Columbia Coliseum

Columbia Coliseum
Construction

Former names	Columbia Gymnasium
Location	Portland, Oregon
Owner	Columbia University
Capacity	1,600^[1]
Surface	dirt
Broke ground	1902^[2]
Built	1903
Renovated	1910, 1916
Closed	1927
Demolished	unknown
Architect	Joseph Jacobberger

Columbia Coliseum, also known as Columbia Gymnasium, was a gymnasium on the campus of Columbia University (now the University of Portland) in Portland, Oregon. It was designed in 1902 by Joseph Jacobberger to house sports that were traditionally played outdoors, like baseball and football. Constructed the following year it was the largest gymnasium in Oregon, and possibly the Pacific Northwest. Starting in 1905, Columbia Coliseum became the site of an annual statewide track and field event hosted by the university. It was last used in 1927 and has since been demolished.

History

At 24,500 square feet (2,280 m²), Columbia Coliseum was the largest sports venue in Oregon (and possibly the Pacific Northwest) when it opened in 1903. At the highest point, the ceilings were 70 feet (21 m). The gymnasium was constructed with trusses so no support beams would obstruct the playing area. The building featured natural light from glass skylights in the ceiling. Tracks were on the outside of a dirt playing surface, which was big enough for sports traditionally played outdoors like baseball or football.^[3] Although indoor baseball (now known as softball) was becoming popularized at the turn of the 20th century, Columbia University organized a traditional baseball team to play indoors, a rarity at the time.^[4]^[5]

Joseph Jacobberger was the building's architect.^[2] In 1927, Columbia University again commissioned Joseph Jacobberger (now partnered with Alfred Smith) to design a new gymnasium for the school which became Howard Hall.^[6]

Events

In 1903 the student body raised money to start a track and field and football team to play in the gymnasium.^[7] An annual statewide track and field event was hosted at Columbia Coliseum from 1905 to 1922.^[8]^[9]

American railroad executive E. H. Harriman and six Japanese Ju-Jitsu artists displayed their talents to an audience at Columbia Coliseum in February 1905.^[10]

In 1907 the Columbia University basketball team joined the Portland Interscholastic League. The first few seasons all the league's teams had to play in the Columbia Coliseum since most venues could not accommodate the relatively new sport of basketball.^[11] No wood floor was installed for basketball games, meaning the teams would have to play on dirt.^[12]

The Commercial Club, a group of Portland businessmen, donated $10,000 towards upgrading Columbia Coliseum in 1910.^[13] The coliseum was closed temporarily in 1916 due to significant damage to the structure after snow had built-up on the ceiling, causing part of it to cave in.^[14] The roof was repaired and the gymnasium re-opened the following year.^[15]

The last sport to play in the gymnasium was basketball in 1927.^[16] It has since been demolished.

References

↑ "To hold indoor meet; Columbia University invites track athletes to contest". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 1 March 1904. p. 12.
1 2 "Fine building being erected on Catholic campus". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 1 July 1902. p. 5.
↑ "Track and field sports booming". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 7 April 1907. p. 37.
↑ "Play baseball indoors". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 22 February 1903. p. 32.
↑ "Dual Track Meet At Columbia Gymnasium". The Oregon Daily Journal. Portland, Oregon. February 19, 1905. p. 8.
↑ "Design for New Columbia $75,000 gymnasium". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 5 June 1927. p. 71.
↑ "Students raise money for athletics". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 15 September 1903. p. 6.
↑ "Prepare for big track meet". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 13 April 1905. p. 9.
↑ "16 schools entered in big indoor meet". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 14 April 1922. p. 14.
↑ "Harrimans Jin-Jitsu Artists". The Oregon Daily Journal. Portland, Oregon. February 18, 1905. p. 6.
↑ "Form basketball league; Five Portland schools lay plans for season". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 1 November 1907. p. 7.
↑ "Hoopers play tomorrow". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 10 January 1924. p. 12.
↑ "Columbia to get addition". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 17 May 1910. p. 8.
↑ "Coliseum ruined; track meet off". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 13 February 1916. p. 7.
↑ "Athletes at Columbia University indoor meet next Saturday will compete in remodeled coliseum". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 9 April 1917. p. 11.
↑ "Columbia books 3 games". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. 14 January 1927. p. 11.

Portland Pilots men's basketball

Venues	Columbia Coliseum (1922–1927) Howard Hall (1927–19??) Chiles Center (1984–present)

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17

Sports venues in Portland, Oregon

Professional venues	Moda Center Portland International Raceway Portland Meadows Providence Park Ron Tonkin Field Veterans Memorial Coliseum Woodburn Dragstrip

College venues	Austin Sports Complex Cascade Gymnasium Chiles Center Chuck Bafaro Stadium Concordia Gymnasium Erv Lind Stadium Griswold Stadium Hilken Community Stadium Joe Etzel Field Merlo Field Pamplin Sports Center Peter Stott Center Randall Hall Reed Gymnasium II Sherman–Larkins Stadium Stoffer Family Stadium Stoller Center The Dome

Golf courses	Broadmoor Golf Course Chehalem Glenn Golf Course Claremont Golf Course Eastmoreland Golf Course Glendoveer Golf Course Heron Lakes Golf Club King City Golf Course Langdon Farms Golf Club Meriwether National Golf Club Oswego Lake Country Club Portland Golf Club Portland Meadows Golf Course Redtail Golf Course Rose City Golf Course Summerfield Golf & Country Club The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club Waverley Country Club

Defunct venues	Columbia Coliseum First Regiment Armory Annex Portland Ice Arena Portland Speedway Vaughn Street Park

Other venues	Charles B. Walker Stadium at Lents Park Delta Dome Hare Field Hillsboro Stadium Oaks Park Roller Rink Owens Sports Complex at Delta Park Sckavone Stadium St. Johns Racquet Center Stott Community Field

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/6/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.