Edwards Gymnasium

The gym was dedicated February 22, 1906. 

It is named in memory of OWU Trustee John Edwards whose initial gift made its construction possible.  

At the time of its completion it was considered the largest and finest basketball facility in the state of Ohio.  

The second floor basketball arena held as many as 3,000 spectators.  Early track meets were, also, held in the arena. 

The balcony featured a single lane,  banked track with a padded canvas surface.   Pole vault and high jump events took place on the arena floor. 

The last official collegiate basketball games were played here in 1977.

Edwards Gym is on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

Home of High School Basketball Tournaments 

In 1909 Delaware High School asked OWU to sponsor a nine team post season tourney.  The event was held in the Delaware Armory but moved to Edwards Gym in 1910. 

The tournament continued to grow under the direction of OWU athletic director Lynn W. St. John.  By 1922, with 172 high schools participating, the tournament had outgrown the University and the town.  Its success brought into being the Ohio High School Basketball Tournament in 1923. 

There was, also, a countywide high school basketball tournament held each year.  Before schools consolidated, there were thirteen Delaware County high schools involved. The last county tournament was held in 1962.

(03/22/2008)