Massachusetts designates basketball 'official sport' of state
BOSTON --In an era when the Red Sox and Patriots battle for New England sports supremacy, it's easy to forget there was a day when the Boston Celtics were king and the hardwood was the stage most sought by aspiring athletes.
But the Celtics have won 16 world championships -- 11 more than the Red Sox and 13 more than the Patriots -- and basketball was invented in Springfield in 1891 by James Naismith, an educator who wanted an indoor activity for kids at the local YMCA during long, cold winters.
Today, visitors from around the globe flock to Springfield to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Gov. Mitt Romney recalled that history and that legacy Tuesday as he signed into law a bill making basketball the official state sport of Massachusetts.
The designation, the brainchild of fourth-grade students at the Joseph P. Mulready School in Hudson, created the 52nd "emblem of the commonwealth," joining the cranberry as the official berry and Theodor Geisel, "Dr. Seuss," as the official children's author.
"I'm a big Red Sox fan, and I have season tickets. I hope this doesn't affect the quality of my season ticket placement," the governor said during a Statehouse news conference. "We love the Sox, we love the Patriots and all our professional teams, but this was the game that was invented here, and our linkage to history is what makes this appropriate for this to be the state's official sport."
Celtics greats Bob Cousy and JoJo White, who played on some of the team's championship teams, smiled broadly as Romney signed the legislation and paid tribute to what for many is an avocation, but for them was their vocation.
"I still take great, great pride at having played a small role in those six championships I was around for," said Cousy, who came to Massachusetts from New York before leading Holy Cross to its lone NCAA basketball championship and then becoming a Hall of Famer on the Celtics.
White said in an interview: "We just accepted what was, but when you look at the championships, you have to ask, 'Why aren't we the No. 1 sport?' But it's the people's preference. All I tried to do was play in the best and most professional manner to make the team attractive to the largest number of people."
The Mulready students, some of whom stood behind Romney for the signing ceremony, proposed the idea and then testified on behalf of the bill before the Legislature. It then passed both the House and Senate in the same session, before being forwarded to the governor for action.
"It's because of their commitment we are here today," said Sen. Pam Resor, D-Acton, who co-sponsored the legislation with Rep. Patricia Walrath, D-Stow.
Wyc Grousbeck, the Celtics managing partner, said he is not only dedicated to restoring the Celtics to their former glory, but also expanding the sport's influence through programs aimed at troubled youth.
"We intend to continue using basketball as a force for bringing goodwill and brotherhood worldwide, starting here in Massachusetts," Grousbeck said.
