fessional popularity which is accorded
baseball, it is by far the most popular
sport played in high schools through-
out the country. The Midwestern
conference can honestly boast that
98.9 per cent of the high schools in
that area support basketball teams.

In 1941 a golden jubilee of basket-
ball was held in Springfield, the place
of its origin. At that time a campaign
was initiated in which funds were
raised to construct a Temple of Basket-
ball. It will someday stand in Spring-
field, immortalizing Dr. Naismith,
and acting as the permanent shrine of
All-America teams, past, present and
future.

James Naismith had another “‘first’’

 

to his credit. As center on the Spring-
field college football team, he enlisted
the aid of the girl who later became
Mrs. Naismith to concoct what be-
came the earliest forerunner of the
present-day football headgear. She
sewed together several thicknesses of
cotton flannel into a cap-like device
designed to protect his ears rather
than prevent shock.

He unwittingly made still another
important contribution to football.
Basketball’s forward pass gave the
football rules committeemen some-
thing to think about, and when Amer-
ican colleges became wholeheartedly
interested in basketball about 1905,
football was quick to recognize the

advantages of a play that would put
speed in its game.

The remarkable popularity of bas-
ketball is perhaps due chiefly to its
adaptability. It requires only the sim-
plest of equipment, very little prepara-
tion, and a minimum of cash. But not
only is it popular with the players, it
is also well liked by spectators. It has
been estimated that basketball plays
to more than go million people an-
nually. The game is easily compre-
hended, speedy, exciting to watch.
Many spectators prefer it to football
and baseball because they may sit
close to the playing court and thus
easily recognize each player and see
each play.

Monsanto Chemicals in the Game

Metal Ring
— Pickling Acids, etc.

Net on Basket
— Kier Boiling Chemicals, etc.

Uniforms (Rayon)

— Dye Intermediates, Caustic Soda,
Acetic Acid, etc.

Laundry Chemicals and

Medicinals

Basketball

— Sodium Sulfide, Sodium Sulfhy-
drate, Santotan, Wetting Agents,
Rubber Chemicals

Rubber Sole Shoes,
Canvas Shoes

— Accelerators, Antioxidants, Mer-
chlor Bleach, etc.

Socks (Wool)

— Sulfuric Acid, Aluminum Chloride,
etc.

Floor, Wood Backboard Paints

— Oil Soluble Phenolics, Phthalic
Anhydride, Maleic Anhydride,
Carbon Blacks, Plasticizers, Sol-
vents, etc.