The age-herald., 1899-01-15
Invented Eight Years Ago-NoW
 Played All Over Country
THE SPORT IN BIRMINGHAM
Arrangements Are Being Made for a Game With Officers of Third Ala bama in Anniston-Ba asket
 Ball in Chattanooga.

larity is so short a space of tune, as the modern game of basket ball. It Is strictly a game ot Ih S decade, having been invented in the winter of 1Ssl-92 by Dr. James Nai- smith, teacher in the I. M. C. A. training school at Springfield, Mass. The game was so popular with these young men who were studying to be Y. M. C. A. secretaries, that when they left the school, they were all of them missionaries, fo speak, for the game, and they introduced it wherever they went, all over the United States.
 The game has ever since it's invention been a great Y. M. c. A. game, and most of the enthusiasts have been found in the association gymnasiums. But after year or two the athletic clubs began taking il up. until now nearly every well equipped gym nasium in the country has its basket ball court. The colleges have been remarkably slow in taking up the game, and in the great majority of them, even those eau pped with good gymnasiums the game is com paratively unknown.
 The inventor of the game designated it to be one of a milder form than the rough games of foot ball and lacrosse, and one which would be especially adapted for the interior of a gymnasium. The game is one requiring Il great deal of skill and one in which there numerous chances for pretty exhibition playing. The physical directors In the women's universities ana colleges of the north were quick to recos- 0lZe Tn the game an luedl SpOIl lOt ihS young ladies; a game almost entirely de- void of rough features and yet one of a great deal of excitement and pretty play ing In this way the game found its way into the girls school, and incidentally the illustrations of the game as played py me young ladies, into the big newspapers ana magazines.
 Introduction Into Birmingham
 Basket ball was introduced in Birming- ham in 1893 or 1894 and has been played n this city since that time, though last winter was the first time it was played here for exhibition purposes.
 The first court was the one in the present Y M. c. A. gymnasium, when the Bir- mingham Athletic club was at the same time occupying the building jointly With the Y. M. c. A.
 Notwithstanding the fact that the game has been played in Birmingham these four or five years, yet there are large number of people who have never seen a game ana who don't understand the first principles of basket ball. The main idea Is simple court is laid off in the gymnasium, of al- most any size to suit the shape of the building, with wire background erected at each end of the court. On each of these backgrounds, at height of ten feet rom the ground, basket is attached. These baskets are eighteen inches in diameter and resemble very much scoop net used in fishing The ball used in the game is leather covered football about ten inches in diameter The object of the game Is to throw" this ball, each side into its oppo- nents' basket.
 The players, five on side. are spread out over the court. two of them guarding or protecting their own goal, one playing in the center of the court and the other two playing forward to put the ball In their opponents' goal. A player cannot run with the ball, but must throw it from standstill position. either at the basket or to another ono of his players Skilfu passing of the ball is what constitutes the chief beauty of the game A player cannot run Into or tackle player of the onposing side. wheth- CT he has the ball or not. He is only per mitted to slap or jerk the ball from the others hands or to catch the ball after 1t has been thrown. Neither can the ball be struck with the fist, kicked or hugged against any part of the person. All of these rules, it will be seen. necessitate an open passing game and one which Is eX- tremely interesting to the spectators. In the scoring. the ordinary goal counts two points. After a foul has been com'tted, the side fculed has a freo throw at the goal a goal from which counts one point
 All last winter and for the past month of this winter the game has been played regularly in Birmingham and has a large number of devotees. not only among those who play it. but among the spectators.
 
 league have been going on weekly this winter yer since the middle of December. and will continue until the middle of Fob ruary After that time the chamnionship games with Nashville and Chattanooga will begin.
 IT, sh et p-'l ir arr~v
 The first game with foreign team has been arranged to take place on January 27 with team nicked from among the officers of the Third Alabama regiment at Annis- ton. Lieutenant Redd of thnt regiment was in the city yesterday making arrange ments for the game Those who will oom- pose the team. he said. were Captain Far- ris Vaughn and Lieutenants John London. Everett Meade and Earnest Redd. of Bir- mingham. and Captain Cunter. of Mont gor,erv This vii nrobahlv he the first and last game the officers will play as they arc expecting to he o'tber mustered out of the service or ordered off into actual service carly in Fahrunrv. These officers are al old exrerts in the gafoe. the first four of them forrnnrlv being players on the Athletic club teams.
 T, ,,,,..s+..~~e.-
 Chattanooga, January 1t-(Snecial) )-'The basket ball season in the Cha ftanocra Athletic association is just beginning. the football season. which closed on Christmas day with a game between the association and the army officers from Anniston hay
 
 The year opens most auspciously for the game. The Athletic association is in un- usually good conditions a new basket ball court to conform in shape with those in Nashville and Birmingham has hecn con- structed, and there are double tho number of aspirants for the team, twice over than last year.
 The club has no regular lcoai league. but on last Friday night the Young Mems Christian association team played the Ath- letic association, the latter winning by a score of 21 to 5 On next Saturday the Bay Ter school team, said to be strong one, contests with the Chattanooga Athletic as- Eocation sl the lntter's gymnasium.
 The full team has not yet beeen selected. but will have on it two or three of last years players. Two of the strongest men. Lowe and w. Wight will be missed the former having left tho city and the latter beSig prevented by business engagements from playing.
 Great interest is manifested !n tho revival of the interstate league and the boys arc