Rachel
Morgan
10/15/05
American
History #2
Dr.
James Naismith
In 1861 on November 6, James Naismith was born in Ontario Canada to the parents of John and
Margaret. From 1867 to 1895 He attended grade school at Bennie's Corners near Almote. When his parents both died of typhoid in 1873 he
went to live with his uncle Peter Young. In 1875 he entered Almonte High School. Two years later he leaves for
four years. He then came back and completed high school in about 1.5 years; he
graduated in 1883. In 1883 he enters McGill University in Montreal and earns a BA in Philosophy. He
participated in football, rugby, lacrosse and ground
gymnastics. In 1887 he enters the Presbyterian College of Theology in Montreal and obtains a diploma in Religion
in 1890. In 1890 he goes to America and Springfield College in Massachusetts. In 1891 when he finishes his Physical
Education studies he becomes a professor at Springfield. He stays there until 1895.
While on vacation he goes to Martha's Vineyard to learn about Swedish principles of gymnastics to adopt at his training
school. In the autumn he takes up a seminar in psychology which was created by
Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick, who was the director of the
PE department. Soon, Gulick gives him the quest to
create an interesting indoor game. He was given two weeks to create the game.
He first tried bringing in soccer or lacrosse into the gym, but those soon came
with disastrous results. When it was nearing the end of the two weeks, Naismith remembered a game he used to play as a child. Using
two peach baskets hung up ten feet on a wall he created the now popular game of
Basket Ball. On December 21, 1891, the first game of Basket Ball
is introduced to Naismith's class of secretaries.
Despite skepticism at first, the game becomes an instant hit before Christmas
break. In 1892 the game is a big success. It is published in 'Triangle'
magazine under the title 'A New Game'.
In January, Frank Mahan demands that the game be called 'Naismith Ball', but Naismith
refuses. On June 20, 1894 Naismith
marries Maude E. Sherman from Springfield. They eventually have five
children. With Gulick, Naismith
publishes the thirteen rules in the 'American Sports Publishing Company'. In
1895, he moves to Denver to become a PE director at the YMCA. He stayed there until 1898.
Meanwhile, he attends University of Colorado Medical School. He then graduates
from there in 1898 with a medical degree. In the same year he becomes the
director of gymnasium, the campus chaplain, and the basketball coach at University of Kansas. In 1910, Naismith
receives an honorary Masters degree in PE. In 1911 he publishes 'A Modern
College'. From 1914 to 1917 he was the captain and chaplain of the First Kansas
Infantry. In 1916 he is sent to the Mexican frontier with his regiment for four
months. In 1917 he is nominated as the YMCA Secretary and spends 19 months
working in France. He returns in 1919. In 1918 he publishes the
'Essence of a Healthy Life'. In 1925 he takes American citizenship to meet
government requirements after serving with the military. In 1935 he is sent to Berlin for the Olympics. On April
7, 1936,
during the inauguration ceremony for the Olympic Games in Berlin he throws the ball for the first
match. In 1937 his wife dies. On March 3 of the same year he become Professor
Emeritus in Kansas and retires at the ripe old age of 76. In 1938 he receives the Legum Doctorate degree at McGill University. In 1939 he becomes the honorary
Doctor of Divinity at the Presbyterian College in Montreal. On June 11,he
marries Florence Kincaid in Lawrence, Kansas. On November 19 he suffers a brain hemorrhage. November 28, he dies of a
heart attack. In 1941 his is posthumously voted Life Member of Physical
Education Instructors of American. His masterwork, 'Basketball - its Origins
and Development' is published by the Associated Press of Basketball.
Credits:
Thanks To:
- http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Naismith.htm
- http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/naismith.htm
- http://naismithmuseum.com/naismith_drjamesnaismith/main_drjamesnaismith.htm