History

1923

On November 4, with due ceremony, the cornerstone of the new gymnasium was laid, and in it, along with the many other things that represent Fordham, was placed an issue of the "Ram." “We have set a cornerstone today - may we not call it a milestone." This was the dramatic utterance of Rev. Fr. E.P. Tivnan, S.J., at the closing moments of the laying of the corner-stone of Fordham's new gymnasium. This sentiment was truly expressive of another era in Ford-ham's progress and the achievement of the goal for which many have labored.

1925

The Rose Hill Gym officially opens on January 16 as the Rams host Boston College in a game officiated by the Fordham Flash, Frankie Frisch. Bishop Collins, S.J., blessed the building before the university president, William J. Duane, S.J., delivered an address to the crowd. Fordham won the game with the Eagles, 46-16.

1927

A Rose Hill Gym record 6,000 fans turn out to watch Fordham take on CCNY, a game won by the Rams, 32-17. Several thousand fans had to be turned away when the gym reached capacity.

1928

Fordham compiles an 18-2 record and takes the Eastern College Championship.

1936

The men’s basketball team records its 100th win in the Rose Hill Gym, a 26-19 win over Columbia on January 16.

1937

The 1936-37 men’s basketball team that featured five future Hall of Famers: James Daley, Richard Davis, James Drury, Robert Hasmiller, and Edward Kamen, collectively known as The Wonder Five.

1937

Weather forced the Fordham football team to practice indoors in the Rose Hill Gym and Rams, featuring the Seven Blocks of Granite, would post a 7-0-1 record in the fall, the last undefeated season for Fordham football.

1938

After a four-year hiatus, Hall of Fame head coach Edward Kelleher returns to the helm of the men’s basketball program. He would serve as head coach until 1943 and amass 245 career wins.

1943

In his final year as head coach Ed Kelleher leads the Rams to a 16-6 record and their first NIT appearance. Fordham defeats Western Kentucky at Madison Square Garden in the first game before falling to St. John’s and Washington & Jefferson.

1943

In the only season in which the Rose Hill Gym was not used for athletic contests it is used as a U.S. Army barracks to shelter the soldiers and separate them from the general public during World War II.

1946

On May 11, President Harry Truman visited this barrack and rang a ship bell that remains there today. Fordham athletic teams continue to ring this bell after conference championship wins

1953

Ed Conlin scores 42 points in a game with Adelphi, a Rose Hill Gym record which still stands. He helps head coach John Bach’s squad to its first NCAA berth.

1958

Led by All-American and Haggarty Award winner Jim Cunningham, the Rams go 15-8 and return to the NIT. The Rams defeat Saint Francis (Pa.) in the NIT before falling to Dayton.

1965

Lew Alcindor (aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar) plays final high school game as his Power Memorial team defeated Rice High school for the CHSAA title. That championship also featured Fordham Prep, led by a freshman named Frank McLaughlin, who would go on to play at Fordham and serve as the long-time athletic director. The Rose Hill Gym continues to host the CHSAA Championship each year.

1966

Beach Boys play in the gym on March 18 (along with The Lovin’ Spoonful) as part of sophomore weekend.

1966

Simon and Garfunkel play the first of their two shows in the gym on December 3 as part of the “Junior Class’s Winter Weekend.” They would play the gym again in 1967 for Homecoming Weekend.

1967

Men’s basketball defeats Iona, 61-54, to start a school record 25-game Rose Hill Gym winning streak.

1970

First varsity women’s basketball game is played as the Rams fall to Saint Peter’s on December 28 and the gym is seen in the movie “Love Story” featuring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal.

1974

The Fordham men’s basketball JV team features a future Oscar Award winner, Denzel Washington

1975

Paul Simon and Connie Hawkins tape a skit for the second ever episode of Saturday Night Live.

1979

Women’s basketball host the AIAW Sectional Championship, playing Tennessee and head coach Pat Summitt.

1981

Women’s basketball hosts its first NCAA Division I contest as the NCAA officially sponsors women’s basketball.

1984

The Ramones play the Rose Hill Gym.

1987

JJ Radice scores a Fordham women’s basketball record 40 points in a win over Drexel.

1988

The CHSAA championship game between Tolentine and Archbishop Mol¬loy is billed by the New York Newsday as the “Best High School Game of the 80’s”. Malik Sealy, the most valuable player of the tournament, scored a game-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Tolentine while Kenny Anderson paced Molloy with 26 points.

1991

Men’s basketball wins first of two straight Patriot League titles.

1994

Women’s basketball wins Patriot League championship.

1996

The CHSAA final between Rice and Christ the King becomes the top CHSAA Championship game of all time. Christ the King, led by Lamar Odom, Erick Barkley and Craig (Speedy) Claxton, entered that game as the undefeated favorite and ranked No. 2 in the country. But future Ram Bevon Robin scored the winning basket on a coast-to-coast layup with 1.3 seconds left in overtime.

2001

Fat Joe and Ashanti use the Rose Hill Gym in their That’s Luv music video.

2003

Joseph M. McShane, S.J., is inaugurated as Fordham’s 32nd president.

2004

Fordham officially retires Ed Conlin’s number 11, the first basketball Ram to have his number retired. Conlin still holds Fordham records for scoring and rebounding.

2010

Fordham retires Anne Gregory’s number 55, the first female basketball Ram to have her number retired. Gregory is still the school’s all-time leader in scoring and rebounding.

2012

Cardinal Dolan and Stephen Colbert meet for “The Cardinal and Colbert: Humor, Joy, and the Spiritual Life.”

2014

Women’s basketball holds an NCAA selection show in the Rose Hill Gym after capturing its first Atlantic 10 title.

2015

On January 22, the Rams celebrated the 90th anniversary of the historic Rose Hill Gym. Fordham wore special throwback jerseys for the game, which started with Fordham.

2015

The front of the Rose Hill Gym is featured on the television series Gotham.

2016

The Block F Awards dinner is held in the Rose Hill Gym, which becomes the permanent home for the annual event.

2019

Caldwell & Walsh Building Construction Inc. renovated the gym floors from old wood to a modern shock-absorbing material. The renovation was completed in a four-and-a-half-month period.

2022

The Rose Hill Gymnasium basketball court is officially dedicated and renamed the Frank McLaughlin Family Basketball Court after alumnus Frank McLaughlin.

2023

Fordham fans are introduced to “Rose Thrill” as head coach Keith Urgo leads the Rams to a 25-8 record, 12-6 in the Atlantic 10, tied for second in the final A-10 standings as Fordham reaches the semifinals of the A-10 Tournament for just the second time. The 25 wins tied for the second-best single-season total in program history and were just one win shy of the famed 26-3 season of 1970-71.

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