John Carroll basketball spent most of its opening years finding a place to call home.
Of all the places home games staged, it would be hard to top the grandeur, the history and the relevance of Cleveland Public Hall.
The Largest Convention Hall In the Country
The building itself is nearing 100 years old, and it has been the host site of anything from the 1924 and 1936 Republican National Conventions, concerts by the likes of Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Supremes, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and the Rolling Stones, and events such as annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.
Although Public Auditorium was planned and funded prior to World War I, construction did not begin until 1920, and the building did not open until 1922. While most of the early home sites of John Carroll basketball no longer exist or have been replaced, Pubic Hall still stands in its original location of East 6th and Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland. At the time it was completed, it was the largest convention hall in the country. The seating capacity, including main floor seats and the balcony, was 11,500.
The first college basketball game at Public Hall was played on December 27, 1923. Ohio State defeated the University of Pennsylvania, 35-22, in the middle game of a tripleheader. A high school contest between St. Ignatius and West Tech was the first game and the nightcap saw the Indianapolis Omars and Cleveland Rosenblums compete. Attendance was 7,000.
Blue Streaks Arrive
John Carroll competed for the first time at Public Hall was on January 3, 1927. The Blue Streaks, led by head coach Mal Elward were nipped by Albion, 30-29. Forward Ray Zorman was the leading scorer for John Carroll with 20 points. The second game of the doubleheader featured Wisconsin versus Syracuse. The Badgers, coached by the legendary Walter Meanwell, came out on top, 31-24. Attendance was listed at 6,000.
For the next several years, Public Hall would be a favored venue for some John Carroll home games when playing on the St. Ignatius floor was not considered a good option. There were times the Blue Streaks were invited to play ina "preliminary game" before a professional context. For example, on March 4, 1929, JCU hosted Canisius before a Cleveland-Chicago pro tilt. Buoyed by the additional fans, most of whom were in support of the home squad, the Blue Streaks exacted revenge from an early season overtime loss in Buffalo by beating Canisus, 36-31.
The hope was that when John Carroll moved to its new home on the east side, a gym would be part of the structure. It would not be until 1957 that a true campus gym became a reality.
In 1938, Public Hall elected not to stage any more college basketball games in its venue. Still, as late as 1942, John Carroll played at the iconic auditorium. That year, a crowd of 2,500 watched the Blue Streaks take on the Great Lakes team at Public Hall to benefit the war effort.
