As The Duke Men's Basketball Team Hosted Countdown To Craziness, Blue -White Scrimmage Friday Night At Cameron Indoor Stadium Fans, Spectators Were Back In The Stands
Cameron has been the site of 817 Blue Devil men's victories and 411 Duke women's victories entering the 2014-15 season.
More than a few of those victories have been influenced by the electric atmosphere within its Gothic halls.
Legend has it that it all began with a book of matches, which for a town and a school founded on local tobacco fortunes, seems a promising way to start.
It was on the cover of a book of matches that Eddie Cameron and Wallace Wade first sketched out the plan for Duke's Indoor Stadium in 1935. The story may be a myth (the matchbook has never been found), but then the Indoor Stadium that emerged from those first scribblings lends itself to the propagation of myths.
For seven decades, spectators, players and coaches have understood the unique magic of the Indoor Stadium. The building was dedicated to longtime Duke Athletic Director and basketball coach Eddie Cameron, a legend in his own right, on January 22, 1972. An unranked Duke team upset then third-ranked North Carolina, 76-74, after Robby West drove the length of the court to hit a pull-up jumper to win the game.
It's the intimacy of the arena, the unique seating arrangement that puts the wildest fans right down on the floor with the players. It's the legends that were made there, the feeling of history being made with every game. And it's something more than either of these, something indescribable that comes from the building itself. No one who has experienced it will ever forget it.
The Building
Whether or not the matchbook story is true, it is a fact that the official architectural plans for the Stadium were drawn up by the Philadelphia firm of Horace Trumbauer, Architect. Trumbauer was a self-made man, a poor boy who left school at 16 to apprentice himself as a draftsman to a local architect. In 1890, at the age of 22, he opened his own office and quickly rose to prominence in the Northeast. His designs for the mansions and estates of wealthy northeastern magnates brought him to the attention of James Buchanan Duke, North Carolina tobacco baron. Duke commissioned the architect to design his New York town home during the early part of the century.
In 1924, when Duke created the $40 million Duke Endowment that turned Trinity College into Duke University, he called on Trumbauer to design the new University Campus.
In recent years it has come to light that the plans for the campus, as well as designs for later buildings including the stadium, were drawn up not by Trumbauer himself (although his name appeared on all the blueprints) but by his chief designer, Julian Abele, one of the nation's first black architects. Abele, a brilliant architecture student at the University of Pennsylvania, was brought to Trumbauer's attention shortly after his graduation in 1902. Trumbauer was so impressed with Abele's talents that he not only hired him but paid his way through the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Abele stands as the first African-American ever to graduate from the school.
The original design for the Indoor Stadium was significantly less grand than the one from which the building was actually constructed. That first plan called for 5,000 basketball "sittings," and even that number was considered extravagant, at least by Trumbauer, who originally had proposed 4,000 seats. In a letter to Dr. William P. Few, President of Duke, Trumbauer said: "For your information Yale has in its new gymnasium a basket ball (sic) court with settings for 1,600 ... I think the settings for 8,000 people is rather liberal ... the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania seats 9,000."
The original building was a domed structure with 16-feet steel ceiling spans and a 90-by 45-foot playing court. Obviously, Dr. Few must have insisted on something more spectacular.
As important as the size of the Stadium was its external appearance. It was vital that the building be aesthetically integrated with the original West Campus buildings. For this reason, building stone was taken from the Duke quarry in nearby Hillsborough, N.C., where all the stone for the original campus had been found.
Building on the Stadium proceeded quickly. The stone had to be laid in temperate weather, for in extremely cold temperatures, the mortar would freeze. The building was finished in nine months.
Thus the Stadium was ready to be opened by the first of the new year, 1940. The final cost: $400,000 (which Duke finished paying after the football team won the Sugar Bowl in 1945).
The Dedication
Duke's new Indoor Stadium was officially opened on January 6, 1940. Touring the building before the evening ceremony and subsequent game, local city officials were "speechless." Said Chamber of Commerce President Col. Marion B. Fowler, "It is so colossal and so wonderful ... This building will not only be an asset to the university but to the entire community as well." Chamber Secretary Frank Pierson concurred, "There are no superlatives for it."
