Dave Shows ‘Em How It’s Done

Basketball became Hewlett-Packard’s first sponsored sports team in winter 1944. It was probably an easy decision, given Dave Packard’s background. Packard not only participated in basketball (plus football and track) at Stanford, he also played for a semi-professional basketball team while working for General Electric in Schenectady, New York. HP’s first basketball team practiced at the Palo Alto High School Gym. Lu Packard, Dave’s wife, made a special effort to secure a space for the newfound cagers. Before the team’s inaugural game, Dave himself made an appearance at practice. With his 6-foot-4 frame and years of playing experience, he reportedly “piled up a lot of points in the scrimmage.”