|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
 Born
on November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario, James Naismith demonstrated a passion
for sport at an early age. In spite of a heavy workload of chores he had to perform
daily on the family farm, the young Naismith always found time to play outside.
In fact, he was soon renowned as being the best athlete in the neighbourhood.
In 1883, Naismith began his studies at Montreal’s McGill University. While
pursuing a BA in Phys Ed., he kept active with rugby, lacrosse and fitness training.
In short, his universe revolved around sport and physical activity.
In 1890, Naismith left Montreal and relocated in Springfield, Massachusetts. While
working as an instructor at the local Y.M.C.A., he was asked to develop an indoor
sport that could bridge the gap between the football and baseball seasons. This
gave birth to the game of basketball, with the world’s first game being
played in December 1891.
The origins of basketball are humble; with those early games using a pair of peach
baskets hung from the mezzanine balconies at either end of the gym, a soccer ball,
a handful of rules and 18 young interns divided into two teams of nine. However,
the game quickly caught on. In January 1892, the Triangle, one of the era’s
most celebrated sports magazines, wrote an article about this new phenomenon,
trumpeting that “A New Game is Born.”
Nothing equalled the pride Naismith felt as he watched basketball gain in worldwide
popularity. This pride reached its apex in 1936, when his beloved game was added
to the list of events of the Berlin Olympic Games.
Internationally, Dr James Naismith is known as the father of basketball. However,
he should be remembered for more than that – he was a visionary teacher
who believed that the virtues learned in athletics would help people grow as individuals.
Yes, his “gift” of basketball has united the young and the young at
heart in the simple pursuit of putting a ball in a basket, but more importantly,
it has imbued people with a sense of teamwork and fair play and the desire to
surpass their own limits.
Today, basketball enjoys unprecedented popularity. More than 210 countries participate
in competitions around the globe. According to the most recent NBA Canada census,
Quebec boasts more than 300,000 basketball players, with participants taking part
in everything from formal league play to informal pickup games at parks, community
centres and schools. Dr. Naismith’s game has come a long way. |
|
|
|
|
|