But Duke's Indoor Stadium was a structure of superlatives. The arena measured 262-feet long by 175-feet wide and was the East Coast's largest indoor stadium south of the Palestra in Philadelphia. Nine fixed steel frames spanned the ceiling at 26-foot intervals, which "provided an exceptionally good sight line." Seating for 8,800 included 3,500 folding bleacher seats on the floor designated, then as today, for the exclusive use of undergraduates. Maximum capacity was 12,000. A total of 16 ramps in the upper level helped prevent bottlenecks. It was according to the program issued the opening night, "one of the most modern and complete physical education buildings in the country."
The building was dedicated before a crowd of 8,000, the largest ever in the history of southern basketball. President William P. Few and Dean William H. Wannamaker presented the Stadium to the University. Dean R.B. House of UNC-Chapel Hill, representing the Southern Conference, also spoke. Aware of the tensions his presence as a member of a rival institution might cause, House affirmed, "I am a Methodist. I aspire to religion, I endorse erudition, and I use ... tobacco ... Hence, I claim to have good personal grounds for being a friend and well-wisher of Duke University." House continued: "... here will be on parade not only Duke University, but also ... youth ... education ... (and) the values of a great and democratic people. Modern games preserve for us the athletic glory of Greece, the executive efficiency of Rome ...."
To the greater glory of Greece, Rome, and particularly Duke University, the Blue Devils beat the visiting Princeton Tigers that night, 36-27.
Renovations
It was in February, 1986, that NBC Sports commentator Dick Enberg told the world about the latest planned renovations for Cameron. "They're going to make a real sports antique out of it ... complete with brass railings and stained glass windows."
For Duke athletic officials watching the Sunday afternoon broadcast of the Duke-Georgia Tech game, this was certainly news. Planned renovations did not, as some rumors indicated, include stained glass windows, but there was a major facelift being planned which included new side walls, a new electronic scoreboard and even brass railings.
Renovations began in 1987. The lobbies and concourse were remodeled during the summer of 1987. Then, in 1988, work began on the interior of the arena. A new electronic scoreboard, new sound system and decorative wood paneling gave Cameron an updated look, while maintaining the original elegance. The addition of 750 new student seats, increasing Cameron's capacity to 9,314, gave the Cameron Crazies, the Duke students who have made a name for themselves as Duke's exceptional "sixth man," a little more room to practice the art of supporting their team creatively.
In the early 1990s, Mike Krzyzewski and Athletic Director Tom Butters decided the time was right to give Cameron an addition with new locker rooms, coaches offices, an academic center and a new Sports Hall of Fame. Several years later, ground was broken for the new Schwartz-Butters Athletic Center after the end of the 1997-98 season. That complex now houses the men's and women's basketball programs, as well as Duke's athletic academic center.
The first part of that expansion and improvement project was the installation of a new floor in Cameron Indoor Stadium after the 1996-97 season. The latest advancements in floor technology were utilized to give the Blue Devils one of the finest playing surfaces in the entire country. Prior to the 1999-2000 season, a new press row was added. Air conditioning was added in 2001-02 and for its 100th season in 2004-05, the concourse was enhanced to celebrate Duke's tradition in men's and women's basketball with the addition of poster displays and all the banners were replaced in the rafters.
Cameron underwent a series of improvements over the summer of 2009 to enhance the gameday experience, while also retaining the revered qualities of the facility as it approached its 70th year as the home of the Blue Devils.
In front of the undergrads is a new state-of-the-art press table featuring 90-feet of LED (light emitting diode) technology. The new press row will improve crowding in the first row of the student section and features two aisles that will help fans and media members in and out of their seats at halftime and after the game. One of the most visible enhancements came in the upper bowl of Cameron where all 5,649 seats were painted Duke blue in conjunction with an extensive pressure washing of the seats, concrete, railing and tunnels.
