Close Menu
The Daily Hoosier
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • IU football recruiting: 3-star safety Laron Dues commits to the Hoosiers
    • Former IU women’s basketball star Grace Berger signs with L.A. Sparks
    • IU basketball recruiting: 2026 center Luigi Suigo official visit primer
    • IU basketball recruiting: 2026 forward Latrell Allmond official visit primer
    • IU basketball scholarship chart – update after Aleksa Ristic addition
    • Al Durham is the latest former Hoosier announced to play for Assembly Ball in 2025 TBT
    • Georgia running back Jayreon Campbell commits to Indiana football
    • IU basketball lands commitment from Serbian guard Aleksa Ristic
    • Sign Up
    • About/Support
    • Jobs
    • Tickets
      • IUBB Tickets (Stubhub)
      • IUFB Tickets (Stubhub)
    • Shop
      • Official IU Store
      • IU Adidas Store
      • Amazon: Support TDH
      • IU Memorabilia
      • IU Press (Books)
      • The Daily Hoosier T-Shirt
    • Radio/Podcasts
      • East 17th Street
    • Pro IU
      • IUBB NBA
      • IUFB NFL
      • IUBASE MLB
    • Forum
      • Disqus Forum
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    The Daily HoosierThe Daily Hoosier
    Wednesday, June 18
    • IU Basketball
      • Latest IU Basketball News
      • Offseason roster activity tracker
      • 2025-26 IU Basketball Roster
      • DeVries’ new staff
      • Scholarship Chart
      • Future Schedules
      • Big Ten Coming and Going
      • IU Basketball 2024-25 Schedule
      • 2024-25 Big Ten Standings
      • 24-25 IU Basketball Stats
      • Rankings & Bracketology
      • IU Basketball Media Guide
    • IU Football
      • Latest IU Football News
      • Roster updates by position
      • 2025 scholarship tracker
      • 2025 Schedule
      • Current roster
      • Curt Cignetti’s staff
      • Future opponents through 2032
      • 2024 B1G Standings
      • 2024 IUFB Stats
      • IU Football 2024 Record Book
    • IU Recruiting
      • IU Basketball Recruiting News
      • IU Football Recruiting News
      • IUBB 2026-28 Prospects
      • Recruit Interviews
      • Recruit Highlights
      • IU Football Recruiting Commits
    • IU Women’s Basketball
      • IU Women’s Basketball News
      • 24-25 Schedule
      • Big Ten Standings
    • IU Men’s Soccer
      • 2024 Schedule
      • Indiana Men’s Soccer: Program History
    • More Hoosiers
      • Fan and Business NIL options
      • IU Baseball
        • Baseball Schedule
        • Statistics
        • Big Ten Standings
      • IU Swim & Dive
      • IU Olympic Results
    • Hoosier History
      • March Madness Classics
      • Basketball History
      • Football History
    The Daily Hoosier

    IU’s Intramural Center to be named after men’s basketball legend and trailblazer Bill Garrett

    Mike SchumannBy Mike SchumannJune 12, 2020 IU Basketball No Comments
    Photo credit - IU Archives
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    A sign outside of the old Men’s Gymnasium on 7th Street tells his story.

    A towering statute in the south lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall serves as a reminder of his larger than life significance.

    Now, an entire building, an iconic building in the history of IU basketball, will bear his name.

    IU President Michael McRobbie recommended to the school’s Board of Trustees on Friday that the facility formerly known as the Ira Wildermuth Intramural Center be renamed after iconic IU basketball legend Bill Garrett.

    The Board of Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation.  This is the transcript of their formal approval:

    The Trustees of Indiana University do hereby approve the naming of the Intramural Center on the IU Bloomington Campus as the William Leon Garrett Fieldhouse. Appropriate signage will be placed on the building to honor this great alumnus of Indiana University and one of its true courageous leaders in the integration and acceptance of African Americans in basketball at both the collegiate and professional level.

    The William Leon Garrett Fieldhouse was the home of the IU basketball program from 1928 to 1960.

    Garrett left IU as the program’s all-time leading scorer while playing in the building that will now bear his name.

    But it wasn’t an easy path to stardom in Bloomington.

    Garrett was born in 1929 in Shelbyville, Indiana. Garrett led Shelbyville to the Indiana state championship in 1947, and he was named Mr. Basketball. Shelbyville knocked off Terre Haute Garfield and star center Clyde Lovellette in the state championship game. The gym at Shelbyville is named the William L. Garrett Memorial Gymnasium.

    After completing high school Garrett went to Indiana. Prior to his arrival in Bloomington, there was a “gentleman’s agreement” barring non-whites from playing major college basketball, including at school’s from the Big Ten. Garrett and IU chose to break the agreement and he became the first African-American basketball player in the Big Ten conference.

    Garrett led the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding each year from 1949 to 1951. Indiana was ranked No. 2 nationally in the 1950-51 season and Garret was named as IU’s most valuable player and selected as an All-American.

    The Boston Celtics drafted Garrett, making him the third African American ever selected by an NBA team. Due to being called to serve in the US Army, Garrett never played in the NBA. Upon the completion of his service he signed a contract with the Harlem Globetrotters, playing with them for three years.

    Garrett taught and coached basketball in Indianapolis at Wood High School and at Crispus Attucks High School, where he led the team to a state championship in 1959. He was assistant dean for student services at IUPUI at the time of his death in 1974.

    In 2017, a historical marker in honor of Garrett was unveiled outside of the intramural center with his family in attendance.

    Naming the intramural center after Garrett formally closes an ugly chapter in the building’s history.

    Formerly known as the Ira Wildermuth Intramural Center, the IU Board of Trustees approved a name change in 2018.  That move by the Board followed the uncovering of various documents that revealed racist views held by Wildermuth, who was once an IU trustee.

    Also known by many as the “HPER” due to its affiliation with the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, the recreational facility has been called the Intramural Center since 2018.

    Find us on Facebook:  thedailyhoosier

    You can follow us on Twitter:  @daily_hoosier

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

    Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.

    Related

    Bill Garrett indiana hoosiers
    Mike Schumann

    Keep Reading

    IU basketball scholarship chart – update after Aleksa Ristic addition

    Al Durham is the latest former Hoosier announced to play for Assembly Ball in 2025 TBT

    Updated: IU Football Recruiting Overview Page — Commitments and Rankings

    Latest Hoosier News
    • IU football recruiting: 3-star safety Laron Dues commits to the Hoosiers
    • Former IU women’s basketball star Grace Berger signs with L.A. Sparks
    • IU basketball recruiting: 2026 center Luigi Suigo official visit primer
    • IU basketball recruiting: 2026 forward Latrell Allmond official visit primer
    • IU basketball scholarship chart – update after Aleksa Ristic addition
    • Al Durham is the latest former Hoosier announced to play for Assembly Ball in 2025 TBT
    • Georgia running back Jayreon Campbell commits to Indiana football
    Sign Up



    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    © 2025 The Daily Hoosier, LLC.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Ad Blocker Enabled!
    Ad Blocker Enabled!
    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. Please support us by disabling your Ad Blocker.