
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 22, 1994                   TAG: 9404220055
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SPRINGFIELD, MASS.                                LENGTH: Medium

EXHIBIT LETS FANS PLAY WALTON

It was Bill Walton against Bill Walton on Wednesday as the Basketball Hall of Fame unveiled a virtual reality exhibit that allows visitors to pit their skills against those of the famed center.

Visitors don't wear special equipment - or dribble a basketball for that matter. It's more like shadow boxing with the visitor's movements reflected on a big screen with the image of the 6-foot-11 player.

The visitor plays offense and defense in a minute-long game against Walton's image.

"Kids are the target," said Kevin Friend, president of the Boston Convention Network, which developed the exhibit with The Vivid Group of Toronto. The device is the first of its kind not to require a helmet, gloves or other intervening equipment, he said.

The biggest kid at the hall Thursday clearly was enjoying himself.

"This is great," said Walton, 41, as he took on his computer image while keeping up a constant chatter.

"Look at him move his feet."

"No way."

"Where's [Kareem Abdul-]Jabbar?"

The real Walton lost to the computer Walton.

"But I had him," he howled as the time ran out and the image dissolved just as he was putting up an unlikely 3-pointer that would have given him the victory.

Walton only wishes this gadgetry came along earlier.

"I would have loved to play this when I was a kid," he said. "Heck, I'd love to have one in my house now."

He recalled watching Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor on television while he was growing up and dreaming about playing against them.

"This exhibit allows a kid to live these dreams," Walton said, "and just as my dreams improved my play, this is the sort of thing that is going to take basketball to the next level."

At Walton's insistence, he is depicted in UCLA blue in the game, Friend said, although the computer venue is the parquet floor of the Boston Garden, where he finished his career with the NBA's Celtics.

There are a few other unreal touches.

"My old college coach, John Wooden, would have had a fit if he ever saw anybody with their arms down on defense like that," Walton told about 100 wide-eyed youngsters at the unveiling as his computer image backed to the basket.

"And I never got to shoot in Boston Garden," Walton said. "Larry [Bird] would look right at me and say, `Every shot is mine. You just defend.' "

by CNB