The Oak Park-River Forest High School band plays in the balcony grand stands during a basketball game between the Lions of Lyons Township from La Grange Park and the Huskies of Oak Park-River Forest, at Oak Park-River Forest, on Jan. 12, 2023. Part of the Best High School Gyms in Illinois series. Part of the photo series Illustrious: The Best High School Basketball Gyms in Illinois. (Photo copyright of Vincent D. Johnson)
This is the place and day where I first got the idea to do a book on the best high school gyms in the state.
The photo below from a girls basketball between Lyons Township and Oak Park-River Forest at OPRF’s field house on Jan. 7, 2012. I already knew the Huskie had one of the cooler football stadiums in Illinois, but this was my first journey here to cover basketball. Ten years and a pandemic later I decided to actually start this project.
A girls basketball between Lyons Township and Oak Park-River Forest at OPRF’s field house on Jan. 7, 2012.Most never see the original entrance to the field house at Oak Park-River Forest, photo from Jan. 12, 2023. On the west side of the building, this is where fans would have entered in 1928 when the building was new and not surrounded by the school. Part of the photo series Illustrious: The Best High School Basketball Gyms in Illinois. (Photo copyright of Vincent D. Johnson)
A set of spiral stairs in the field house at Oak Park-River Forest, on Jan. 12, 2023. Part of the photo series Illustrious: The Best High School Basketball Gyms in Illinois. (Photo copyright of Vincent D. Johnson)
Illinois varsity high school game between the Lions of Lyons Township from La Grange Park and the Huskies of Oak Park-River Forest, at Oak Park-River Forest, on Jan. 12, 2023. Part of the photo series Illustrious: The Best High School Basketball Gyms in Illinois. (Photo copyright of Vincent D. Johnson)
OPRF is one of the last schools in the state to still use a rubber court for varsity games. Seen here during boys basketball game between the Lions of Lyons Township from La Grange Park and the Huskies of Oak Park-River Forest, at Oak Park-River Forest, on Jan. 12, 2023. Part of the photo series Illustrious: The Best High School Basketball Gyms in Illinois. (Photo copyright of Vincent D. Johnson)
