European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 09, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Honouring the peach Basket by Brian Lewis ass new York bureaus he newest of the major sports Halls of Fame in the . Opened is doors recently in Springfield mass., where a new $11.5 million Naismith memorial basketball Hall of Fame building honors the game that was invented in 1b91. In addition to exhibits detailing the history of the game and recording the accomplishments of players and coaches Al High school College and professional Levels the Hall of Fame offers visitors a Chance to spend time watching videotapes of historic basketball games including recent Aba playoffs. Mcaa championships and olympic highlights. In one room visitors can stand on a Treadmill that passes baskets o1 different eras and test their own shooting ability As they Are handed balls from Hall of Fame staffers. An area of the second floor is dedicated to High school basketball and features Wall exhibits or which Aba stars such As Oscar Robertson Bill Bradley and Bob Cousy recount their experiences As High school players. Plaques and photos show some of the nation s great High school learns such As the Passaic . High school team that won 159 games in a Row in the 1920s the first great Hig. School dynasty and the Power memorial High school learn from new York City led by Kareem Abdul Jabbar who was then named lev Alcindor. Similar displays document College basketball with the addition of a room where the visitor can watch videotapes of some of the great College basketball games including the Alcindor skin Hayes showdown in the 1960s and the 1979 Mcaa championship game which pitied Indiana state s Larry Bird against Trio victorious Michigan state team Ted by magic Johnson. One Wall is used to show the game s great coaches and features traditional plaques and photos As Well As videotapes of some of the game s top coaches in action. The new shrine has several unusual artworks the at the Hardwood Hall of Fame most visible being the three dimensional exterior mural featuring scenes of basketball players in . Another mural More than 30 feet High and 40 feel Long is intended to capture the excitement of a basketball game by showing players vying for Possession of a Ball. Another work is the 40-foot-High Fountain that gives the appearance of a rain of basketballs. There Are also exhibits that Honor the Early Days of the game including a peach Basket like the one used in Theli St games played alter or. James Naismith invented the game while an instructor at Springfield College. Naismith originally envisioned elevated boxes As being the goals toward which players would lob the Rugby Ball in his new game. However the janitor at the gymnasium could not find boxes big enough for the Job so instead nailed two peach baskets to the Walls on each end of the gym. And that o How basketball got its name. Naismith had wanted to merge the athletic Challenge of sports such As football and soccer with rules which would allow for strenuous physical activity in an indoor setting during the Winter months something to Bridge the sports Gap Between fall football and Sprino baseball. After several weeks of study he was Able to introduce the game to his gymnastics class in december of 1b91, along with 13 rules. The game became very popular very quickly and within Only a few years had spread across the country and to More than a dozen foreign countries. Naismith left Springfield College in 1895. Studied for a medical degree and in 1898 moved to Kansas University at Lawrence where he became 3 professor of physical education and head of the department until 1925. He coached the Kun basketball team from 1898 to 1907, but his fun Only approach produced Only a 53-55 record. Naismith died in 1939. So he did live to see the game played As an olympic sport in 1936, but he never fully realized How big the game had become. In some ways the new building s Road to maturity wednesday october 9, 19b5 May have been More Rocky than the game s. The Idon of a memorial to the Yunmo seems to have started with the 1936 olympics bul the movement was stalled Lor Many years by the coming of world War ii in 1949 the idea was revived bul fund raiding went slowly. Edward j. Hickox. A Spring fold College basketball coach was the Hall of Fame s first executive Secretary and collected funds and Nie Mabilia in his Ollice on Alden Street during the 19505. Even without a Home however the Hall of Fame began to unction in 1959, when Naismith led the first group elected to i to shrine. Also in the first wave of immortals were Hickox. Arnos Alonzo Stagg Oswald Tower. Or. Forre c. Prog Allen or. H. Clifford Carlson. Or Luther Gulick Charles Hyatt. Matthew Kennedy. Hank Luisetti. George Mikan. Or. Waller e. M plans for a new building in downtown Spring hem. Which has undergone dramatic revival tation in Reo of years were first discussed in 1978. A $5 million stale Grant in i960 set plans in motion and the ground breaking ceremonies on the Banks of the Connecticut River were held on March 14. 1984. The building was dedicated last june 30, and is open to the Public now. Although work inside the attractive three level building continues. Admission to military personnel is free As it is for clergy. The regular admission Price for adults is $5.00. With children from 8-15 and senior citizens admitted for$3.00. The stars and stripes Page 13