Huey P. Long Field House Stories

Share your stories from the Huey P. Long Field House and read more about its history. Share your story about the Huey P. Long Field House here to be published on our website.

1900's

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1910's

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1920's

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1930's

Benjamin Wax, Sr.

 

Benjamin Wax, Sr., attended LSU from 1936-1940, shortly after the Huey P. Long Pool and Field House was opened in 1932. It was at Huey Long Pool that he competed during the first dual-swim meet on February 23, 1932, against Georgia Tech, also marking LSU’s entry into the SEC. While at Baton Rouge High, he was a standout athlete competing in Varsity Football, Track & Field, and Swimming & Diving. He shattered the State Mile Swim record as a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 30 in the State AAU meet. During his senior year, he received as many as 28 scholarship offers from various Southeastern Universities, but LSU won out.

- Ben Wax, Jr.

 

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1940's

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1950's

"My parents met at the Huey P. Long Field House. It was late October 1956 and my dad, Buddy Rogers, was in his fifth year earning a combined degree in Petroleum and Chemical Engineering. My mother, Glenda Stringfield, was a freshman. My dad said he saw a pretty redhead in a green suit drinking a Coke at the Field House "canteen" and walked over to introduce himself to her and her suitemate. He called her later to ask her to the upcoming LSU v. Ole Miss game on November 3, 1956. They were married exactly a year later on November 3, 1957."

Kathryn Rogers Mayeux, LSU 1982

1960's

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1970's

Pom Pom Girls

 

I was an LSU Pom Pom Girl (basketball cheerleader) during the glory days of Pistol Pete Maravich. Our squad did our rehearsals in The Field House. Our sponsor, Coach Al Swanson, also had his office there. We had so much fun creating our routines and practicing in the beautiful Field House. Some great memories created there!

- Pat Curtis Bodin, LSU 1972

 

It was hot. It was soooo hot! It was early September, 1970. I was so innocent and scared. I got to the Field House at the crack of dawn. It was registration day. Shortly, hundreds of people showed up. They were all behind me. I had this. Finally, the doors opened. Somehow being first did not count. Hordes of people spilled into the Field House. I had wanted to schedule classes so that I could sleep late and finish early. To my surprise, I got lost in the shuffle of pulling class cards. I wound up with 7:30 and 3:30 classes. This was my first experience at LSU.

Daphne Gardner, LSU 1974

I remember as a preteen swimming in the pool with a family friend who was attending LSU at that time. Awesome place from a young perspective. Flash forward a few years and I attended LSU Majoring in Civil Engineering and again swam in the pool under a PE elective, SCUBA diving. Great times swimming there, certified diver as well as graduated CE.

Charles Everhardt III, LSU 1973

1980's

I learned how to swim in that pool during my last semester at LSU. It was the summer semester and I was taking one class needed for graduation. I decided to do something fun and take a swimming class. As a child of an LSU employee, I swam in the pool as a child and was always amazed by the size of the pool and the architecture of the building. The swimming class was taught by the LSU swimming coach and my class included a few older students, a Nigerian prince and me. We all had to set goals at the beginning of the class and I wanted to be able to jump off the high diving board. Despite taking swimming lessons as a child, I had a fear of jumping in a pool and swimming in deep water. The swim coach worked with me to overcome those fears and on the last day of class, I jumped off the diving board, but not the tallest board. I was appalled when I learned the pool had been closed and the building left to rot. I'm so glad the renovations are underway. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Darlene Templet Denstorff, LSU 1980

1990's

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2000's

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2010's

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2020's

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