Bob Knight Way petition proposes renaming street in honor of basketball coach

Members of the IU community are joining together to rename the portion of 17th Street in front of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall “Bob Knight Way,” in honor of the legendary Indiana University basketball coach.

A change.org petition started by former IU football coach and senior associate athletics director Harold Mauro says Knight, who died last November, “has left an indelible mark on Indiana University history and deserves to be recognized.”

Indiana University and the City of Bloomington have recent experience with renaming streets; in 2021, Indiana University and the City renamed Jordan Avenue to Eagleson Avenue, in honor of the Eagleson family, a prominent Black family in Bloomington. The street was originally named after former Indiana University president David Starr Jordan, who was controversial for his role in the American eugenics movement.

Why name a street after Bob Knight?

Bob Knight was one of the most memorable coaches in the history of both IU and college basketball.

A coach at IU for 29 seasons (1971-2000), Knight was legendary for his fiery personality and commitment to excellence that led the Hoosiers to three NCAA national championships, five Final Fours and 11 Big Ten championship titles.

Knight, known for being the forerunner of the “Knight Era” of IU basketball that put the program on the national map, also had a career marked by controversy. Knight’s aggressive personality and relentless pursuit of excellence by his team led to frequent altercations, including his infamous chair toss in 1985 during a Purdue game and a scandal involving the strangling of a student in 2000 that ultimately led to his firing.

Time, however, has turned Knight, who passed away last November, into an IU legend and one of the most memorable figures in college basketball history. Knight returned to Bloomington in 2019 and was back at Assembly Hall to entertain fans, new and old, in early 2020.

IndyStar Archives: Remembering iconic Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight

The change.org petition highlights Knight’s philanthropic contributions to IU, including the IU Libraries.

“He donated millions to the libraries at Indiana University and Texas Tech and endowed two professorships for Indiana faculty. In 2007, the Texas Tech library honored him with an exhibit titled “A Legacy of Generosity: The Bob Knight Exhibit,” the petition says.

What is the Bob Knight Way?

The change.org proposal recommends renaming a portion of 17th Street between Dunn Street and Fee Lane (roughly the part of the street next to Assembly Hall and its parking lot) to “Bob Knight Way.”

If implemented, Bob Knight Way would be the first property on the IU campus to be dedicated to honoring the basketball coach.

What would be the process to change 17th Street to Bob Knight Way?

Since the portion of 17th Street across from Assembly Hall is owned by IU, the proposal would likely begin with a vote to change the name by the IU board of trustees and then go through the IU Naming Committee and senior administration before being presented again to the trustees for a vote.

Current board chairman Quinn Buckner played for the Hoosiers under Knight from 1972 to 1976, helping the team win an NCAA National Championship in 1976.

Contact Brian Rosenzweig at [email protected]Follow him on Twitter/X on @brianwritesnews.

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Bob Knight Way petition proposes renaming street in honor of basketball coach

ByS. Jacob

Why name a street after Bob Knight?

What is the Bob Knight Way?

What would be the process to change 17th Street to Bob Knight Way?

By S. Jacob

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