The Chapel Hill News

January 10, 2001

Former team manager creates his own Blue Heaven

Author: Jonnelle Davis; Staff Writer

Edition: Final
Page: A7

CHAPEL HILL -- The locker room is adorned with the practice jerseys of former UNC basketball players Al Wood and Pete Chilcutt. A poster-sized photograph of Vince Carter performing one of his famous dunks hangs in the window. Inside a display case, the whistle used by former coach Dean Smith in the final practice before the 1982 NCAA championship game is displayed.

No, you are not in the memorabilia room of the Smith Center. You have just entered the Blue Heaven Carolina Basketball Museum.

The Blue Heaven Museum, located in the Chapel Hill North shopping center on Airport Road, is a showcase of UNC memorabilia, from the original scorebook used by the team in 1924 to the jersey given to honor Vince Carter during halftime of one of the games.

Fans can come into the museum, which opened Nov. 3, and trace Carolina basketball history from 1911 to the present day. Exhibits such as "the locker room" are set up to take fans back to that particular time in the basketball program history.

Some of the many items fans can view include shoes worn by former players James Worthy and Sam Perkins during their days at Carolina, the original camera used to shoot highlight films during the 1957 season, and the home jersey worn by former player Lennie Rosenbluth. They can hold the first basketball ever used by players, which had laces on it that prevented dribbling.

The museum is not just the work of any old Tar Heel basketball fan, but someone who has worked behind the scenes of the basketball program for more than 20 years.

David Daly, a former manager for the 1982 championship team, said that he wants the museum to represent every player who ever set foot on the UNC basketball court.

"I want everybody who ever played here to feel like they're a part of this," said Daly, who still proudly wears his championship ring. "The museum is here to promote the (basketball) program."

Daly, a native of New Bern, came to UNC in 1978. He was interested in playing basketball but, not quite sure of his skills, interviewed with then assistant coach Bill Guthridge for a manager's position, and served on the team with such players as Matt Doherty, now UNC basketball coach, and Michael Jordan.

After graduating, the radio and television broadcast major worked for television stations near his hometown and in Charlotte, doing reporting and producing. He also did some freelance producing.

But his heart never left the UNC basketball program. In 1994, he began producing the Dean Smith Carolina Basketball Show and continued to produce the basketball show during Guthridge's first year as coach. During this time the idea for a basketball museum began to formulate in his head.

The show's editing office was housed in the same room as the team memorabilia in the Smith Center, and Daly noticed that fans often came in asking where they could see other such memorabilia.

"They wanted to see more Carolina basketball memorabilia," Daly said. "A lightbulb went off. I thought, I could do that."

Daly said he bounced the idea off Dean Smith, who gave him his blessing. He then spent the next three years formulating his plan, finding and renovating a building space and tracking down memorabilia. He sent out letters to more than 300 former players to solicit their help in donating items they had.

"We're not competing with the memorabilia room," Daly said. "We want to complement the university."

To help research some of the history of Carolina basketball, Daly enlisted the expertise of historian Freddie Kiger. Kiger, who also served as a statistician for both Smith and the Tar Heel Sports Network, wrote copy for each of the exhibits in the museum.

"It's a good little spot with a lot of history that I think would interest anyone," Kiger said.

Jimmy Black, a member of the 1982 championship team who donated his shoes and practice jersey, said he had an opportunity to visit the Blue Heaven museum recently and he was pleased with the way Daly had portrayed the evolution of the basketball program.

"I thought it was fabulous," said Black, who now lives in Raleigh and works as a financial advisor for Morgan-Keegan & Co. "I thought he did a nice job of making people aware of what happened prior to when he was there in school."

Others who have visited the museum include former players Charlie McNairy and Webb Tyndall, and Chancellor James Moeser. Daly said he has had a steady flow of alumni and children to come into the museum

Besides receiving donations from former players, family members of players and fans, Daly has also donated his own memorabilia from his Carolina days. He also avidly searches the Internet for items he can buy online.

Daly says one of the items he would like to have for his museum is the jersey worn by players in the 1940s, which had sleeves.

"I have not yet found one of those," Daly said. "That would be quite a find."

Fans can also come in and watch old basketball games and interviews with former players, or rifle through old yearbooks and basketball guides. They can also purchase team souvenirs, such as T-shirts and hats.

Daly said he hopes to expand the museum's functions in the future by having former players come in on a regular basis, and possibly having private parties on game days during the ACC season.

"You want the visitors to experience a lot of things," Daly said.

While other schools across the country also have basketball museums, Daly said his venture is different in that it is more personal. He says he wants the museum to grow into what the fans want it to be.

"I think the people are responding to the grassroots effort," Daly said.

"It'll never be finished," he said about the museum. "That's the joy of doing this."

The Blue Heaven Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 1-6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, and $3 for children. Special rates are available for groups. For information, check out the Web site at www.blueheavenmuseum.com.