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Basketball in Kansas
Although basketball had its beginnings in Massachusetts, Kansas was one of the first states to adopt it as a college sport. Dr. James A. Naismith, an instructor at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, invented the game in the winter of 1891-1892. He was looking for a more interesting way to participate in calisthenics and gymnastic games. He introduced the idea to his class, and began to establish the rules. Thus the game was born.
In 1898 Dr. Naismith joined the staff at the University of Kansas. Since basketball had spread to many YMCAs across the country, it was already being played in Kansas but was generally considered to be a woman's sport, and thus received little attention. Naismith introduced basketball to his male physical education classes. The men immediately took to it and the Kansas basketball craze had begun. The Kansas University Weekly reported on December 10, "... it appears that the basketball mania would carry all before it."
On February 4, 1899, KU faced its first varsity game, against a YMCA team in Kansas City, Missouri, that was more experienced. KU lost 16-5. The half time score was close with YMCA 4 and KU 3, but the large number of fouls in the third quarter proved to be KU's downfall. KU was somewhat handicapped by the fact that the baskets at the YMCA were fastened to the wall while those the team was accustomed to were about 12 feet from the wall. The attendance at that first game was 150.
The dribble was unknown at that early date, and KU home games were played on the skating rink for the first season. Many men considered basketball a girl's game and refused to play. This changed in the early 1910s when women's basketball was banned from most institutions.
Basketball became the premier sport in the Midwest, but it took a bit longer for the eastern states to begin to consider it a sport at all. By 1940 eastern states had accepted the game and players there worked rapidly to catch up to their Midwest competitors.
The original uniform for basketball players consisted of long trousers and loose shirts. This has greatly changed in the modern era with loose shorts and tops, and specialty shoes to improve a player's performance.
From those early days basketball has retained its popularity in Kansas. Today rivals KU and Kansas State University face off each year, dividing the state in loyalty, and providing entertainment for the nation.
Entry: Basketball in Kansas
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: December 2004
Date Modified: January 2013
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
Submit Kansapedia
Basketball in Kansas
Although basketball had its beginnings in Massachusetts, Kansas was one of the first states to adopt it as a college sport. Dr. James A. Naismith, an instructor at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, invented the game in the winter of 1891-1892. He was looking for a more interesting way to participate in calisthenics and gymnastic games. He introduced the idea to his class, and began to establish the rules. Thus the game was born.
In 1898 Dr. Naismith joined the staff at the University of Kansas. Since basketball had spread to many YMCAs across the country, it was already being played in Kansas but was generally considered to be a woman's sport, and thus received little attention. Naismith introduced basketball to his male physical education classes. The men immediately took to it and the Kansas basketball craze had begun. The Kansas University Weekly reported on December 10, "... it appears that the basketball mania would carry all before it."
On February 4, 1899, KU faced its first varsity game, against a YMCA team in Kansas City, Missouri, that was more experienced. KU lost 16-5. The half time score was close with YMCA 4 and KU 3, but the large number of fouls in the third quarter proved to be KU's downfall. KU was somewhat handicapped by the fact that the baskets at the YMCA were fastened to the wall while those the team was accustomed to were about 12 feet from the wall. The attendance at that first game was 150.
The dribble was unknown at that early date, and KU home games were played on the skating rink for the first season. Many men considered basketball a girl's game and refused to play. This changed in the early 1910s when women's basketball was banned from most institutions.
Basketball became the premier sport in the Midwest, but it took a bit longer for the eastern states to begin to consider it a sport at all. By 1940 eastern states had accepted the game and players there worked rapidly to catch up to their Midwest competitors.
The original uniform for basketball players consisted of long trousers and loose shirts. This has greatly changed in the modern era with loose shorts and tops, and specialty shoes to improve a player's performance.
From those early days basketball has retained its popularity in Kansas. Today rivals KU and Kansas State University face off each year, dividing the state in loyalty, and providing entertainment for the nation.
Entry: Basketball in Kansas
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: December 2004
Date Modified: January 2013
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
Submit Kansapedia
James Naismith
Inventor of basketball: Born: November 6, 1861, Canada.
