The University of San Francisco Athletics Department announced today that the university will celebrate the 60th birthday of War Memorial at the Sobrato Center during the December 16th men's basketball game against Cal State Fullerton.
As part of the celebration, members from Dons basketball teams across the 1950s have been invited to be honored at halftime along with a lit birthday cake and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" by the "With Relish Quartet," a part of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
"War Memorial Gym has a rich, storied history and serves as a monument to social change and excellence. It is revered as the cornerstone of USF Basketball: 'where tradition meets today,'" said Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director of External Relations Frank Allocco. "Celebrating the 60th birthday of this facility on the eve of historic levels of improvement is an excellent way to celebrate and honor our history while paving the way to future success and innovation on the USF Campus."
War Memorial at the Sobrato Center, originally built in 1958, was constructed as a tribute to USF alumni who passed away during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The gym currently serves as home court for USF women's volleyball and basketball and houses the USF Athletic Department offices, Athletics training rooms, and the Salquist Performance Center.
War Memorial Gym briefly hosted the San Francisco Warriors during the 1966-1967 season and was home to some of the great Dons teams of the late 1970s led by Bill Cartwright and Phil Smith. The facility has undergone renovations in recent years that include the completion of new men's and women's basketball locker rooms this October and the state-of-the-art Salquist Performance Center for USF athletes' strength and conditioning training. Wilt Chamberlain of the San Francisco Warriors is surrounded by Detroit Pistons during the Warriors' first game in S.F.
at USF's Memorial Gym in 1962. Chamberlain had 50 points and the Warriors won in overtime.
USF currently has plans to further renovate the building over the next year through donor-funded projects. A Hall of Fame and a Hall of Social Change will be created in the existing lobby while a new VIP Club Level will be added to the gym on the west side of the arena. The new Malloy Practice Facility will be built adjacent to the gym over the Hayes-Healy Parking Lot.
For more information on War Memorial at the Sobrato Center and its upcoming renovations, please visit usfdons.com.
Tickets to Sunday's matchup between USF and Cal State Fullerton are also available on usfdons.com. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 PM.
