NAISMITH MEMORIAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

This morning's destination was the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York was a huge disappointment to me so I entered basketball's Great Hall with my expectations held low. In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the Basketball Hall of Fame. There were plentiful exhibits for all forms of basketball and reverence was paid to the greats of past and present without the kind of ESPNization that has tainted baseball's Great Hall.

Shannon among the displays honoring
the Hall of Fame's inductees.

The Hall itself is an eye-catching structure. In the center is a giant basketball-like sphere which houses two floors of exhibit space plus a functional full court. There is also a tower out front with a basketball sculpture at the top.

A basketball from 1908. It has laces
like one would find on a football.

The top floor of the Hall houses the displays for the inductees and some of their mementos. The middle floor holds the uniforms, basketballs, and other displays of historical interest. The ground floor is home to an extensive gift shop and a full basketball court on which the Hall's paid visitors can play as long as they like. The court on the ground floor was a stroke of genius. Even an old man like me was pumped up to grab a ball and shoot around for awhile. I wish I had taken photos of the school aged kids who were there so you could see the joy on their faces as they dribbled and shot around on a court beneath the space honoring the greats of the game.

Pioneers of the game with some early uniforms & equipment

I doubt you'll see Carlos or Richie in one of these old school Celtics uniforms.

A Stanford jersey from the 1940s with a Chuck Taylor All-American jacket.

A Philadelphia Warriors warm-up jacket from 1947.

I was glad to see the Hall embraces the Globetrotters.

George "Ice Man" Gervin's Virginia Squires jersey with an ABA ball

honoring the Indiana Pacers' three consecutive ABA championships from

1970-1972. The Oakland Oaks defeated the Pacers in the finals to win the

1969 ABA championship before moving east in 1970. Yes, the Ice Man

and Dr. J would have been playing in Oakland if the Oaks had stayed home.

I don't recall who wore #10 for Stanford but the Warriors jersey was worn
by Sarunas Marciulionis the Lithuanian who dominated the U.S. Olympic
team in 1988. In the NBA he was mixture of excitement and frustration.

There was no Linsanity when the Knicks wore this uniform. Jeremy Lin's

grandfather was probably a kid in Taiwan at that time.

Chris Mullin's Warriors jersey with Julius "Dr. J." Erving's UMASS jersey

The greatest big man of them all. Bill Russell had better teammates but he wasn't a better
player. Put Wilt in Russell's place on those Celtics teams and nobody could have touched them.

One of Shaq's size 23 shoes. To appreciate how big that shoe

is, take one of your own shoes and set it next to a basketball.

Bob McAdoo's Buffalo Braves jersey. The Braves moved to San Diego then Los Angeles where
they are known as the Clippers. McAdoo was a great player before injuries took their toll.

Lou Carnesecca was known for his colorful sweaters as coach

of St. John's University and the New York Nets of the ABA.

Carnesecca coached Chris Mullin and Mark Jackson at St. John's.

Originally the Dallas Chaparrals, the Spurs are the only of the four former
ABA franchises to win an NBA championship (which they've done four times).

Hall of Famer Alex Hanum guided the Oakland Oaks to the 1969 ABA title.

Most young people say Michael Jordan was the greatest player ever.
I say the conversation starts with Wilt and Oscar Robertson.

Visit the Hall of Fame and you can play on this court.

Shannon at center court

She eyes it.

She tries it.

He buys it!

Shannon plays more D here than Jimmer Fredette did in his entire rookie season.