1925. The game was refereed by Frankie Frisch, a Fordham alumni and New York Giants' second baseman. During World War 2, this gym was used as a U.S. army barracks to shelter the soldiers and separate them from the general public. On May 11, 1946 President Harry Truman visited this barrack and rang a ship bell that still remains there today. Fordham athletic teams continue to ring this bell after conference championship wins. Renovations The Rose Hill Gymnasium was almost renovated in the early 1970s. Vince Lombardi, a Fordham football alumni, wanted to transform the small gym into a 10,500-seat gym. This plan fell through when Lombardi died in 1970 and the head basketball coach Digger Phelps left Fordham for Notre Dame in 1971. Instead, Fordham University built a separate athletic facility that was attached to the gym. In 2018, the Rose Hill Gymnasium basketball court was renamed the “Frank McLaughlin Family Basketball Court,” after alumnus Frank McLaughlin who was a basketball player (1965-1969), athletic director (1985-2012), and assistant coach (1970-1971) for Fordham University. In 2019, Caldwell & Walsh Building Construction Inc. renovated the gym floors from old wood to a modern shock-absorbing material. This renovation was rushed and only took one summer to complete. See also List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas References External links Rose Hill Gym - Fordham University Athletics The Rose Hill Gym (from fordham.edu) Buildings at Fordham University College basketball venues in the United States Sports venues in the Bronx Fordham Rams 1925 establishments in New York City Sports venues completed in 1925 College volleyball venues in the United States Basketball venues in New York City Volleyball venues in New York City