Sounds a bit like AA.

can we get 1400 in ORANGE over there . . .

Hinkle Fieldhouse is the Basketball arena on the Butler University Campus in Indianapolis,IN. It was built in 1928 and is one of the oldest basketball arenas still in use. It was named for local legend, Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle who coached Butler for 41 years. It also holds a special place in the heart of Basketball crazy Indiana.

Parts of the Indiana State High School Basketball Tournament are held here every year. It was during one of those State Tournaments that Hoosiers witnessed, "The Milan Miracle." In 1954, Milan H.S., a small High School in Indiana, took on state powerhouse, Munice Central for the state championship and unbelievably won. The story inspired one of the greatest sports movies ever, "Hoosiers." Today, Hinkle Fieldhouse continues to draw in Basketball crowds for the High School games and to watch the Butler Bulldogs continue to grow as an great team nationally. Part of that Hoosier magic makes Butler "the little team that could" nearly every year in the NCAA Tournament. Hinkle Fieldhouse is held in such high esteem, that the Pacers designed their own fieldhouse, Conseco Fieldhouse, after it.

On a personal note, this building holds a lot of memories for me. I grew up in a house about 2 blocks from Hinkle Fieldhouse. My parents bought that house from Mr. Hinkle himself. I heard stories from our old neighbor that Tony Hinkle never showed emotion on the court, he never got angry. But, after a lose his wife would have to sew up the lining of his pants pockets because he ripped them to shreds. As a kid ,I'd ride my bike around the Fieldhouse and sneak in to watch Butler games. I met my favorite basketball player, Reggie Miller, there when he was shooting a commercial. I also saw some of the greatest High School Basketball games ever played there.

If you are a basketball fan and you are in Indianapolis, you have to go check out Hinkle Fieldhouse. They've done some renovations, but it still looks the same. ESPN did a documentary on it called, "Indiana's Basketball Cathedral." In a state as crazy about Basketball as Indiana, thats something special. To me Hinkle FieldHouse is a cathedral.

I'll be there along with BGSUE. We will take in the Alumni gathering before hand too. With 2 players from the Indy area, there should be lots of their family and friends in attendance. A lot of people will be off work as it is the week between Christmas and the new year. We should have a lot of fans in attendance. I'm not sure how well Butler draws for their women's team. We have had more fans in the stands a lot of places on the road. Let's make this another one. GO BG!!

Butler has played 3 home games, with attendances of 418, 388, and 714. I'll be there, and I'm bringing friends!

I love AA, but Hinkle is NOTHING like AA. Great place to see a game. If you're even on the fence about making the trip, I say do it!

The way I understand it, you can mention that you're with the BG alumni group at the ticket window and get a GA ticket for $5 (normally $7, I believe I read). The alumni reception is pre-game and halftime. Here's the e-mail from the guy that runs the alumni chapter here:



I think you can pay at the door ($10) for the reception. You can also RSVP through Tom Benbrook here: tomebenbrook@msn.com

At last count, there were about 60 BG fans on the RSVP list for the reception and I know for a fact that doesn't count everyone.

GO BG!

I am pissed, I have a work function that night I am trying to get out of. I am 30-70 at this point. I have not had good luck lately with BG events and work.

Tony, thanks for posting the Indy alumni group. I encourage anyone going to meet up with that group and introduce yourself to Tom. He is the head of the local group.

As been said Hinkle is a great place to watch a game. It is really cool during the day when the light is coming in. Two of the team members are from the Indy area, Chrissy Steffen and Danielle Havel.

The area around Butler is somewhat sketchy. within a matter of a block you go from old mansions to hearing gunfire. Anyone looking to go out to eat, there are bars and restaurants in the Broad Ripple area, that is not far off.

Hopefully I get to go and meet some AZZ members.

Tony, are you going?

I'm planning on going with my wife and parents, but we've had some crap come up that may get in the way of those plans. May just be me, or I may have to miss altogether.


As to the sketchiness of the Butler area, it's probably a little wider than "a block," but I wouldn't suggest venturing too far down Capitol Ave.

What I meant is that within a block you go from a real nice area to gunfire. But yeah your are right the sketchiness is definitely more than a block.

If I can get out of my work function, it will probably be just me.

In that case, you're dead on. Pun intended.

Sounds like there will be some decent eats at the alumni reception, but if anyone's looking for other options around town, feel free to ask.

asking.

Our group is going to St Elmos at 4:30 before going over to the game!

Not sure if you have been there or not, but there shrimp cocktail will clear your sinuses (sp). The shrimps are huge. Not a bad drive from downtown to Butler, just a hell of a bunch of lights.

Downtown Indy has a lot of restarants and has a pretty thriving nightlife. There are numerous steakhouses and microbrews and other types of restaurants. Factman mentioned St. Elmo's, it is a famous Indy Steakhouse.

Are you looking for anything in particular?

I think it's so nice of factman to take us to St. Elmo's!

Downtown has a number of spots to hit and, as mentioned before, Broad Ripple (home of David Letterman) also has some decent spots, around the college bars on the main drag. If you really want to get in a hoops mood, I'd suggest a place called "Plump's Last Shot" in Broad Ripple. It's a bar owned by Bobby Plump, the guy who made the shot that turned into "Hoosiers". The walls are covered in basketball memorabilia. Not a gourmet spot like St. Elmo's, but they've got beer and food and a pretty cool atmosphere to put a couple back before the game.

http://indianapolis.metromix.com/restau ... 91/content

There is also a BW3 in Broad Ripple for a "known quantity" type place. I'd also highly recommend Bazbeaux Pizza, which is also tucked away in Broad Ripple. They have (I believe) plenty of local brews and some damn fine pizza, though you might want to give yourself time, there could be a wait at dinner time and they don't do reservations.

Broad Ripple is within 10 minutes of Hinkle Fieldhouse and it's a pretty easy drive. Hinkle is about 8 blocks west of Meridian Street on 49th Street. Meridian is the main north-south road through downtown and the "zero point" for east-west addresses. The east-west streets, for the most part, are numbered starting downtown near the circle.

Speaking of, if you like Christmas lights, I'd find somewhere to eat downtown, then spin through the circle before heading north.

Looks like 100+ have RSVP'd for the alumni gathering! GO BG!