The Basketball and Baseball Hall of Fame: Trips to Cooperstown and Springfield

Part 1: Springfield

Growing up, I loved watching and playing basketball. There was a long line of basketball blood in my family, starting with my grandfather who had played in the American Basketball Association or ABA. As a young child, my brother and I would spend countless hours at the park, shooting hoops and honing our skills. I used to watch for hours, fliping through all of the channels to find any basketball game that was televised. Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Scottie Pipen, Patrick Ewing; these were the basketball players I marveled at. I practiced their every moves; Malone's pick and role with John Stockton, Ewing's post up moves, Jordan's jumper and the way he flew through the air. My basketball passion was seen by my parents who finally decided to take a vacation for a lifetime for any basketball fan: The Basketball Hall of Fame.

The basketball hall of fame would be one of my greatest vacation's ever. The trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame was taken by car, (you can also fly by airplane) to Springfield, Massachusetts. Living in New York, the ride was only a couple of hours. When we finally arrived I noticed the most striking feature which has you in awe the moment you approach it; the circular dome shape building of the basketball Hall of Fame. The design of the building is shaped like a basketball and it looks almost like it.

Part 2: Cooperstown

At the door of the building, you get tickets and the line usually isn't very long. The Basketball Hall of Fame is three floors, each with its own individual and unique features. The top floor contains plaques of all of the members of the Hall of Fame dating all the way back to the start of its history. You can view the achievements of each player or coach along with some form of memorabilia that represents that player such as a jersey. As you move along the long line of hall of famers, you can see how the game of basketball has been transformed throughout its history by the jerseys and basketballs and arenas.