Basketball equipment in the
early nineties was crude - ~
but ingenious. At the time
the baskets shown here
were used as goals, no one
thought of permitting the
ball to drop through the
net. The ball was released
from the basket by pulling
a cord. It wasn’t until
around 1905 that goals
with open nets came into
popular use.

 

means without the opponents in the meantime mak-
ing a foul).

8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown
or batted from the ground into the basket and stays
there, providing those defending the goal do not
touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the
edges, and the opponents move the basket, it shall
count as a goal.

9. When the ball goes out of bounds it shall be
thrown into the field of play by the person first
touching it. In case of a dispute the umpire shall
throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is
allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall
go to an opponent. If any side persists in delaying
the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that team.

10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and
shall note the fouls and notify the referee when
three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall
have the power to disqualify the men according to
rule 5.

11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and
shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds,
to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time.
He shall decide when a goal has been made, and
keep account of the goals, with any other duties that
are usually performed by a referee.

12. The time shall be two 15 minute halves with
5 minutes’ rest between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time
shall. be declared the winner. In case of a draw,
the game may, by mutual agreement, be continued
until another goal is made.

 

Naismith had asked the Building Superintendent
(Stebbins) for two boxes 18x18 inches to be used
as goals. He replied that he could not supply such,
but suggested that two half bushel peach baskets
be used. These were accepted and used in the initial

game. The goals suggested the name of the game,

Basketball.

It will be noted that while the rules are changing
from year to year the principles of the game are
practically what they were on that afternoon in
December, 1891. Attention is called to the fact that
in the early days the gym uniform was black full-
sleeve woolen jersey with long gray trousers; that
boys were required in the gallery at the first game
to remove the ball from the baskets; that the
number of players was at an early date reduced
from nine to five men on a team; that the spotting
of men on the floor was dropped except in a very
general way.

In 1898 James Naismith was graduated with the
degree of M.D. and was called that same fall to the
University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas, to be
Instructor of Physical Training and Chapel Direc-
tor. In June of 1937 he was retired to the position
of Professor Emeritus.

So quietly and gradually did the game of basket-
ball come into general use and popularity that no
early effort was made to secure photographs of the
setting of its beginning in the building on Win-
chester Square. Before any authentic stories of the
early days of the game were sought, memories of
many little incidents had faded out and some who
took a prominent part had passed into the great

beyond.

Official Watch for Timing N.C.A.A. and A.A.U. Championships Is LONGINES —
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