting I would guess it was a post-WWII thing that carried on for a while. First basketball games weren't held there until 1946 and that would have been right after WII ended.


1956
View attachment 83774

1960
View attachment 83775

Great photos!

I wish there were a way for them to still do occasional games there. Even big games. Put fans right on top of the opponent.
 
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cyclones500

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Got some great memories of the Armory games


Must have been something discontinued later. Don't remember that in 1969. Did find a couple of pictures labeled 1956 and 1960 that showed the same thing as the 1957 Kansas game so it wasn't just for that game.

If I had to guess about the bunting I would guess it was a post-WWII thing that carried on for a while. First basketball games weren't held there until 1946 and that would have been right after WII ended.


1956
View attachment 83774

1960
View attachment 83775

I LOVE the scoreboard in the 1956 pic. (I can't tell for sure if it's same one in 1960 photo, zeroes don't look rounded, but too far away)

Our high school used an old gym for wrestling meets in the mid-'70s and still used that model of scoreboard or close to i
 

t-noah

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Feb 2, 2007
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Red Scare. If you don’t have the red white AND blue you might as well be hosting a commie convention.

:jimlad:
Probably because the Soviets were trying to take over Europe and destroy the United States. It was probably a good thing to display the colors. Didn't want to be labeled a Commie. And, it was in an Armory.
Haha. You guys prolly not too far off, considering the era, McCarthy just a few years prior, etc.
 

t-noah

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Armory to Hilton:
Initially? It sucked and I HATED it. Went from guys from the house grabbing and reserving us seats a row or two behind the opponents bench to not so great seats in an big cold empty arena. The Armory was the students place and Hilton was the donors and season ticket holders place and teen me resented the hell out of that. Hilton Magic didn't happen till a long time later. The Old Armory used to really rock. Those metal structured bleachers shook and the place was crazy loud in close games. Overall we weren't very good but at home we were above .500 at least. My freshman year in 1969 were we a very Johnny Orr like 11-2 in the Armory and 1-12 on the road or neutral court! Was an exciting team with Bill Cain at post. Still one of my favorite ISU teams. Had SO much fun that season.

Sat close enough at the Armory that I still have a Mankato State jersey that I8 year old me might have reached over and grabbed. ;) Also close enough to pretty much hear everything the coaches said. For some reason I remember Maury John, than Drakes coach, yelling "Hell bells ref!" We laughed at that. We didn't seem like an f-bombing guy. Guess that was swearing for him.

Also, back in that day the Big Eight tournament was over the Christmas holidays, not at the end of the season.

Clyde to Jack:
Pretty easy transition. Clyde was a dump and teams were usually not good so it was mostly smuggle in booze and drink and throw oranges on the field. ;) Transition was helped a lot by Earl Bruce having some good teams and beating Nebraska there in the new digs.
I was at that game-- I am 87 yrs. old now. Ku was up by 1 with seconds left. Everybody knew Gary T would take the shot, but KU had him covered. He flipped the ball to Medsker for the winning shot from about 15 ft. Stranigan used 3 guys to defend Wilt, Medsker behind (he was 6' 8" kinda awkward white guy from Denver. John Crawford in front, and when the ball went to Wilt, Chuck Vogt closed in. KU had a big guy out in the corner all alone and if there had been 3 point shots , cyclones would have been destroyed.. Front row of the Armory seats were right on the floor, and is was louder than Hilton when we got to stamping our feet on the steel bleachers. Whole campus went nuts after the game.
Thankyou gentlemen! Love hearing stories about the Armory and Williams Field!
 

t-noah

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Great photos!

I wish there were a way for them to still do occasional games there. Even big games. Put fans right on top of the opponent.
Does the Armory still exist? What is its function now?

For some reason I thought it was razed. :confused:
 

t-noah

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While the attached photo was not from that actual game, my Dad played in that game as a back up Sophomore point guard (He started at PG his Junior & Senior year).
Ronald Baukol , in the Ballroom, with the Candlestick?
Your Dad, or did I miss? I tried to do a little 'Columbo'. Hard to do for information back then.
 

Acylum

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My mom and dad were at that game, 1-15-1957. Older brother at a sitters in the Pammell Court community.

I was born in Mary Greeley 10-15-1957. Coincidence,.....I think not!
So you’re saying your brother nailed the babysitter during the game?
 
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MeanDean

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Armory to Hilton:
Initially? It sucked and I HATED it. Went from guys from the house grabbing and reserving us seats a row or two behind the opponents bench to not so great seats in an big cold empty arena. The Armory was the students place and Hilton was the donors and season ticket holders place and teen me resented the hell out of that. Hilton Magic didn't happen till a long time later.
A buddy from my floor and I started going to MBB games around 77-78 season. This was at Hilton of course. There was still a student section directly behind the opposing bench. We loved to sit right behind them and razz them whenever possible. There was already the "Sit Down Norm" chant for Norm Stewart from Missouri. We weren't too great but there were some good contests there including a take down of KU - with then presidential primary candidate and (assumed) Kansas fan Bob Dole in attendance.
 

Gary_ISU

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I was at that game-- I am 87 yrs. old now. Ku was up by 1 with seconds left. Everybody knew Gary T would take the shot, but KU had him covered. He flipped the ball to Medsker for the winning shot from about 15 ft. Stranigan used 3 guys to defend Wilt, Medsker behind (he was 6' 8" kinda awkward white guy from Denver. John Crawford in front, and when the ball went to Wilt, Chuck Vogt closed in. KU had a big guy out in the corner all alone and if there had been 3 point shots , cyclones would have been destroyed.. Front row of the Armory seats were right on the floor, and is was louder than Hilton when we got to stamping our feet on the steel bleachers. Whole campus went nuts after the game.
Shout out to Oldgeezer. I have to do a dad brag as he is my dad. It is pretty awesome that he is 87, soon to be 88 in May and posting on Cyclone Fanatic. I have heard those stories a few times and love that he shared it with others.

Great to be a Cyclone legacy. My daugher will be a freshmen in the fall and will continue our family’s tie to ISU. Go Clones!
 

NWICY

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Does the Armory still exist? What is its function now?

For some reason I thought it was razed. :confused:

Yep it's still there (at least 2 yrs ago) the main where the court would have been had been converted to architecture lab/studio space. Maybe other courses that are similar also. When my niece was there I would drop her off treats on the BB games she couldn't make. That major takes a boat load of lab/studio time.
 
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Jar_Lar

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Not basketball but football related. My grandfather was on the team in 1948. I knew nothing of this until I was reading his obituary about a year ago. He died when I was very young so I don't have a lot of memories of him, but once I found this out I started digging. His obituary only mentioned he enjoyed playing until a knee injury forced him to stop. Learned he wore number 42 during research. Don't know if he ever played in a game, do know he was not a letter winner. Also in the team picture from 1948, from a Wide Right article about the 40s football teams, he doesn't appear to be there. His name is in the 2020 iowa state football fact book. This is where I learned what number he wore. Any of you football history savants able to aid in my search for info?

I know about that WRNL article!

First of all, my sympathies for your loss, may his memory be a blessing– below is the information I could find from online.

Here is a picture of him with his fraternity at Iowa State from the 1949 yearbook.

The attached image is from The Courier (Sept. 5, 1948) featuring northeast Iowans on the 1948 team. Unfortunately, the Ames Daily Tribune from that time only has camp weights for your grandfather. Also, I'm not sure why he is wearing No. 40 in this picture. He is listed as wearing No. 42 in this digitized game program against Iowa Teachers (Northern Iowa), but alas I lack photos from game action.
 

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