Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Sixers Co-Owner Adam Aron needed less than 20 words to announce one of the biggest acquisitions in the team’s history. Â Check it out after the jump…
On his Twitter account yesterday, Aron tweeted: “AMAZING PURCHASE. 76ers bought the actual basketball court on which Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. Will mostly be preserved.”
The former Overbrook High star became the first – and only – NBA player to ever score in triple digits on March 2, 1962 when he led the Philadelphia Warriors to a 169-147 win over the New York Knicks at Hershey Park Arena.
He averaged 50.4 points a game that season.
In what may be the greatest fan giveaway ever, the Sixers announced last night that they will give 2 x 2-inch pieces of that storied court to those who attend the Warriors at Sixers game on March 2, the 50th anniversary of Wilt’s historic feat.
The Sixers also plan to honor the family of Chamberlain, who died in October 1999, during halftime of the game, and are inviting former teammates from the 1961-62 squad.
The Sixers, who purchased the court from Hershey Entertainment and Resorts, said part of it will be donated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Sixers will also keep sections of it to display at the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers practice facility and Hershey Sports Arena.
“Wilt Chamberlain is without any doubt one of the most legendary individuals to ever play basketball,” Aron said in a statement last night. ” . . . We cannot stress enough how excited we are to have found the original court on which Wilt once soared.”
WRITTEN BY BY TOM MAHON, [email protected]Â & FULL STORY HERE
