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Turning Back the Clock at Alumni Hall

Retro Alumni Hall

It has been 45 years since Providence College played a regular season game at Alumni Hall. Since the 1972-73 season, the Friars have called the Dunkin Donuts Center (previously the Providence Civic Center) home.

The last 45 years at the Dunk have seen the Friars reach two Final Fours, an Elite Eight, and several other NCAA Tournaments.

Two teams ranked #1 in the country have fallen to the Friars at the Dunk.

The Dunkin Donuts Center is indeed rich with Friar history and tradition, with stars like Ernie Digregorio, Marvin Barnes, Kevin Stacom, Bruce Campbell, Otis Thorpe, Ryan Gomes, and Kris Dunn calling it home for their stellar careers.

There is a certain segment of Friar fans, however, that have a special place in their heart for Alumni Hall.

Many of them remember watching some of the all-time great Friars shining on campus. Names like Thompson, Wilkins, Egan, Ernst, and Riordan. They remember that Ernie D. started his career at Alumni, throwing behind the back passes to Jim Larranaga, Vic Colluci, and Ray Johnson.

Others will recall watching Jimmy Walker, the All American and first overall pick in the draft honing his craft there.

Then there were the Hall of Fame opponents. Bob Lanier, Calvin Murphy, and Julius Erving are just a few of the greats who took to the floor against PC at Alumni Hall.

For me, I will remember the thrill of attending PC games as a child there. I remember squeezing in like sardines on the bleacher seats. I remember my father having to sit in a different section (but still close enough to keep an eye on me) as it was virtually impossible to purchase two seats together. I remember the student section “passing” a student from the floor up to the rafters and back down again as the noise level from the crowd grew to unbelievable proportions.

It was a simpler time back then. There was no flashy logo at midcourt, just a simple PC on each half of the midcourt circle. The Dominican Friars would watch the game behind the glass windows at either end of the court. If you had a seat at court level, you were quite literally on the court.

Times have changed. The bleachers were removed during the renovation of Alumni Hall a few years ago. There are now modern video scoreboards at each end of the gym. A giant Friar is at the midcourt circle.

Times may have changed, but on Friday night many older Friar fans will be reflecting and revisiting the good old Alumni Hall days of Providence College Basketball.

 

7 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    November 8, 2017 at 3:19 pm

    Great film. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Anonymous

    November 8, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    Bring back the live Dalmatian!

  3. Anonymous

    November 9, 2017 at 12:36 am

    Great video….thank you!
    I remember so many games at Alumni Hall and seeing the greats who played there.

  4. Rob

    November 9, 2017 at 12:19 pm

    At the age of 10 my brother a freshman and member of the band took me to my first PC game. Sitting in the front row with the band watching Jimmy Walker,Dexter Westbrook,Mike Reardon,Bill Blair,and RI’s own Jim Benedict. I was in my glory! Little did I know that after the game we would go into the locker room and meet my heroes for autographs. I thank my brother for these memories and to pay it forward took my younger brother to the first game at the Providence Civic Center.

  5. wayne pacheco

    November 9, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    Great memories and recollections Craig. I remember a classic game, long before the three point line, when Jumbo Jim Hadnot, my favorite player then, threw in a 79 footer at the buzzer to beat Gonzaga by one!

  6. Derec

    November 10, 2017 at 3:28 am

    Providence College Men’s Basketball Have Fun Tommerrrow And Get Redey For The Season Derec Lamendola Will Be Thery Next Monday I Will Be Thery I’m NOT Going Tommerrow TO The Alumna Hall And Becuase I’m Going Monday And Get Redey
    And Derec Lamendola iS Going Next Monday I Will
    See YOuU All Monday We Need Every One Monday I Won’t Every One Come Next Monday

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