The annual Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, named after the Gold Medal Trophy Company, began in 1947. The inaugural event had one bracket with 14 teams competing at the Fifth Street gymnasium. The Wasvick and Torwick Veterans of Petersburg were the champions that year.

The founder of the tournament was Del Hanks, a Boy Scout executive for Southeast Alaska from Juneau. Mr. Hanks was also the Juneau Lions Club president and enlisted the Lions Club members to promote and operate the annual, March event.

Teams from Pt. Barrow to Seattle have participated over the years. However, the tournament has mainly featured teams from communities in Southeast Alaska.

The tournament’s emphasis is fun, friendly competition, and good sportsmanship. Also important are the funds raised which are contributed to college scholarships, training beyond high school, and worthy projects in Southeast communities.

The Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, Alaska’s longest running competitive sports event, has evolved in many ways over the years. In 2016, the tournament’s 70th anniversary, there were 22 teams in four brackets. One of the brackets was a women’s bracket. The games were played in the Juneau-Douglas High School gymnasium from March 20th through March 26th. The champions were teams from Kake, Angoon, Klukwan, and Haines. Another change was the origination, in 1961, of the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame. Herb Didrickson was the first inductee. As of 2015 there were 115 members. MVP and Sportsmanship awards were also added over the years.

The Gold Medal has become a part of the cycle of the seasons in Southeast Alaska. As one participant put it “Gold Medal has become part of our culture.”