Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame facts for kids
The Hall of Fame in 2010
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| Established | 1959 (organization) February 17, 1968 (facility) |
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| Location | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Type | Professional sports hall of fame |
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a special museum in Springfield, Massachusetts. It celebrates the history of basketball and honors its greatest players, coaches, and others. The Hall of Fame is named after James Naismith, who invented basketball in Springfield. It's like a giant library for everything about basketball.
The Hall of Fame first started in 1959. Its first building opened on February 17, 1968. As of 2022, over 430 people have been honored. These include players, coaches, and referees. The Boston Celtics team has the most people in the Hall of Fame.
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History of the Basketball Hall of Fame Building
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame began in 1959. At first, it didn't have its own building. A person named Lee Williams helped create it. In the 1960s, people worked hard to raise money. They wanted to build a special place for the Hall of Fame.
First Building in Springfield
Finally, enough money was raised. The first building opened on February 17, 1968. This was in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Hall of Fame also started a college basketball event. It was called the Tip-Off Classic. This event still kicks off the college basketball season today.
The first Hall of Fame building was very popular. Over 630,000 people visited it. Because so many people came, a new, bigger building was needed.
Second and Third Buildings
On June 30, 1985, a new Hall of Fame opened. It was built next to the Connecticut River in Springfield. This new building cost $11.5 million. For the first time, women who helped basketball were honored. One of them was Senda Berenson Abbott. She first brought basketball to women. This second building attracted many more visitors. People loved its modern design and river views.
In 2002, the Hall of Fame moved again. It went to a new $47 million building. This building is only about 100 yards from the old one. It was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates. The building looks like a metallic silver basketball. It has two rhombus shapes on its sides. At night, the dome lights up. Inside, there's a full-sized basketball court. Visitors can play on it! There are also games, interactive exhibits, and theaters. Many famous people were honored in 2002. These included the Harlem Globetrotters and Magic Johnson.
The Hall of Fame has been very successful. Basketball fans from all over the world visit it.
Who Gets Into the Hall of Fame?
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is special. It honors people from all over the world. It includes both professional and amateur players. It also honors coaches, referees, and others. These are people who have made a big difference in basketball.
How People Are Chosen
There are different groups, called committees, that help choose who gets in. These committees look at possible candidates. They decide who should be considered for the Hall of Fame.
To be chosen, a player, coach, or referee must have retired. They need to be retired for at least three full seasons. Coaches can also be chosen if they have worked for 25 years. Or they can be chosen if they are 60 years old and have worked for many years. People who have made a "significant contribution" to basketball can also be chosen. This means they helped the game in a big way.
A special committee then votes on the candidates. To get into the Hall of Fame, a person needs many votes. They need at least 75% of the votes. This shows that many people agree they are truly great.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Since 1959, over 430 people have been inducted. The newest group joined on September 9, 2022. Some people are so amazing they are inducted twice! For example, John Wooden and Bill Russell were inducted as both a player and a coach. John McLendon was inducted as a coach and a "contributor."
Sometimes, a new group is inducted without any players. This happened in 1965, 1968, and 2007.
Other Basketball Awards
The Hall of Fame also gives out several awards. These awards honor top college basketball players. They are given out during the Final Four tournaments.
Awards for Men's College Players
The Hall gives awards to the best players in different positions:
- The Bob Cousy Award: For the best point guard.
- The Jerry West Award: For the best shooting guard.
- The Julius Erving Award: For the best small forward.
- The Karl Malone Award: For the best power forward.
- The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award: For the best center.
A special committee chooses the winners. The famous player the award is named after also helps choose.
Awards for Women's College Players
The Hall also gives similar awards to top women's college players:
- The Nancy Lieberman Award: For the best point guard. This award started in 2000.
- The Ann Meyers Drysdale Award: For the best shooting guard (started 2018).
- The Cheryl Miller Award: For the best small forward (started 2018).
- The Katrina McClain Award: For the best power forward (started 2018).
- The Lisa Leslie Award: For the best center (started 2018).
Like the men's awards, a committee and the award's namesake choose the winners.
See also
- FIBA Hall of Fame
- List of members of the FIBA Hall of Fame
- List of members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- List of coaches in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- List of players in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
- Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
