James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball [Hardcover]

Rob Rains (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2009

It seems unlikely that James Naismith, who grew up playing "Duck on the Rock" in the rural community of Almonte, Canada, would invent one of America's most popular sports. But Rob Rains and Hellen Carpenter's fascinating, in-depth biography "James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball" shows how this young man - who wanted to be a medical doctor, or if not that, a minister (in fact, he was both) - came to create a game that has endured for over a century. "James Naismith" reveals how Naismith invented basketball in part to find an indoor activity to occupy students in the winter months. When he realized that the key to his game was that men could not run with the ball, and that throwing and jumping would eliminate the roughness of force, he was on to something. And while Naismith thought that other sports provided better exercise, he was pleased to create a game that "anyone could play". With unprecedented access to the Naismith archives and documents, Rains and Carpenter chronicle how Naismith developed the 13 rules of basketball, coached the game at the University of Kansas - establishing College Basketball in the process - and was honored for his work at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin. Rob Rains is a former National League beat writer for "USA Today's" "Baseball Weekly" and for three years covered the St. Louis Cardinals for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. He is the author or co-author of autobiographies or biographies of Tony La Russa, Ozzie Smith, Mark McGwire, Jack Buck, Red Schoendienst and many other sports celebrities. Hellen Carpenter is the granddaughter of James Naismith. For more than 40 years she had in her possession more than 200 documents from Naismith's files which were instrumental in crafting this biography.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"All of us who played, coached or enjoyed watching the game of basketball owe a great debt of thanks to James Naismith for devising a game that gave people the opportunity to play inside during the winter."
—Bob Knight

"Dr. Naismith was so much more than the inventor of the sport and James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball is a well written documentation of his outstanding attributes as an educator, religious scholar and leader of young people. Naismith lived his entire life without regard for personal glory or financial rewards, but rather for setting examples of integrity and perseverance for all to follow. Everyone who reads this book will have a better understanding of the evolution of the game, but more importantly, they will realize that when we follow Dr. Naismith’s general life principles, we and the game become the real winners." 
—Billy Packer

"The original Dr. J played rugby, not hoops, and rocked a handlebar mustache, not a ’fro. That Doc is the subject of a spiffy new biography...More breezy bio than thatched thesis, Rains traces the foundation of basketball to “Duck on the Rock,” a game Naismith played as a child growing up in Canada. Years later, then-YMCA employee Naismith summoned basketball at the 11th hour to win a bet he could invent a new indoor game. If you want to get really old school, James Naismith is where it’s at." 
—Slam

Book Description

It seems unlikely that James Naismith, who grew up playing “Duck on the Rock” in the rural community of Almonte, Canada, would invent one of America’s most popular sports. But Rob Rains and Hellen Carpenter’s fascinating, in-depth biography James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball shows how this young man—who wanted to be a medical doctor, or if not that, a minister (in fact, he was both)—came to create a game that has endured for over a century.

James Naismith reveals how Naismith invented basketball in part to find an indoor activity to occupy students in the winter months. When he realized that the key to his game was that men could not run with the ball, and that throwing and jumping would eliminate the roughness of force, he was on to something. And while Naismith thought that other sports provided better exercise, he was pleased to create a game that “anyone could play.”

With unprecedented access to the Naismith archives and documents, Rains and Carpenter chronicle how Naismith developed the 13 rules of basketball, coached the game at the University of Kansas—establishing college basketball in the process—and was honored for his work at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press; First Edition edition (October 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439901333
• ISBN-13: 978-1439901335
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #842,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars James Naismith - Man Who Invented Basketball, September 11, 2010

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B. Eichhorst "History Nut" (Saint Louis MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball (Hardcover)

This is a small, well written book that covers James naismith as well as any I have read. Glad to add it to my collection