by Mark G. Sullivan

Created on: April 25, 2009   Last Updated: August 13, 2010

Springfield Massachusetts, home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, was first located on the campus of Springfield College. It remained at this location from 1968 until 1985 when it relocated to downtown Springfield. During this stay over 600,000 visitors from all over the world walked through the facility

For many years prior, there was not a home for the historic collection of memorabilia. This circumstance did not stop the Hall of Fame organization from honoring the early legends. Dr. James Naismith, the founder of the sport, headed the first class inducted in 1959.

Many years earlier, 1891 to be exact, James Naismith, was a physical education student at the YMCA Training School, now Springfield College. Dr. Luther Gulick, head of the physical education department ordered Naismith to create an indoor game to occupy the attention of a class of rowdy men through the bitter New England winter.

This wasn't an easy task for Naismith intention was to bring an outdoor game inside. After unsuccessful attempts, he recalled a game played in his youth that required finesse and accuracy to achieve success. With this idea in mind, he set about to create a game that was similar in nature. Within two weeks of Dr. Gulick's demand the game of "basket ball" was born.

The first version was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets used as goals. In addition, 13 rules were established. A few of them are; # 3 - A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowances to be made for a man running at good speed. # 8 - Goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the ground into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. Then the most important, # 13 - The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winners.

As Jim Naismith's new game of basketball was circulated to other YMCA's the pastime spread like wildfire. In 1936, he had the enjoyment of witnessing the introduction of basketball as an Olympic sport. Since then 300 million people in more than 200 countries have played the sport.

And so it goes, an idea to entertain some rowdy boys during the dead of winter soars to heights never imagined. The prowess of today's professional basketball players far exceeds all other athletes. The Naismith's Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame brings the best of this exciting sport under one roof for the viewing pleasure of future generations.

The Hall of Fame is open 362 days a year, seven days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit www.hoophall.com for more information.

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