Original Gym Replica in the Basketball Hall of Fame from Second Floor

Item Information

Title:
Original Gym Replica in the Basketball Hall of Fame from Second Floor
Description:
A photograph of the Original Gym Replica in the main exhibit area of the original Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located on Springfield College's campus taken from the second floor balcony. The Original Gym Replica was a replica of the gym where basketball was first played in 1891, at Springfield College, then called the International YMCA Training School, in the Original School Building at the corner of State St. and Sherman St. in Springfield, Massachusetts. In this slide one can see the progression of the basketball hoop and backboard over time. On the far side of the oval opening above the court the original hoop, a peach basket is visible. On the right side of the oval opening is the next step in the progression of the hoop, a circular metal hoop with a metal cage basket and a large white square basket. The next in the progression is on the left side of the oval opening above the court, where we see the metal cage had been replaced by a fabric net to better catch and hold the ball shot into it. In this third progression the backboard changed to a smaller semicircular shape in efforts to improve the vision of the game for fans seated behind the backboard. The final progression is only partially visible as it is located on the part of the oval opening closest to the photographer but the hoop and backboard are recognizable from the game today. The metal hoop and the net remained similar to the previous except that the net had progressed to being open at the bottom to allow the ball to slide right through the hoop and net. The backboard was reverted to the earlier square shape and size but was changed from being white to being made of clear glass allowing almost perfect vision for any fans sitting behind the board. The original Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was constructed on the Springfield College Campus due to the college’s deep connection to the sport of basketball; from Dr. James Naismith, who invented the game while he was a faculty member at the school in 1891; to Dr. Edward Hickox, the driving force behind the Hall’s creation; and the innumerable members of the faculty who have sat on national rules committee. . With the ever-growing popularity of the sport of basketball, inductees into the Hall of Fame, and visitors, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame began to outgrow its Springfield College home. In 1985 the Hall of Fame opened in a new location in Springfield and the original Hall of Fame building ownership was transferred to Springfield College. Renovations on the building began in 1987 and the building was rededicated as the Allied Health Sciences Center in April of 1989.
Date:
[1968?–1985?]
Format:
Photographs
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Subjects:
Basketball--History
Springfield College--Buildings
Springfield College
Basketball Hall of Fame
Allied Health Sciences Building
Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, Mass.)
Springfield (Mass.)
Balconies
Exhibitions
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/2257
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Springfield College
Identifier:
rg147-05-05-014
rg147-03-07-014