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- No Running With The Ball
James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, is one of us — a coach.
He’s not generally perceived this way, but Naismith is actually a pivotal coach in our collective coaching tree, helping to connect football and basketball through Amos Alonzo Stagg, while also starting the Phog Allen, Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp branch of coaching excellence.
(If you’re unfamiliar: Kansas’ court is named after Allen, North Carolina’s court is named after Smith, Kentucky’s court is named after Rupp…and the Hall of Fame is named after Naismith).
Despite making up the rules, Naismith is the only coach in the history of University of Kansas basketball program with a losing record (the irony!)
This is often attributed to the fact that Naismith famously detested coaching, believing the purity of his game should remain with the players.
In a radio spot, he speaks about how seeing basketball at the Games was the realization of basketball’s higher purpose:
“In Olympic basketball competition, I see a great and far-reaching factor in the preservation of world peace and good will. Here we have teams from China and Japan playing in friendly competition. We have brotherly rivalry between the English and the Arabs. My fond hope is that the friendly attitudes existing between opposing players will continue to grow. I am still astounded to realize that my game, started to keep a few rowdy students in place, has grown to command such an important place in the promotion of good will among the youth of the world.”
In the span of his lifetime, Naismith went from inventing a game to pre-occupy some rambunctious children, to seeing the sport played at the Olympics. What an incredible achievement!
Here’s are Naismith’s original 13 rules of basketball, which were were published on January 15, 1892, in the Springfield College school newspaper:
The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist).
A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop.
The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.
A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3,4, and such as described in Rule 5.
If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the mean time making a foul).
A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that side.
The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.
The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.
The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes' rest between.
The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is made.
Cody’s Notes
Have you read the rulebook of your sport recently?