Mayor Sarno, City, and State Officials join Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Julius “Dr. J” Erving for a Special Birthplace of Basketball Monument Dedication Ceremony in Mason Square

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, State Representative Bud Williams, Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management (PBRM) Director Thomas Ashe, City Councilor Lavar Click Bruce, President of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame John Doleva, community members, and UMass and NBA Superstar and Basketball Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving – who played a few games on the famed Dunbar Community Center ‘Death Valley’ basketball court too – joined on Saturday, December 21^st for a special Birthplace of Basketball Monument Bench Dedication Ceremony in Mason Square.

Saturday marked the 133^rd anniversary of the day that the first game of basketball, invented by James Naismith, was played here in Springfield at the YMCA Gymnasium at the corner of Sate and Sherman Streets, the area now known as Mason Square. The new bench monument includes a plaque to permanently memorialize this historic site.

This bench marks the site of

The First Game of Basketball

Played on December 21st, 1891

Invented by James Naismith

YMCA Gymnasium at the corner of Sate and Sherman Streets in a community now known as Mason Square in Springfield , MA

This special day also coincided with the 2024 MGM Springfield Basketball Hall of Fame Classic presented by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. The annual special game took place once again at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield with Temple vs. Rhode Island and Arizona State vs. UMASS. The National Basketball Association (NBA) also celebrated World Basketball Day on December 21^st.

Mayor Sarno states, “We are honored and proud of Springfield’s history as the birthplace of basketball. It was very fitting to dedicate this special bench in the heart of Mason Square where the former building that Dr. James Naismith first introduced basketball in once stood. I’d like to thank John Doleva and the Basketball Hall of Fame for their collaboration along with our Parks Department to add this bench and plaque to this special area in Mason Square. I would also like to thank Julius “Dr. J” Erving for joining us for the ceremony – he is always so personable and has had a tremendous impact on the game of basketball. By the way, ‘Dr. J’ played more than a few hoop games at the old Dunbar Community Center – ‘Death Valley’ court and the old DeBerry School court too. It was very special to have him with us on World Basketball Day.”