The Heart of Lebanon, a Nationally Accredited Main Street, wants to help the community celebrate the rich basketball history in Lebanon, IN with this alley activation project honoring our basketball culture on the northside of the Boone County Courthouse Square.  

This alley was recently vacated to vehicular traffic during a recent $11 million infrastructure reconstruction and redesign of our Historic Downtown Square.  When standing in the alley, Memory Hall Gymnasium is in view which makes it the perfect location for this basketball themed project. This alley activation project is creating a bridge from the Heart of Lebanon to Memory Hall Gymnasium. Built in 1931, this historic gymnasium is a 2,200 seat facility that hosted the renaissance of Lebanon basketball lead by the meteoric rise of Rick “The Rocket” Mount and was prominently featured in the 1986 movie “Hoosiers”.  

This is Home and Home is Basketball

From the Courthouse Square, you will be greeted overhead by a 14′ high custom fabricated aluminum archway that features the silhouette of a basketball net stretched from one side of the alley to the other.  

Within the archway is sign featuring the slogan “This is Home and Home is Basketball”.  As you walk into the alley you’ll be walking on a painted floor graphic that repeats the logo, contains basketball court lines, and an interactive Catenary lighting secured to decorative poles will light your way down the alley as you check out the digitally printed signage that features various Lebanon Basketball depictions that include historical photos of Rick “The Rocket” Mount and the 1912 State Championship team.

Located just below these photos, visitors can scan a QR code to see portions of a local documentary on a  smartphone-based tour app that will a full-court press into Lebanon Basketball history.  At the end of the alley, visitors will have an opportunity to take a seat at black metal table and chairs and share their own basketball stories. 

PRESS RELEASE 5-14-2023

Lt. Gov. Crouch, IHCDA launch crowdfunding campaign for Alley–Oop $50,000 goal to receive a matching grant through IHCDA’s CreatINg Places initiative LEBANON, Ind. (May 14, 2023) – Lebanon residents will soon honor the legacy of basketball in their downtown if this crowdfunding campaign reaches its goal of raising $50,000 by July 13, 2023. If successful, the project led by Heart of Lebanon will receive a matching grant as part of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s (IHCDA) CreatINg Places program. “We are excited at the prospect of adding to Lebanon’s historic downtown through the transformation of a vacated alley,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “CreatINg Places is a wonderful program that activates unused or underused spaces, and this campaign is yet another example of Hoosiers coming together to develop and uplift their community.” Funds from this campaign will be used to transform an unused alley into a space that celebrates the community’s history and culture. Added elements will respect the historic features Lebanon’s courthouse square, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, and will celebrate the city’s vibrant basketball heritage. The project aims to enlighten and inspire the next generation of basketball heroes and provide a place for people to be in community and share stories of Indiana’s sport. “This alley activation project is another great way to bring a new experience and fun activity for those visiting our downtown,” said Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry. “We are excited that the Heart of Lebanon is taking on this venture and turning a vacated alley into something the community can utilize and enjoy.” The CreatINg Places program began in 2016, projects have raised more than $7.5 million in public funds and an additional $6.3 million in matching IHCDA funds. The program is available to projects located in Indiana communities. Non-profit entities (with 501c3 or 501c4 status) and Local Units of Government are eligible to apply. Eligible projects must have a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient will receive $5,000 in IHCDA matching funds should it successfully raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA will provide matching grant funds up to $50,000 per project.

Carlyle first emerges in our historical records in 1922, visibly standing out as the only African American in his Lebanon High School class photos, often positioned in the back row. As his high school years progressed, this pattern continued—Carlyle frequently appears at the back or to the side of class photos. However, in his senior year of 1926, something shifted. Carlyle seemed to truly bloom, stepping forward from the background where he had stood all those years.

Carlyle “Chad” Borders became the first African American to play basketball for Lebanon in 1926 during his senior year. He was the leading scorer for the team with 144 points for his first and only season playing on the Lebanon High School team. In 1928, Carlyle succumbed to Tuberculosis and his obituary names him as the “Hero of the 1926 basketball victory over Crawfordsville”.

During the 1926 game against Crawfordsville, the Lebanon Reporter describes how Borders was the target for undeserved actions but that Lebanon fans were pleased with the outcome of the game – not so much the score but the player whose outstanding effort brought about the favorable win and that “his three goals within the last period were boomerangs which struck home.” Border’s obituary said he “carved his niche in the local high school’s hall of fame” as he pitched the winning basket just before the final shot ended the game with a single point lead. 

The 1926 Cedar yearbook offered a glimpse into his athletic prowess, describing Carlyle as “a consistent scorer who is very clever with the ball. His under the basket attack is his most important asset.” Yet, as we reflect on his life, one might ponder if his greatest asset truly lay only in his athletic skill. 

Carlyle Borders, who passed on August 12, 1928 of Tuberculosis, was more than an athlete; he was a trailblazer. His presence on the court, and in our schools, was a quiet but powerful act of courage that chipped away at barriers and paved the way for future generations. His story reminds us of the progress we’ve made and the importance of recognizing the contributions of every member of our community, especially those who bravely stepped forward in challenging times.

This gravestone, which now marks his previously unmarked resting place, stands as a symbol of our collective memory and respect. It was made possible by the heartfelt donations of many compassionate community members, a testament to Lebanon’s commitment to honoring its history and its heroes. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this meaningful endeavor.

Let us not only reflect on Carlyle Borders’ achievements but also embrace the values he embodied: perseverance, courage, and the pursuit of equality. May his legacy continue to inspire us to build a more inclusive and just Lebanon for all.