Welcome from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
The museum re-opened last month after being closed for about two months as renovations were being worked on as part of the Ron & Charlotte Warrick Legends Project. As of March 18, the museum opened on this schedule – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. COVID protocols remain in place, according to Indiana Department of Health and Henry County Department of Health guidelines.
The Ron & Charlotte Warrick Legends Projects raised funds for more than $300,000 in upgrades to the museum to make it a more interactive experience for our guests. Enhancements include six new digital displays; the addition of a hardwood basketball floor in the entryway and other flooring replacement; lighting replacement to more energy efficient and modern LED capabilities; energy-efficient upgrades to the heating and cooling system; an improved database platform; and modernization of the building’s elevator.
This project was made possible because of a generous estate gift left by Ron and Charlotte Warrick as part of our 21st Century Club (planned giving program). The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame forever will be thankful that the Warricks chose to leave their legacy through us.
Gifts still may be made to the campaign. To contribute to it or ask about it, please contact Jared Green at jared@hoopshall.com or 765-529-1891, ext. 107.
The 2020 class of inductees now will become the class of 2021 with no additional inductees for 2021. There were 2021 Silver Anniversary Teams selected to recognize high school seniors from 1996. They will be honored along with the 2020 Silver Anniversary Team that recognized high school seniors from 1995. The men’s awards banquet has been set for Oct. 9. The women’s awards banquet has been set for Oct. 30.
Despite crowd limitations because of COVID-19, we were able to hold the Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic in December 2020.
- >> In the girls’ tournament, Evansville Memorial beat Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 69-38 for the championship and Fishers defeated Norwell 75-70 for third place. In the opening games, Mt. Vernon topped Norwell 61-50 and Evansville Memorial defeated Fishers 46-41.
- >> In a thrilling boys’ event, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian defeated Shenandoah 66-59 in overtime in the championship game after Barr-Reeve topped Blackford 71-46 in the third-place game. In the first round, Shenandoah edged Blackford 74-73 in overtime and Blackhawk Christian beat Barr-Reeve 75-66 in overtime.
For the coming season, we look forward to the 2021 Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic. Look for an announcement later in April regarding exact dates and teams that will participate for boys and girls.
We are appreciative of the participation of IBCA-member coaches in joining our Hall of Fame membership drive. IBCA-member active coaches and active IHSAA officials are offered a membership for $25 per year, a 75 percent discount off the normal cost. Your support helps us run our operations and share the history and memories of Indiana high school basketball. Your Hall of Fame membership also gives you information and access to the many events that we hold each year.
Upcoming Hall of Fame events include three golf tournaments. Traditionally, those events are the Southern Indiana Golf Outing presented by German American Bank at Country Oaks in Montgomery, our Coaches Golf Outing at Chippendale Golf Course near Kokomo and our Citizens State Bank Hall of Fame Golf Classic at Pebble Brook Golf Club in Noblesville. Look for dates and other details for these three golf events to be announced sometime soon.
In October we redesigned and re-launched a new-look Hall of Fame website. If you have not yet visited, head to www.hoopshall.com. The site has information on all Hall of Fame inductees, information about upcoming events and the ability to register for our events online. The website also features our online gift shop.
We have continued to grow our efforts through social media to honor, preserve and promote the heritage of Indiana high school basketball – follow us on Facebook (@INHoopsHall), Twitter (@HoopsHall) or Instagram (@inhoopshall) for news about the Hall of Fame and for a touch of Indiana basketball history.
This past year, we launched the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Podcast, featuring interviews with legends such as Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Gregg Popovich, Brad Stevens, Matt Painter, Stephanie White, Katie Douglas and many more sharing their experiences growing up as a part of Indiana basketball. The podcasts are available through Apple Podcasts and many other podcast services. They also are beginning to be added to our new Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame YouTube channel.
Of course, we always encourage visitors to our New Castle museum. No matter the season, there is always something new to see at the Hall of Fame.
We appreciate the support from the IBCA and the relationship between our organizations. Contact our offices at (765) 529-1891, e-mail me at chris@hoopshall.com or, better yet, visit our 14,000-square-foot facility in New Castle with any ideas or questions or to simply enjoy some time at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
– Chris May
