hy Meer 4
KU NEWS BUREAU

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS RAY HEADY
Lawrence, Kansas e. Director

Tribute to Dr. Jame s Naismith, Dec, 6, 1939.
Voice 1 = Dr, James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball,

was born Nov. 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, He
died Nove 26, 1939. The. 78eyear ola father of basket-
ball who geme Ameriea an Americen game spent the last

41 years of his life at the University of Kansas, where
it is proper this tribute should be made at the beginning
of another season of the sport which he loved so well.

All material used in this tribute is taken from newspaper
files, and the quotations are actual words, fitted into
a pattern, that Dr, Neismith uttere@, These quotations
will speak more truthfully of his character than any
eulogy that eould be writtens | :

Winters were severe in Canada and the young Naismith, = |

like other boys of his age, worked hard smd played hard, —

They went hunting, They walked miles through the snow

to school, They helped with heavy farm work, However, —
close to his heart, ‘however, for in

1875 he tells this story: —

           

    
  

    

Yoice 2 + I was working one day with the farmers as they were reps

 VYoiee 1 +

Vo ice 2 «

airing the roads, working out their poll tax, One of their

mumber passed a black bottle from whieh many took drinks.

On the second round, he insisted that I drink also. At my

meewee sy sorte en somewhat tipsy, came over and declared 3

‘James Naismith ean take a drink if he wants to, and he

gan leave it alone if he wants to, I mew his mother, and

I don't kimk think she would want him to drink, and there

isnt a men here that can make him if he doesn't want to."

James Naismith was a vigorous young man, Straight end strong.

Even when he was in his 70's he stood and walked erect. He
tells here how he developed his physique: :

Exercise came naturally for me, for I hed o> in the
lumber camps near my native Almonte. ‘The two and a half
miles +o bich school through smow and sub-zero weather was

no child's play. .As I recall I was much like the other boys ay

getting into fisticuffs occasionally and taking part in all
games. It took we eight bettles to get the better o f one
lad, When it seemed I was going with a rough crowd in
high school I quit, but I had lots of time to think as I

rove the lead team on my uncle's woodlot. Age

fers