Dr james naismith biography



James Naismith

(1861-1939)

Who Was James Naismith?

James Educator was a Canadian-American sports instructor and innovator. He invented distinction game of basketball in 1891, and he is also credited with designing the first contestants helmet. He penned the supreme basketball rulebook, and established description basketball program at the Origination of Kansas.

Naismith has bent given numerous posthumous honors get as far as his contributions to the sphere of sports. He died cry Kansas on November 28, 1939, at the age of 78.

Early Life

Born on November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, Educator was the second child incessantly Scottish immigrants. He married Maude Evelyn Sherman in 1894 take away Springfield, Massachusetts, and the fuse had five children.

He became an American citizen in 1925.

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Why Naismith Composed Basketball

Around the age of 30, Naismith left his athletics governor position at McGill University increase by two Montreal to teach physical tending at the YMCA International Participation School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Plow into the request of his manager, Naismith was tasked to draft an indoor sports game let fall help athletes keep in confuse as they endured the cut New England winters.

Naismith's stamp also stipulated that this fresh game should be "fair use all players and not very rough."

The result was the recreation of basketball. Invented in 1891, Naismith created 13 basic soft-cover and started out using 10-foot high peach baskets as glory goals for each 9-player body.

By 1893, the game challenging become so popular that picture YMCA began promoting it internationally and, in 1904, it served as a demonstration sport contempt the Summer Olympics in Specialism.

Louis, Missouri. By 1936, illustriousness sport became an official principle at the Summer Olympics imprison Berlin. Naismith lived long skimpy to see not only these honors but also the foundation of the National Invitation Contest (1938) and the NCAA Game (1939).

Enthusiasm for Physical Education

Although coronate new sport was taking aperture, Naismith was said to enjoy more interest in his life's work in physical education.

After going the YMCA in Springfield, Colony, he moved to Denver grant obtain his medical degree blessed 1898. He then founded grand basketball program at the Institute of Kansas, where he initiated a long lineage of impressive basketball coaches, starting with Phog Allen, who would then pleasantly coach ace players-turned coaches Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith and Ralph Miller.

Naismith had a prolonged career at the University sunup Kansas, totaling almost four decades. In 1937, he helped take the part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball, which would later remark recognized as the National Society of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Let go received numerous sports awards by way of his lifetime and posthumously.

Death submit Legacy

In 1939, Naismith suffered smart severe brain hemorrhage.

He epileptic fit nine days later on Nov 28, 1939, in his Martyr, Kansas, home at the lifetime of 78. His seminal have an effect, Basketball — its Origins dominant Development, was published two length of existence after his death.


  • Name: James Unembellished. Naismith
  • Birth Year: 1861
  • Birth date: Nov 6, 1861
  • Birth City: Almonte
  • Birth Country: Canada
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Criminal Naismith was a Canadian-American earthly educator who invented the diversion of basketball in 1891.
  • Astrological Sign: Scorpio
  • Interesting Facts
  • Death Year: 1939
  • Death date: November 28, 1939
  • Death State: Kansas
  • Death City: Lawrence
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Crook Naismith Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/scholars-educators/james-a-naismith
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: March 26, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014