Bahía, National Capital of Basketball
Sports in general, but basketball in particular, are a significant feature of Bahia identity.
The story of the sport, the most important clubs, the players, and their icons, give life to this journey since May 21, 1910. On this day, the city had its first basketball game, played between the crew of an American ship.
CLUB ESTUDIANTES | 51 Santa Fe St.
Founded in 1918, and has hosted the most important events in Bahia history. The Osvaldo Casanova stadium was inaugurated in 1939. It is recognized as an architectural heritage of the city and due to its characteristics, it was declared a Site of Cultural and Historical Interest. Nowadays, it is home of the only local team that plays in the National Basketball League, since it has the proper infrastructure to host this competition. Some of the most important players who have played for the club are Alberto Cabrera, Jorge Faggiano, Hernán Montenegro, Juan Espil, Juan Ignacio Sánchez and Emanuel Ginóbili, the last two were Olympic champions in Athens 2004.
CLUB OLIMPO | 888 Colón Ave.
With 23 local tournaments, Club Olimpo is the most important, successful and historically rich club of Bahia Blanca. Additionally, it has two national championships and a runner-up finish in the National Basketball League. Its stadium is named Norberto Tomás in honor of the player who emerged from the club youth divisions and tragically passed away in 1970 while playing for Estudiantes. The stadium was inaugurated on July 3, 1971, a historic day for local basketball. It was at that time when the Bahía Blanca team defeated the reigning world champion Yugoslavia 78 to 75.
BAHÍA BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION (BBA) | 62 9 de Julio St.
It was founded in 1929 by the clubs Olimpo, Estudiantes, Liniers, Pacífico, Agor Cross, and River Plate; it has a museum and historical archive of all registered players who have practiced this sport in the last 20 years. The collection includes trophies won by Bahía Blanca in national and provincial tournaments, as well as photos of all the players of the city who have represented the national team. Currently, there are twenty-one teams participating in various categories organized by the ABB (from the spanish acronyms, Bahia Basket Association), a number that far exceed cities with larger populations and even provincial capitals.
CLUB BAHIENSE DEL NORTE / 28 Salta St.
The club was created on December 1st ,1975 from the merger of two small clubs: Deportivo Norte and Bahiense Juniors. It was the cradle of great players, such as Alejandro Montecchia, Emanuel Ginóbili and Juan Ignacio Sánchez (who joined the club at the age of 12),all Olympic champions with Argentina national team. The club was also home of great coaches, such as, Oscar Sánchez, Pablo Coleffi and Sergio Hernández. The aim of the club has been essentially the formative divisions, and the results are more than encouraging. Proof of it is the extensive quantity of titles obtained by its young players, being the champions in all the categories of minors in 2002, an unique fact in the history of Bahia basketball.
SPORTS MUSEUM/ 45 Luis María Drago Pedestrian St.
It was opened on October 8, 2011, it holds photographic memories, attire, trophies, and graphic publications of the glories of football, basketball, motorsport, athletics and sport in general. Atilio Jose ‘Lito’ Fruet, one of the most famous basketball players of Bahía Blanca, helped on the creation of this space, next to the set of many articles related to basketball.
