John Wooden Gymnasium - Martinsville Artesians

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57

John Wooden Gymnasium 1360 E Gray St. Martinsville, IN 46151

Martinsville High School Artesians website

Year Opened: 1977

Capacity: 5,200

A Name Befitting a Basketball Legend

The John Wooden Gymnasium is home to the Martinsville High School Artesians basketball team and home to both sectionals and regionals in Indiana. The gym replaced the Glen Curtis Gymnasium, home to the Artisans since 1924, in 1977. It is also where the school’s most famous alumnus, John Wooden, was an All-State player, leading the club to the 1927 state championship. The gymnasium that reads his name holds 5,200 spectators, the same amount as the older facility.

The town of Martinsville has a population of 12,000 and is located between Indianapolis (32 miles) and Bloomington (22 miles) on SR-37. The small town has been a fervent basketball supporter since the program began at the start of the last century. The Arties captured two more state titles in 1924 and 1933 and feature five players who would later be enshrined in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Basketball was such a phenomenon in Martinsville, that when the Curtis Gym opened in 1924, it seated more people (5,200) than the population of the entire county (4,800). It was also the largest high school basketball facility in the world (until the Muncie Fieldhouse opened in 1928) and larger than the arenas at both Purdue and Indiana University. Its size helped usher in the era of larger fieldhouses for the game of basketball in Indiana.

Food & Beverage 3

The menu options have changed since our last visit, no longer are there Spam and cheese sandwiches, grilled bologna, or rib-eye steak sandwiches, but more normal options of hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and candy. The gym still offers coney and cheese dogs, brats, cheeseburgers, and sloppy joes at the game. Coca-Cola products are the soft drinks of choice and all proceeds go to the MHS sports program.

Sadly, many of the unique food items were attributed to the late Greg Fitzpatrick, who was the concession manager. He was known as "Chef Greg" and vowed to make everything homemade and keep hot dogs under $3. He would be happy to see the price at $2.50 and a brat at $3. Another school district favorite is a bowl of chili and a cinnamon roll that was served in the hospitality room. The local favorite has been a staple of school cafeterias for decades and is as common as peanut butter and jelly in this part of the state.

Atmosphere 4

The facility is one of the more modern fieldhouses in the state of its size and features charm and piquancy. The upper balcony offers light brown-colored removable bleacher seating that wraps around the gymnasium. Banners are hanging up of former championships won by the school, and John Wooden’s signature is neatly displayed on the court.

The lobby celebrates the school and Wooden's legacy with murals, trophies, team photos, and wall designs. A large entrance design with Wooden's photo and signature is visible when walking through the doors and four inspirational quotes are painted above each entrance way into the gymnasium.

Regionals games bring out small towns in droves that support their basketball team. Each side is decked out in school colors that consist of students, parents, locals, and alumni. Cheerleaders lead their supporters in carefully created cheers and chants. After the game, the winning team celebrates with the student section on the floor before cutting down the banners. It ends with fans spilling onto the floor for pictures and interviews from local TV crews.

Neighborhood 3

The high school is on I-69 (formerly SR-37) and runs between Indianapolis and Bloomington. There is not an exact exit or entrance from this road. It is within minutes of a few great restaurants, including a few local establishments and national chain restaurants.

Indy's Family Restaurant is one of the better places to enjoy a good home-cooked meal, Sgt. Pepper's has the best fried chicken in town, Bynum's Steakhouse has exquisite steaks, and Los Reyes has delicious Mexican cuisine.

If you are looking for fast food chains, there are quite a few located right on SR-37. If you fancy a trip to downtown Indianapolis or Bloomington you are very close. Bloomington is about 20 minutes away, and downtown Indy is another 30 minutes north.

Fans 3

The sectionals attract a lot of people from the area. Fans at the game are respectful of one another and are there to root for their team. The student sections are amazing to look at just for their sheer dedication and loyalty to the sport; the same can be said for the rest of the fans sitting in other parts of the arena. The focus is on the sport and nothing else.

Access 3

The school and gym are located right off of I-69 and are highly visible from the highway. It is a little tricky to get on campus since there's no direct entrance from the main road. It is suggested to use GPS to make sure you arrive there without frustration. The gymnasium itself is well-marked with signs for concessions and bathrooms, and there are separate entrances to the first and second levels of seats.

Return on Investment 4

You get a lot of bang for your buck attending one of the sectionals in Martinsville. Tickets cost between $7 and $10 depending on the package and you get a heck of a lot of great food at very low prices. The great food, fans, and atmosphere make this a fantastic destination for high school hoops.

Extras 3

There is a sense of efficiency when attending the game here. A lot of the sectional sites can get jam-packed with fans and security and ushers are unable to keep up with the demand and people inside the arena. It was not a sold-out game, but the administration and student helpers assisted with any questions from fans entering the building. It was a well-oiled machine.

John Wooden deserves extra points for not only being the legend from Martinsville but also having his name on the facility. Before he became The Wizard of Westwood, he was a pretty gritty basketball player for the Artisans here in town. His former gym is also still around with major changes. It might be worth checking out a historic Indiana high school venue.

I enjoyed the stylized M monogram that was printed on every seat inside the building. A nice little-personalized touch inside the arena.

Final Thoughts

John Wooden Gymnasium is very impressive. It is an arena, providing spacious seating, delicious high-calorie food, and a little history from the school's past. The lobby decor and updated asthetics inside the gym make it worth a visit during sectionals or regional basketball games.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com