The schedule this month at the Hall of Fame has a Family Fun Day going this Saturday, and parents and kids can take part in games like Three-Point Shoot Outs all day on Center Court. Admission to the Hall is $16.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids 5-15 and hours are 10 am-4 pm Mon.-Fri. and 10 am-5 pm Sat.-Sun. (www.hoophall.com)
Also on tap for March is a discussion with Hall of Famer Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in the NBA, on March 19 and the Elite Eight round for the NCAA Division II Men’s Championships on March 26, 27 & 29.
The Hall of Fame induction class for 2008 will be announced on April 7. On your trip to Springfield you can learn more about nominees like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Dick Vitale, Pat Riley and the late Celtics’ great, Dennis Johnson. Try your luck playing virtual hoops against them and other greats from the NBA and WNBA. An exhibit named “The Game Through the Media Gallery” shows some of the greatest moments in the game.
There are restaurants within the Hall of Fame (Max’s Tavern, Pazzo Ristorante, McDonald’s and Cold Stone Creamery) but you may prefer to try the fare in town. Check out the 12th floor Zaffino’s Restaurant & Lounge at the Holiday Inn at 711 Dwight St. or test the German eats at Student Prince & Fort Restaurant at 8 Fort St.
If you’re looking for accommodations, your best bets are the Holiday Inn (413-781-0900), the Hilton Garden Inn (413-886-8000), the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place (413-781-1010) or the Marriott (413-781-7111).
When you tire of roundball, there are plenty of other museums of interest in Springfield. Find four in one spot in the Quandrangle at 21 Edwards St. They are: the Conecticut Valley Historical Museum, which features handcrafted furniture and historical firearms; the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, with jewels, Middle Eastern rugs and Samurai armor; Museum of Fine Arts, for European and American works; and the Springfield Science Museum, featuring displays of early aviation. The piéce de resistance in the Quadrangle for anyone with kids is the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, where you can see The Cat in the Hat and Horton for free. See all four museums for $10 from 9 am-5 pm, daily (413-263-6800).
And if all the museums make you feel like you need some fresh air, head for Forest Park on SR-83, where 735 acres are open for baseball fields, tennis courts, picnicking, an indoor ice rink and a rose garden in summer months. There’s also a zoo ($4.50), open from April 1-Oct. 15.
While March Madness is in full force there are few better places to be than Springfield, where the game was created. So take a drive — and good luck with your bracket.
— Karen Beaudoin