IS BASKETBALL TuU STRENUOUS?
Introduction

Much has been written about the strenuousness of the game of
basketball. Many statements have been made about. the deleterious
effects of this intense game upon the players. All of these statements
kasd have come to the attention of the writer were based on Opinion and
not upon any facts that were experimentally or scientifically determinede

Because of the crescendo of these charges in recent years, the
writer set about to find out just how strenuous basketball really Was.
He knew, of course, that in 1924 and 1925 Dr. James Naismith’, the
inventor of the game, had studied by urino-analysis the effects of the
game upon high school boys during strenuous tournament play. He found,
With two exceptions, no evidence whatever of casts or sugar in the urine
to indicate the tearing down of body tissues. There was no indication
whatever of albumin or blood in the urine.

It is probably pertinent to remark at this point that Dr. ¥. A.
Storey made similar examinationsof college basketball players at the
College of the City of New York. His findings Were diametrically oppo=
site to those of Dr. Naismith. As a result of further investigations
on his part he has concluded that while there is undoubtedly some signi=~
ficance to the presence or absence of albumin, casts, blood, sugar in
the urine, we do not at present have sufficient information to interpret

these facts relative to fatigue from athletic competition.

 

+yaismith, J.N., "Effects of Basketball on High School Students"
eo Official Basketball Guide, 1925-26 Page 10