THE YOUTH FUND
By Art Rosenbaum, BASHOF Historian and former Sports Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle

Youth Fund grant recipients with BASHOF's Chairman of the Board Lou Spadia and President Bill Dieterich.

It all started with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce's Sports Committee established by President Bill Dauer, which included current BASHOF committee members, Paul Cane, Ken Flower, Weldon Gibson, Richard Guggenhime, Bob Gunderson, Mike Raddie, Jim Shea, Glenn Smith, Al Stevens and Gordy Soltau. The year was 1979 and with the sale of the 49ers in 1977, Lou Spadia, who had been with the club since its inception in 1946, had become an ex-President.

The title was not vacant long. Spadia was approached by Dauer, who with his committee, had dreamed of a Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame to honor the area's athletic legends. With the "available" Spadia as President, the concept was approved by the Chamber's Board of Directors, and thus began a multiple-decade success story.

Two episodes had given Spadia the start-up experience. In the late '60's, San Francisco Mayor Joe Alioto had a special project . . . . and a problem. He wanted a swimming pool at Hunter's Point and other money for kids' sports. Spadia and the Morabito widows had an answer, the establishment of a Mayor's Youth Fund to receive one-third of the receipts from an annual series of 49er pre-season games at the newly expanded Candlestick Park. The pool and the Mayor’s Youth Fund became a reality.

During those early times, Spadia was well aware of the inside scramble for the National Football Hall of Fame site. The problem was solved when the Timken Roller Bearing Company of Canton, Ohio agreed to subsidize the Hall “forever”.

And so, as President of BASHOF, Spadia argued against a local museum. The costs of acquiring or constructing a building, plus permanent staffing and maintenance, would thwart BASHOF from its goal of helping kids. He also noted that the gloves and spikes of Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays were already in Cooperstown, as would the prized memorabilia of others be in their National Halls. Spadia proposed the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Youth Fund, a plan borrowed from the idea had originated for the Mayor’s Youth Fund. The Chamber directors and committee saw the reality, and thus was born, “The Hall Without a Hall”, a slogan that has been copied around the nation.

The first enshrinement banquet in 1980, which honored Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Hank Luisetti, Ernie Nevers and Bill Russell, generated enough funds to provide $5,000 grants each for badly needed athletic equipment for the Police Activities Leagues of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. By the 25th Anniversary, grants will have nearly topped 2 million dollars in bats, balls, uniforms and other sports equipment for more than 500,000 boys and girls, representing over 450 Bay Area youth organizations.

With the continuing support of the Bay Area Corporate community, foundations, individuals and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, BASHOF and the Youth Fund will continue to grow and support the future leaders of our area.