Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-09


PARIS, Oct. rs (By Mail)-To the
fact hat necessity is h mother Of
invention the athletic world owes
the game of basketball, a sport that
probably Is enjoyed by more players
and spectators than any other indoor
competition. DR.. James Naismith
head of the physical department of
the University of Kansas, now serv-
ing with the American Y. M. c. A. In
France, Is the inventor of the game.
He evolved 1t to fill the gap between
football and baseball. and to n
something to occupy a class of active
young men at the Y. NJ. c. A. train
ing school, Springfield, Mass. What
he is doing in France is a sidelight
arranged by the ~" the K. of C., the
Salvation Army and other united war
work agencies.
Basketball first blossomed pack in
1891. There have been numerous
changes IN the original rules, but the
foundation principles are the same
today as they were when II was in
vented. 1t is being played In practi-
cally every civilized country in the
world except England at the present
time and is constantly gaining In pop
ularity, though, like some other sports
II alternately wakes and wanes in
some sections of the United States.
DR.. Naismith went about the task
of finding a game that would combine
the desired elements of keen competi-
ton and vigorous exercises at the
request Of the late DR.. Luther Halsey
Gulick, who at that timo was head
of the physical training department of
the Y. NJ. c. Az school at Sprinfifield.
II has been a great problem In the
school to interest some of the men
training for work as general secreta-
- wwwAaIr
Although two excellent teachers had
struggled with them. they had been
given up as hopeless when DIR. Gu
lick asked DIR. Naismith to take
charge.
DR.. Naismith looked the situation
rel and decided that the trouble with
the class OF athletically recalitrant
young men was that there was no
enough of the competitive element in
the gymnasium program. He saw
that some good lively game was what
they needed to keep them interested
But there was no such game known
The doctor was determined that he
would make athletes put of those men,
however. so he sat down and thought
It out. He considered all the feat
ures OF all the anne he ever had
seen and concluded that football was
the best of them.
Football On a gymnasium floor was
out of the question, of course, but
there were certain principles OF h
sport that might be Incorporated in
q pastime intended to be less siren
GUS. What made football too rough
FOR indoors? The tackling of course,
and why did they have teckling? Be-
cause the men were allowed to run
with the ball. Very well. in his new
game. DR.. Naismith decided that there
be any running and therefore
there wouldn't be any necessity for
tackling. That eliminated the ele-
ment too much roughness right away.
DR.. Naismith then turned to Ia
and hockey and soccer football
pondered over the things that
made these sports too gruelling for a
floor. He came to the
conclusion that one trouble could be
to the fact that h
goal keeper was permitted to block
shots with his body. thus making It
necessary to put great force behind
the drives for the cages.
So he determined to put the goal
In basketball where the defenders
could not get in front of IL. But
where? The only place was up in the
air over e~verybody.s head In a spot
that could be reached only by a toss.
This put the premium on accuracy
and removed the necessity for force
III bIOotiHB.
The next problem tackled was how
to put the ball in play. 1t wouldn't
do TO have a wild scramble because
probably would get hurt.
Instead DR.. Naismtth hit upon the
happy plan Of having Just two men
fight for original possession OF the
sphere. These three principles. no
running or tackling: a goal that could
not be blocked with the body or arms
after the shot was once on its way;
and the two-men face-off, still endure.
There were nine men on a side
when the game was first played. This
number was automatically deter
mined by the size of the class for
the sport was designed. There
were eighteen men and DR.. Naismith
divided them into two equal parts. 1t
was soon discovered that putting eigh-
men in a small court made the
game a mad scramble and practically
all chance for science.
the number was reduced
to after a time. and later to five.