What you need to know about Springfield, MA

National Baseball Hall of Fame

June 8 -  What a GREAT day off!  Weather was nice and we headed out just after 10 for Springfield, MA.  First stop was the National Basketball Hall of Fame.  It was right off the interstate and you could clearly see it.  It’s a pretty huge place but has several restaurants and since it was Sunday there was a church renting out the theatre there.  It was pretty busy and once they deliver you by elevator to the 3^rd floor you’re on your own for a self paced visit.

Bill and Larry

Basketball was invented in 1891 by a PE teacher at the training school of the YMCA in Springfield, James Naismith.  He started the game with 9 players and a peach basket and it quickly evolved into a major college sport for both men and women.  On the

Nike sneaker US Flag

3^rd floor of the building (which is shaped like a basketball) are the photos of all of the inductees and plaques with the information about each one.  There is also memorabilia periodically.  On the 2^nd floor is tons of memorabilia from high school records to college to famous coaches and women’s basketball.  There is a huge room with a wall of Nike sneakers in red, white and blue that are in the shape of the US flag.  There are old uniforms from the early 1900’s and a giant Shaq sneaker.  Kids can try their hand at virtual basketball, and how big of a ball they can palm and once you get to the first floor there is open basketball for children of ALL ages.  Bill took some shots and so did I.  Wow, are we out of shape!  We really enjoyed see players that we each liked and remembered from our youths and some that we’ve read about in the news over the years.

Suess House and Kelly in the window

We were only a mile or so to the Springfield

Resting while the Grinch watches

Museum in downtown so we headed there although we were getting pretty hungry.  Since Theodor Seuss Geisel AKA Dr. Seuss, was born there in 1904 and was famous for his fun children’s books, there is a memorial sculpture garden built among the museum buildings.  It was awesome.  I loved the Grinch and Cat in the Hat and Horton and the Whos but I was hoping to get a photo for Kam of Marvin K. Mooney.  They say more people visit the garden than the museums.  The stick house was great and children would really enjoy romping through the halls and rooms.

Once we completed our photo op I noticed a small café at the corner of the parking lot so we gave it a try.  Nothing fancy:  salads, wraps, soups and coffee.  Bill had some turkey bacon wrap thing and I had a salad with chicken salad on it.  Both were very good and the prices were much better than the places at the hall of fame. 

Time to head back towards the suburb of Hartford, Manchester where there is a movie theatre, mall and some real shopping.  I was so intent on not taking so much stuff when we moved from the 5^th wheel to here that I didn’t bring any bath gel or kitchen hand soap.  Spoiled that I am, I needed to go to Bath and Body Works.  Glad I brought my coupons!  Bill dropped me at the mall entrance and although it’s a huge 2 decker mall, my store was only 4 doors down so I was in and out.  Then to the movie.  My movie wasn’t showing so we went to “Blended” with Adam Sandler.  It was pretty funny and we wondered if Dan Patrick was going to be in it and at the very end he was, so we weren’t disappointed. 

We were only about 30 minutes to home.  Got back in time to make fish for me, roasted rutabaga for us and heated the stuffed pepper for Bill.  Nothing much on TV and I tried to print some postcards but after 4 the printer got touchy so I gave up.  Time to read instead.