James A Naismith Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: James A Naismith
OCCUPATION: Coach, Inventor
BIRTH DATE: November 06, 1861
DEATH DATE: November 28, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH: Almonte, Canada

PLACE OF DEATH: Lawrence, Kansas

more about James

Best Known For

James Naismith was the "inventor of basketball."

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James A. Naismith

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Synopsis

James Naismith was a Canadian and American sports coach and innovator. He invented the game of basketball in 1891. He is also credited with designing the first football helmet. He penned the first basketball rulebook, and established the basketball program at University of Kansas. He has been given numerous posthumous honors for his contributions to the world of sports.

Profile

(born Nov. 6, 1861, Almonte, Ont., Can.—died Nov. 28, 1939, Lawrence, Kan., U.S.) Canadian-born U.S. physical education instructor, inventor of basketball. He studied theology but excelled in sports. At the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Mass. (1890–95), he was asked to devise a new indoor winter sport. His version of basketball called for nine players (later reduced to five) per team and the use of peach baskets (later netted hoops) as goals. He was coach of the basketball team at the University of Kansas (1898–1937). He is also credited with inventing the protective helmet for gridiron football players. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was incorporated in Springfield in 1959.