I would like to extend an invitation to Commissioner David Stern and the National Basketball Association to come to Hershey this season to play a basketball game that will rightfully mark the anniversary of one of the most monumental events in the history of American sports, and also to help the league improve their public image in the wake of the recent labor strife that may have left some fans disenchanted. I think a magical night in Chocolate Town may just be what the game needs right now.
For sports fans or those who know their American history, you may recognize the historic connection between the game of basketball and Hershey. March 2, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s incredible 100-point game.
On this anniversary of the game that took place at historic Hershey Arena, it does not appear that the NBA has planned any significant events to mark the occasion. I believe that is a shame, given the magnitude of what took place on that legendary night a half century ago.
The game of professional basketball could use a figure like the iconic Wilt Chamberlain today. The Big Dipper, as he was known from his earliest days on the playgrounds and in the gyms of Philadelphia, was a tremendous athlete who transcended sports. He became larger than life, like a Hollywood idol during his storied career. Wilt passed away in 1999, but I believe it would be great for the NBA to revive his legacy and return to the site of his 100-point game this season in order to honor his memory.
While Hershey now boasts a new, state-of-the-art arena in the Giant Center, which could perfectly accommodate an NBA game, I could also see the NBA Network, ESPN, Comcast and other sports media outlets interviewing other former NBA legends and players from that night’s game on the floor of the Hershey Arena, which still stands, like a monument to the glory of the game. It would serve as a perfect backdrop for efforts to honor Wilt.
This 50th anniversary of the game will most likely mark the last time that members of the media will have to interview many of the players, fans or employees who were there that night to see Wilt accomplish his magnificent feat. Most of these people are now well into their 70s and 80s, and many of their stories will be lost if we do not work to capture them now.
Remarkably, there is no film of Wilt’s 100 point performance and according to records at the Hershey Arena, only 4,124 spectators paid to see the game on that cold March night. For these reasons – and because I believe NBA executives and the league’s current cast of star players could use this historic occasion to improve their collective image in the public’s eye – the NBA should plan to return to Hershey and honor Wilt Chamberlain and his extraordinary milestone. I doubt it will ever be equaled or bettered for as long as the league exists.
I know there are those who say Wilt’s 100-point game was not about the true meaning of basketball – which is a team sport. There are those who think that the game that night became a mockery when the Warriors sought only to get the ball to Wilt in the final quarter of the game so he could hit the 100-point plateau. To those people I would say that even within team sports there is nothing wrong with great individual achievements. Believe me, from all accounts the New York Knicks were determined to stop Wilt that night and it is often overlooked that Wilt still had to run the floor and make the shots – even with five players converging on him late in the contest. If it was easy for any of the other greatest players in NBA history to duplicate this 100-point feat simply because their teammates passed them the ball consistently during a game, Wilt’s record would not stand alone.
But, because the record does stand alone in the annals of history, the NBA would be well served to return to Hershey this season to honor Wilt’s magnificent accomplishment, as well as to honor an extraordinary man who stands among the greatest athletes the world has ever known.
James DeBord is a writer and researcher who lives in Lancaster with his wife and three children. He has worked professionally in various executive management positions over the years in the corporate, non-profit and public policy sectors.
