'I'll Never Forget That Day'

Baxter Holmes: ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND, Calif. — John Hernan dug through memories from six decades back when he patrolled this rock as a correctional officer. And his 93-year-old blue eyes lit up at the mention of basketball.

"If I would've known that you were going to be here today," said Hernan, pointing at the reporter from Boston, "then I would have brought with me a photograph."

A heartbeat later, Hernan was presented with a black-and-white photo, dated 1956.

"That's it!" he said.

In early August, Hernan ferried over to this windswept 22-acre island dotting San Francisco Bay for the 80th anniversary of the federal penitentiary's opening, an event organized by the National Park Service, which…