Each of the distinctive brass railings that surround the arena were refurbished prior to the beginning of the 2009-10 basketball season.
Today
Originally the largest indoor arena in the South, Cameron is today one of the smallest in the nation. Nevertheless, its stature grows from year-to-year. Sellout crowds, top 25 rankings and championships of every variety have become the norm. The "creative harassment" of student spectators has given Duke the honor of being known as "one of the toughest road games in the USA," according to USA Today and any visiting team that has ever played in Cameron. In its June 7, 1999, issue, Sports Illustrated rated Cameron Indoor Stadium fourth on a list of the top 20 sporting venues in the world in the 20th Century, ranking ahead of such notables as Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Pebble Beach Golf Club.
The Blue Devils have had an amazing amount of success in Cameron, winning over 80 percent of their games all-time. In 1999-2000, Duke established both the Atlantic Coast Conference and school record by extending its home winning streak to 46 games.
The Duke men's basketball team has an all-time record in Cameron of 817-153 for an .842 win percentage. The 817 wins is the most in the ACC and the fifth-highest total in the country on a current home court. Under Coach K, the win percentage increases to .887 with a 459-58 record.
Despite the changes that have taken place, Cameron Indoor Stadium has remained very much the same over the last 70+ years. New seating, high tech electronics and a fresh coat of paint have not altered, but rather enhanced, Cameron's most enduring characteristic ... its spirit. It is still a building of superlatives.
Excerpted from "Home Court - Fifty Years of Cameron Indoor Stadium" by Hazel Landwehr.
Last season Duke didn’t allow fans, spectators inside Cameron Indoor Stadium!
Why?
Because of the coronavirus that in 2021 is still affecting us in the United States.
Though the coronavirus is still affecting us Duke is allowing fans spectators back into Cameron Indoor Stadium as Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski coaches his last season before Jon Scheyer who currently is an Associate Head Coach becomes the Head Coach in 2021 -2022!
As Duke welcomes back fans , spectators for the 2021-2022 Duke Men’s Basketball come guidelines.
What are those guidelines?
All guests and staff are required to present proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, which shows two dates for the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines and one date for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Guests and staff who are exempt from or ineligible to receive the vaccine can still attend by showing a negative COVID-19 (antigen or PCR) test result within 72 hours of the game you plan to attend. A test result must be in the form of written medical documentation (paper or electronic copy) and the documentation must include: test result, type of test, entity issuing the result, and the specimen collection date.
For those unable to complete a test prior to game day, a testing site operated by SafeSite (testing partner of the ACC for its championship events) will be available in Blue Devil Tower on game day. The rapid antigen test is $45, and all positive antigen tests will be confirmed with a PCR test for no additional charge to guest.
Guests and staff may upload their vaccination card or negative test for each event at DukeCheckIn.com. (Please note, DukeCheckIn.com will function, beginning Tuesday, October 12 at 5 p.m. ET)
Guests and staff preferring not to submit online can verify in person at one of six (6) verification tent locations prior to entering Cameron Indoor Stadium. Staffing will also be available at these sites to assist with registering on DukeCheckIn.com for future games.
A confirmation from DukeCheckIn.com or a wristband from a verification tent must be displayed prior to entering the security screening area at all Cameron Indoor Stadium entrances.
Season-long credentialed staff who are vaccinated will be pre-verified before credential distribution and will be permitted entry/exit from the building as needed by presenting their credential at all Cameron Indoor Stadium entrances.
Single-game credentialed staff must be verified by DukeCheckin.com or by securing a wristband from a verification tent. Once verified, single-game credentialed staff should enter Cameron Indoor Stadium at the South Credential entrance to receive a verification sticker permitting entry/exit as needed without having to show verification again.
All guests and staff ages 5 and older are required to wear a mask upon entry and at all times while inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, except when actively eating or drinking.
Children under the age of 12 do not need to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative test result, but they must comply with all other policies, including the mask mandate set by the University.
