Maples Pavilion is a 7,392-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

on the campus of Stanford University in

Stanford, California Stanford is a census-designated place (CDP) in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is the home of Stanford University. The population was 21,150 at the 2020 census. Stanford is an unincorporated area of ...

. Opened in 1969, Maples underwent a $30 million renovation in March 2004 and reopened ahead of schedule, in time for conference play that December. It was named after its principal donor, Roscoe Maples.

History

Roscoe Maples was an

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

lumber magnate. Upon his death in 1963, Maples bequeathed most of his $2 million estate to the university. A member of the class of 1904, he left school before graduating to support his parents, and later went on to success in the lumber business. Prior to 1969, Stanford played at the Old Pavilion, opened in 1922. Maples is home to multiple Stanford Cardinal athletics teams, including men's and women's

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

, men's and women's gymnastics, and women's

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

. The raucous

student section A student section or student cheering section is a group of student fans that supports its school's athletic teams at sporting events; they are known for being one of the most visible and vocal sections of a sports crowd as well as for their occa ...

that roots for the men's basketball team is called the "6th Man" and is located in several rows courtside. Prior to the renovation, the original floor at Maples had a flexible surface. Designed by Stanford graduate

John Carl Warnecke John Carl Warnecke (February 24, 1919 – April 17, 2010)Brown, "John Carl Warnecke Dies at 91, Designed Kennedy Gravesite," ''Washington Post,'' April 23, 2010.Grimes, "John Carl Warnecke, Architect to Kennedy, Dies at 91," ''New York Times,'' Ap ...

(1919–2010), it was installed when the Pavilion opened in 1969. Nine inches (23 cm) of crosshatched wood and air was supposed to create a coil-spring effect preventing injuries, but often had the opposite effect. It caused a "Missed Stair Effect", a phenomenon that occurs when the body senses where the floor should be upon landing after a jump. With the tensile feeling of the floor, often the level would be different from when the player jumped, causing a strange sensation throughout the body. On October 14, 2010, the

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current D ...

advocated a secular approach to compassion to a standing-room-only crowd.

References

External links

Stanford Official Athletic site
Stanford Cardinal basketball Stanford Cardinal gymnastics Stanford Cardinal volleyball Stanford University buildings and structures College basketball venues in the United States Indoor arenas in California Sports venues in the San Francisco Bay Area Sports venues in Santa Clara County, California 1969 establishments in California Sports venues completed in 1969 College volleyball venues in the United States Basketball venues in California Gymnastics venues in California Volleyball venues in California {{SantaClaraCountyCA-struct-stub

History

See also

References

External links