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Memorial Gymnasium (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Memorial Gymnasium is a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena
in Charlottesville, Virginia
. It opened in 1924. It was home to the University of Virginia
Cavaliers basketball
team until it was replaced when University Hall
opened in 1965.
Mem Gym was the site of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
's "Stab in the Back" speech on June 10, 1940, when, in the middle of giving his commencement address to the graduating class, he was informed of the alliance between Italy
and Nazi Germany
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. It opened in 1924. It was home to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Cavaliers basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team until it was replaced when University Hall
University Hall
University Hall is an 8,457-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Virginia Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. The arena opened in 1965 as a replacement to Memorial Gym, which is still used as the home to the volleyball and wrestling teams...
opened in 1965.
History
Established originally as a memorial to the University's World War I casualties, this elegant facility continues to play a vital role in the athletic, recreational, and physical education kinesiology programs on Grounds. The classes of 1920 and 1921 pledged a collected total of $142,000 in support of the gymnasium as a memorial, and construction was completed in 1924. From its completion, the gymnasium housed a variety of sporting and social activities, including basketball, boxing, and dances.Mem Gym was the site of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's "Stab in the Back" speech on June 10, 1940, when, in the middle of giving his commencement address to the graduating class, he was informed of the alliance between Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.