Former teammates still call him
“Bones, ” and the nickname assigned to the lanky freshman still fits David
Viniar '76.
At Saturday's Alumni Basketball Game,
things were very much as they used to be during Viniar's
playing days. Except for one thing: the game was played on the gleaming hardwood of the Viniar Athletic Center.
The game preceded the dedication of the center, made
possible with a $3.2 million gift from Viniar and his family. “I got a lot out
of playing basketball at Union,” Viniar said.
“I'm very pleased to be able to give something back to Union.”
The Viniar is the fourth home of Union basketball. Dutchmen basketball began on Feb. 3, 1898 in the old gym, now Becker Hall, where the College also stored hay for livestock. Later, basketball moved to Alumni Gymnasium, sharing space with the track and wrestling teams. When basketball moved to Memorial Fieldhouse in 1955, the team practiced and played in the middle of a dusty dirt track (since resurfaced) and shared the building with all the other winter and spring programs.
The first basketball game in the Viniar Athletic Center was the Dutchwomen's 52-41 victory over Williams on Nov. 28.
The new home of the men's and women's basketball team has won praise from Union fans and foes alike. Brighter and more intimate than the fieldhouse, fans can see and hear the players, coaches and referees. There is a welcoming lobby with trophy cases. The Joel Fisher '76 Hall of Fame Room, perched above the west end of the court, is an ideal space for social gatherings.