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NELSON H. NORGREN, famous in his
college days as an all-around athlete
at the. University of Chicago, - is
President of the National Basketball
Coaches’ Association.

DR. NAISMITH WAS FARSIGHTED

ASKETBALL fans the world over join in
the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of
Basketball to honor the memory of the inventor
of this game, which has grown so steadily in popu-
larity in fifty years that it is recognized as the

“most popular of our sports. Since its beginning in

eighteen ninety-one it has become indeed our na-
tional game. It is neither an adaptation nor an
importation of some older game for it was origi-
nated in Springfield, Massachusetts. On the con-
trary, the sound elements of this game-sport are so
appealing to all youth that it has become an article
of export and bids fair to become the most popular
international sport in the next fifty years.

_ It was a unique experience for a man to invent a
game which, in his lifetime, flourished to the extent
that Dr. James Naismith’s game had flourished.
It is quite likely that, when he consolidated his
ideas on the new game and drew up a code of rules
for it, he had no inkling that it would be taken
so completely into their lines by so many of the
youth of the land. That so many continue to do so
proves the soundness of the four outstanding prin-
ciples which he thought should govern this new
game.

As stated by Dr. Naismith, he felt “that it should
be an interesting game with a ball that could be
handled but not be hidden by the hands.” “That it
should be an easy game to learn so that anybody
could play it.”” He thought it should be “so skillful
as to require considerable indulgence and even
then be a little shy of perfection.” And finally,
“that it should lack the roughness of football and
be played indoors.” “In this connection, while per-
sonal contact is forbidden there are continuous
intellectual and physical contests between players
in trying to out smart each other.” “Another factor

in eliminating roughness was in making the basket
horizontal rather than perpendicular, thus requir-
ing added skill in arching accuracy rather than
direct force.” On these principles he based the
game. which has proved sound in recreation, physi-
cal development and character building.

It is remarkable that his original code of rules
has stood the test of time. Today the game is hold-
ing persistently to the basic aims which he laid
down for it. This is noteworthy when one considers
that in fifty years the sport has attracted many
thousands of youthful participants of varying
talents and attributes. Coaches have been indus-
trious to develop these talents into game tech-
niques which have had a great effect in the
development of excellence of individual play and
team work. But it has also, from time to time, upset
the balance of opportunity afforded the offense and
defense by the rules of the game.

To have a sound game the prime consideration
is the maintenance, by rule, of a balance of op-
portunity which will not give undue advantage to
the strategic possibilities allowed the offense over
the defense and vice versa. Since the founding of
the game rule changes have been necessary fre-
quently to maintain this important principle of a
sound game, but in spite of much heated argument
and high pressure in rule-making bodies the con-
duct of the game remains basically the same as it
was when Dr. Naismith gave it to the youth of
the world.

Of basketball it can justly be said that no game
has changed so much in the short span of half a
century, and yet so little. Different as the game is
in technique from that which was played in 1891,
the basic features still remain, and the same possi-
bilities for intense competition are present.