Seattle SuperSonics time capsule hidden since 2008 finally opens; What's inside?
'Sonic Boom' exhibit to open at MOHAI in March
In 2008, the Seattle Sonics left town, but 5,000 pieces of basketball memorabilia stayed behind. Now, those jerseys, banners and trophies will soon have their own exhibit at the Museum of History and Industry.
SEATTLE - When the Seattle SuperSonics left town in 2008, thousands of pieces of the team’s history stayed behind.
About 5,000 pieces of Sonics memorabilia, including jerseys, banners, trophies and other artifacts have been stored at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry in the years since.
Now, some of that collection is coming back into view as preparations get underway for MOHAI’s new "Sonic Boom" exhibit, set to open next March.
For former Seattle Times sportswriter Glenn Nelson, seeing the collection again has been a trip through both Seattle basketball history and his own.
"It’s sparked so many memories of my childhood or my professional career," said Nelson.
From Sonics fan to Sonics reporter
The backstory:
Nelson grew up in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood and said basketball was part of his life long before covering the Sonics became his job.
"Growing up he was my childhood idol," said Nelson of Lenny Wilkens.
Nelson found his own way to get inside the arena.
"I started delivering The Seattle Times [papers] so I could buy tickets to the Sonics. Then I went to work for The Seattle Times, covering the Sonics," he said.
Nelson would eventually spend 17 years covering the team as a journalist for The Seattle Times. He covered Nate McMillan’s entire career and left the newspaper in 1999.
Now, as a curator of the upcoming "Sonic Boom" exhibit, Nelson is walking among pieces connected to the players and moments he once covered.
Glenn Nelson (left) discusses the upcoming "Sonic Boom" exhibit at MOHAI. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Dig deeper:
The collection includes retired jerseys bearing names familiar to generations of Sonics fans, along with oversized banners that once hung high above the court.
Some are so large that Nelson said organizers are still figuring out how to display them — as long as 20 feet.
Asked about the prospect of those old pieces one day hanging in a new arena, Nelson joked about mixing the Sonics’ past with something new.
"It might look out of place like old furniture that old furniture that you have in your new house," he said.
Old Seattle Sonics jerseys, previously kept in storage, now being prepared for display at MOHAI.
A Seattle Sonics collection unseen for years
Local perspective:
For Nelson, even getting his first look at the stored collection came with uncertainty.
"I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what was preserved. What would be revealed," he said.
Among the pieces are size 17 sneakers, a larger-than-life image of Squatch and hardware from the team’s past.
The artifacts remained in Seattle after the Sonics were sold and relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Nelson’s feelings about the team’s departure ran deep. He said he was so angry at the time that it changed one of his habits.
"I was mad enough that I have not been to Starbucks ever since," said Nelson.
Now, with talk of an NBA return to Seattle, the collection carries a different weight.
"It’s hitting me on a nostalgic level," remarked Nelson. "Because all these names here represent something really special to me."
Large print of Seattle SuperSonics mascot Squatch.
Bringing SuperSonics history to a new generation
Why you should care:
The upcoming exhibit will give the public a chance to see pieces that have largely remained out of sight since the Sonics left Seattle.
For longtime fans like Nelson, they are reminders of players and moments they experienced firsthand. But Nelson said the exhibit could have a different significance for younger visitors.
"There’s a lot of people who weren’t even born or don’t even know that we have an NBA champion team in our city," said Nelson.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Lauren Donovan.