For 50 years, the Lakewood Family YMCA’s Adult Basketball League (ABBL) has brought people together through competition, exercise and friendship. Recently, the league celebrated that milestone by welcoming its inaugural Hall of Fame class.
The first inductees, Jim Newton and Barry Clemens, were instrumental in the league’s beginnings in 1976. Their contributions helped establish a foundation that has endured for half a century, making them fitting choices to launch this new tradition.
We are saddened by the recent passing of Barry Clemens, whose legacy is part of this milestone. A former Cleveland Cavalier, Barry played 11 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. At the Lakewood Y, he helped lay the groundwork for a league that continues to bring people together 50 years later. We honor his contributions to basketball and our YMCA community, and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
With 80 teams participating each session and games played year-round, the ABBL remains a vibrant part of the Lakewood Y community. Longtime league leader Ed Glynn helped organize the celebration alongside Lakewood Y Advisory Board members and Executive Director Kevin Born-Crow.
The league also carries forward a proud YMCA legacy. In 1891, James Naismith invented basketball at the YMCA, introducing a game that would bring people together around the world. For five decades, the ABBL has continued that tradition close to home, creating opportunities for players to stay active, challenge themselves and connect with others.
For many participants, the league offers much more than a game night. It is where neighbors become teammates, rivals become friends and a shared love of basketball builds lasting connections.
Thank you to our friends at Immigrant Son Brewery for hosting a memorable celebration.
We congratulate Jim Newton on his induction and honor the memory of fellow inductee Barry Clemens. Thank you to every player who has stepped onto the Lakewood Y court over the past five decades and helped carry forward the spirit of basketball, friendship and community.