Died: November 28, 1939, Lawrence, Kansas.
Inventor of basketball: Born: November 6, 1861, Canada. Died: November 28, 1939, Lawrence, Kansas.James Naismith was born November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario, Canada to John and Margaret (Young) Naismith. Orphaned at the age of nine, he was raised by his uncle, Peter Young. As a youth he was adept at farm labor and enjoyed playing catch and hide-and-seek. At McGill University in Quebec Naismith participated in Canadian football, soccer, and gymnastics. There he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a diploma from Presbyterian College in Montreal. He taught physical education at McGill for a time and served as director of athletics.
Naismith went to teach at YMCA International Training College in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1890. He was given 14 days to develop an indoor game that would capture the interest of students confined indoors during the cold winter. Adapting some elements from familiar games, Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. Thirteen basic rules guided the play, which featured two peach baskets as the goals. On June 20, 1894, Naismith married Maude Sherman. They had five children.
In 1895 the Naismiths moved to Denver where he taught at the YMCA College and he acquired a medical degree. In 1898 he was hired by the University of Kansas to coach basketball, teach physical education, and serve as chaplain. Naismith was surprised by the game’s popularity, commenting that wrestling was better exercise and that he enjoyed watching gymnasts as much as basketball. By the turn of the century enough colleges had basketball teams that intercollegiate competition was possible. When one of his former students, Forrest "Phog" Allen, went to Baker University to coach basketball Naismith said basketball was a game to play that needed no coach. Allen would go on to become known as the “father of basketball coaching.”
At the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the first year basketball was included in the competition, Naismith was in Berlin to present medals to the winning teams of the three North American countries: United States, gold; Canada, silver; and Mexico, bronze. There he was named honorary president of the International Basketball Federation.
Naismith retired from the University of Kansas in 1937. He died November 28, 1939, in Lawrence, Kansas. He is honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. His original basketball rules were fewer than 600 words; today the rules contain more than 30,000 words.
The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play 'Drop the Handkerchief.'—James Naismith
Inventor of basketball: Born: November 6, 1861, Canada.
Died: November 28, 1939, Lawrence, Kansas.
Inventor of basketball: Born: November 6, 1861, Canada. Died: November 28, 1939, Lawrence, Kansas.James Naismith was born November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario, Canada to John and Margaret (Young) Naismith. Orphaned at the age of nine, he was raised by his uncle, Peter Young. As a youth he was adept at farm labor and enjoyed playing catch and hide-and-seek. At McGill University in Quebec Naismith participated in Canadian football, soccer, and gymnastics. There he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a diploma from Presbyterian College in Montreal. He taught physical education at McGill for a time and served as director of athletics.
Naismith went to teach at YMCA International Training College in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1890. He was given 14 days to develop an indoor game that would capture the interest of students confined indoors during the cold winter. Adapting some elements from familiar games, Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891. Thirteen basic rules guided the play, which featured two peach baskets as the goals. On June 20, 1894, Naismith married Maude Sherman. They had five children.
In 1895 the Naismiths moved to Denver where he taught at the YMCA College and he acquired a medical degree. In 1898 he was hired by the University of Kansas to coach basketball, teach physical education, and serve as chaplain. Naismith was surprised by the game’s popularity, commenting that wrestling was better exercise and that he enjoyed watching gymnasts as much as basketball. By the turn of the century enough colleges had basketball teams that intercollegiate competition was possible. When one of his former students, Forrest "Phog" Allen, went to Baker University to coach basketball Naismith said basketball was a game to play that needed no coach. Allen would go on to become known as the “father of basketball coaching.”
At the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the first year basketball was included in the competition, Naismith was in Berlin to present medals to the winning teams of the three North American countries: United States, gold; Canada, silver; and Mexico, bronze. There he was named honorary president of the International Basketball Federation.
Naismith retired from the University of Kansas in 1937. He died November 28, 1939, in Lawrence, Kansas. He is honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. His original basketball rules were fewer than 600 words; today the rules contain more than 30,000 words.
The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play 'Drop the Handkerchief.'—James Naismith