“according to an article on goduke.com”
Dr. Cameron Wolf who is a Duke infectious disease specialist who heads the Atlantic Coast Conference Medical Advisory Group told the schools Academic Council plenty of discussion and planning was ongoing about protocols allowing spectators at Cameron this season.Dr. Cameron Wolf had this to say about fans, spectators being back at Cameron this season!
You think of Cameron and you think about what makes that a great stadium. It’s densely packed . It’s everyone yelling it’s a small, dense stadium that makes it great but that’s also not ideal in this situation”
“according to an article in the newsobserver by Stephen Wiseman”
The guidelines started during Countdown To Craziness, Blue White Scrimmage Friday night and will continue throughout the season!
During Countdown To Craziness, Blue, White Scrimmage Freshman Trevor Keels led the Blue Devils with 19 points over both games, to go along with five rebounds and five assists while sophomore Mark Williams combined for a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards. Sophomore Jeremy Roach led the way with eight assists. In the first contest, the Blue Team jumped out to a 15-11 lead with 5:53 remaining when Roach found Keels for a triple. But Paolo Banchero found him grove late in the period and sparked a run with a rebound, a dunk in transition, a blocked shot and another layup to tie the game at 15-15 with 3:41 left.
Wendell Moore Jr., canned a three for White with 1:52 left to make it 22-19, but Joey Baker answered with a three of his own off an assist from Roach on the next possession to cap the scoring at 22-22. After head coach Mike Krzyzewski addressed the crowd at halftime, White came out hot in the second game and opened a 10-6 lead thanks to a Banchero layup in transition. A Moore jumper made it 19-11, and then back-to-back buckets by Williams – a dunk off a pass from Banchero and a three made it 24-11 and brought the sellout crowd to its feet with 3:45 to play.White was led by Keels and Williams with 12 and 11, respectively, as White shot 13-of-21 from the field in the second game, including a pair of threes from Keels to take the 20-point victory.The Duke Men’s Basketball team is now going to prepare for their only exhibition game that is going to be played on October 30, 2021 verses Winston -Salem State in Durham!
The last time Duke, Winston Same-State met on the hardwood was November 1, 2012!
In that game Mason Plumlee scored 19 points and freshmen Amile Jefferson and Rasheed Sulaimon combined for 25 points to lead Duke to a 69-45 exhibition win over Winston-SalemPlumlee also reached double figures in the rebound column while registering 7-for-7 shooting from the field. Jefferson tallied 13 points, five boards and a block, and fellow rookie Sulaimon went 4-for-8 from the floor in the first half on his way to a 12-point output. Sophomore guard Quinn Cook scored four of the Blue Devils' first six points of the contest, including a layup off a Plumlee steal in the early minutes. Freshman Alex Murphy took a turnover by the Rams the other way for a dunk, and Cook added a wide open trey a short while later, keying a 13-2 run by the squad.
Strong play at both ends of the floor helped Duke widen its lead to 27-10 with five minutes remaining in the half. Plumlee and senior forward Ryan Kelly each notched a pair of blocks, and the Blue Devils held Winston-Salem State to just one field goal over the final 10 minutes of the period to send Duke into the locker room at halftime with a 36-13 advantage.
Plumlee led all players at the break with 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field. The senior forward also grabbed six boards over the first 12 minutes of action, and Sulaimon added eight points and an assist. The Blue Devils shot 42.1 percent (16-of-38) from the floor and went 3-for-5 at the free throw line in the opening half.
A tip-in by Plumlee three minutes into the second period pushed Duke's lead to 42-17. Winston-Salem State's Justin Glover hit a three-pointer with 13:45 remaining and Joe Thompson added a layup on the next possession to pull the Rams within 21, but that was the closest the visiting squad would come to closing the deficit during the second half.
Jefferson reached double-digit scoring midway through the period, converting a three-point play after Sulaimon found him under the basket for a layup. The Blue Devils also continued to play aggressively on defense, forcing six more turnovers by the Rams.
”according to an article on goduke.com”Tipoff is set for 1:30pm from Cameron Indoor Stadium!
The game is going to be televised on ACC Network Extra!