If you still haven’t gotten to Knoxville, Tennessee to see the Hall of Fame – the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women’s basketball – here is a “sneak peek” into what we have to offer.
Amid the picturesque Knoxville skyline and adjacent to the beautiful Tennessee river, you will find the world’s largest basketball atop the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. This 30-foot tall, 10-ton figure stands above a glass staircase that resembles a basketball net on the north rotunda of the 32,000-square foot building.
At the south end of the facility is another basketball, this one made of bricks that guests, inductees and others have chosen to engrave as a way of leaving their legacy at the Hall of Fame.
Once inside the Hall of Fame, you will be greeted by a 17-foot bronze sculpture, created by California artist Elizabeth McQueen, that exemplifies our mission to “honor the past, celebrate the present, and promote the future” of women’s basketball. The sculpture consists of three players, one patterned after the artist’s mother to represent the past, one patterned after Teresa Edwards, who played at the University of Georgia and on the USA Basketball team, to represent the present and one patterned after the artist’s children to represent the future.
In the background you will hear a glorious song titled “The Dream” co-written by Knoxville’s own Hallerin Hilton Hill and the Grammy and Dove award-winning artist Cedric Dent of the inspirational group Take 6.
With the stage set for a phenomenal visit from the moment you enter our South Rotunda the experience will leave you saying, “the Hall does have it all!”
The first stop on the tour will take you to our State Farm Tip-Off theatre where you will see “Hoopful of Hope,” a 15-mintue emotional journey covering the history of women’s basketball. The story begins with its inception in 1892, when Senda Berenson first adapted Dr. Naismith’s original rules to make the game more “ladylike” for her students at Smith College and takes you all the way to today’s WNBA.
Understanding the history of women’s basketball is the foundation to appreciate the present and the future of the game. Outside of the State Farm Tip-Off theatre is a timeline that shows the first hundred years of women’s basketball. You may be surprised to learn that women haven’t always played the five-player, full-court game, that there used to be a limit on the number of times that you could dribble the ball, or that you had to pull a chain in order for the ball to go through the basket. Many of the rules were in place because strenuous activity was thought to be unhealthy for women. Next to the timeline is one of the original rule books from 1901 and the oldest basketball on display at the Hall, both valuable pieces of women’s basketball history.
Speaking of the history of the game, Senda Berenson is known as the “mother of women’s basketball.” An animatronic version of Senda recites her thoughts on the early days of the game. This is an introduction to the replica of the old locker room—quite a contrast to the modern day locker room. Most people say the old locker room looks like a janitor’s closet, and they are right. Since society did not support women’s basketball for many years, there were no private locker rooms for women to use, so they were forced to dress for games under the bleachers, in the custodians’ closet, or on the bus.
You will get the real, modern locker room experience at the next stop on your tour. Here’s your chance to sit in the locker room during pre-game or halftime and listen to some of the nation’s best coaches. The current “lineup” features Oklahoma’s Sherri Coale, Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, Maryland’s Brenda Frese, North Carolina’s Sylvia Hatchell and Georgia’s Andy Landers. In addition, actual lockers display memorabilia from the current NCAA Final Four teams (Tennessee, Rutgers, North Carolina, LSU), the WNBA, USA Basketball and ESPN.
Once beyond the Modern Locker Room, the tour takes you to the upper level of the north rotunda. Upon entering the rotunda, you will see the jerseys for the Players of the Year for high school, college, and pro displayed in the Player of the Year Case. In the rafters you will see the “Ring of Honor,” where over 100 jerseys are hung each year to recognize the current high school and college All-Americans and WNBA All-Stars.
Making your way around the rotunda you will first see a video celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the NCAA, which continuously loops with a tribute to the late Maggie Dixon in the “Current Events” exhibit.
Next up are the international cases, where we display memorabilia from the Olympic and Pan-American games. One of the most unique pieces on display in this portion of the museum is a wooden trophy from the 1980 Olympics. It is so special because most of the American athletes boycotted those games due to political issues and communism. Also on display is Pat Summitt’s Olympic jersey from the 1976 Olympics (the first year that women’s basketball was an Olympic competition), Teresa Edwards’ five Olympic Medals (the most decorated female basketball player to date) and one of the first shoes named after a female athlete, Sheryl Swoopes (“Air Swoopes”).
While taking in all the artifacts and learning about the history of the game, don’t forget to lace up your basketball shoes! On the lower level of the south rotunda is one of the highlights of the museum – the basketball courts. There are three basketball hoops, one representing the past, present and future. Each basket is a different height, so you can test your skills on all three levels. There is also a timed dribbling course, passing interactives, a vertical leap challenge and great photo opportunities too!
Back upstairs you will find a United States map recognizing all of the high school state champions from across the country. Next is an exhibit called “Players, Coaches and Programs.” Now, you may ask why we have a model plane on display. This is representing the Hutcherson Flying Queens from Wayland Baptist College in Texas. In the 50s and 60s, Wayland and Nashville Business College were two of the most successful female basketball programs in the country. Claude Hutcherson was a sponsor of Wayland, and he flew the team to all of their games in a plane similar to the one on display. Since people were not accustomed to flying in those days, some of the players had to play while suffering from motion sickness.
In this same area of the museum there is a case to honor three of the ladies that have dunked in college basketball, Georgiann Wells, Michelle Snow, and Candace Parker. There is a case that honors Coach Summitt, as the winningest basketball coach in the history of the game, men’s or women’s, and a tribute to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2006.
One of the Hall’s newest exhibits is next on your tour, “Sports Medicine: Play Harder, Play Smarter.” Sponsored by DeRoyal, this case was completely reconstructed in June 2007. It showcases the many advances that have been made in sports medicine and athletic training throughout the years.
As you exit the rotunda it is hard to miss the next exhibit, honoring the All American Red Heads, a professional female team that competed against men’s teams from 1937-1987. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame is the proud owner of their 1965 Pontiac Airporter limousine, which was found in a field in Arkansas, purchased for $500 and refurbished in Knoxville for $20,000. The Limousine was rolled in before the building was completed, so needless to say, it is a here to stay!
Like the modern locker room, the “In the Huddle” interactive exhibit gives you a chance to see what it’s really like, this time from the sideline, as you eavesdrop on coaches during an actual time-out. Listen closely and you’ll hear Harry Perretta of Villanova, Sue Gunter of LSU, Bill Laimbeer from the Detroit Shock, and Anne Donovan from the Seattle Storm, calling out plays above the roar of the crowd.
Before leaving the Hall of Fame, be sure to check out Bell South’s “I’m in the Hall,” where you’ll have a chance to induct yourself into the Hall of Fame. When you get home, you can share your picture with your family and friends by visiting WBHOF.com.
The final two stops are the “Winners’ Wall,” where we recognize the most current championship teams from every level, and the “Hall of Honor,” where we formally recognize all the individuals who have been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Each inductee has helped the game of women’s basketball grow, and their achievements are highlighted in this area of the Hall.
This is just a glimpse at what is contained in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. We hope to see you at the Hall soon, and when you come visit, be sure to stop by “Trophies,” the official gift shop of the Hall of Fame, to bring home a souvenir!
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