Naismith, James. Historic and extensive personal basketball archive....

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Naismith, James. Historic and extensive personal basketball archive. Naismith, James. Historic and extensive personal basketball archive including Naismith's hand-annotated manuscript for his 1934 book, Basketball: The Fascinating Story of the Game the Whole World Plays Told by the Man Who Invented It. Originating from the Estate of Dr. James Naismith (1861 - 1939), the inventor of basketball, this archive contains crucial elements to the history of one of the world's most popular sports. In 1891 Naismith was studying at Springfield College in Massachusetts and was asked by his instructor in physical education, James Gulick, to develop an indoor activity that would keep the students active and provide a more exciting alternative to calisthenics. The game Naismith devised was basketball and he presented the new sport, along with its original thirteen rules, to his fellow classmates. The experiment was a huge success and the game's popularity spread throughout the world. Though he was wholly responsible for its invention, Naismith never sought to capitalize on its success or bask in the glory of fame. His only reward was the enjoyment of those playing and watching the game. Naismith's greatest thrill with regard to the sport came in 1936, when he was sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to witness basketball become an Olympic sport at the 1936 Games held in Berlin. Varied condition, from fine to good; scrapbook has typical newspaper toning with chipping on edges; other items exhibit handling; photo albums missing a few photographs. Incredible archive from the inventor of basketball, James Naismith, including his hand-annotated manuscript for his book on basketball, 9-page hand-annotated document "The Basket Ball Rules" and his annotated and signed 5-page report on basketball's debut at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, personal 1890s scrapbook and much more. 1) "Author's Copy" 1934 manuscript for Basketball: The Fascinating Story of the Game the Whole World Plays Told by the Man Who Invented It, 170+ typewritten pages (approx. 8.5 x 11 in.; 216 x 279 mm.) heavily annotated in Naismith's hand, organized in (9 x 11.7 in.; 229 x 298 mm.) files for all but two of the 12 chapters, including Chapter I. "Bennie's Corners" discussing the games and physical activities Naismith and his friends played while he attended grade school in Canada; Chapter II. "The Need of a New Game" where Naismith takes the reader to what led him to invent basketball in the summer of 1891 while he taught at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts; Chapter III. "The Origin of Basketball" discussing his formulation of the 13 basic rules of the indoor game devised as an "athletic distraction" to keep athletes in shape; Chapter IV. "Changes in the Game"; Chapter V. "Development of Basketball Equipment"; Chapter VI. "Changes in the Rules Body"; Chapter IX. "Development of Girls' Basketball"; Chapter X. "The Physiology of Basketball" and Chapter XI. "The Values of Basketball" (missing are Chapters VII and VIII. "The Spread of the Game in the United States" and "The Foreign Spread", though a vintage carbon copy of Chapter VIII is present). 2) "The Basket Ball Rules By Dr. James Naismith". The 9-page (8.5 x 11 in.; 216 x 279 mm.) typed document features hand-annotations, in pencil, by Naismith concerning the updates in the rules of basketball from 1892 to ca. 1932. Naismith writes in part: The rules of basket ball as they were first printed were formulated before the game was tried out, they were typewritten on two sheets of letter paper and were posted on the bulletin board in the gymnasium before the class assembled. These were read to the members of the class...In January 1892, the rules were printed in the school paper, "The Triangle", under the title, "A New Game" as it had not yet been named...[The Changes in the Court] When the rules were first formulated, there were few gymnasiums in the country that had sufficient floor space to make rules necessary, and one of the requirements was that it could be played on any kind of a floor. The original floor on which basket ball was played was 45 feet by 60 feet, with a gallery running around...The next step was to require that there be a certain number of square feet on the floor and later it was specified as being 90 by 50 feet for colleges...[The Ball] The first ball used was a soccer ball, and this was continued for four years until a special ball slightly larger was introduced, It has been subject to several changes as to weight...[The Goals] The original goal was a peach basket which hung on the gallery or the wall. The upper part, being larger than the bottom, and the opening had an inclination so that a shot from the front was much easier than a shot from the side. The first change was necessitated by the fact that the peach basket was not strong enough to stand the repeated shock of the ball, and the first change was to a cylinder of heavy woven wire, This when fastened to the gallery, made the opening horizontal and shots from the side were as valuable as from the front...The next change was introduced by the Narragansett Machine Company when a ring of the required dimensions was fastened to the gallery and a basket closed at the bottom was put into use. In order to get the ball out of this basket, it was necessary to hit it with a bar-bell or long rod...The rule at present states that the bottom must be such that it will stop the ball temporarily, but this is seldom observed and the spectators are often unable to tell whether a goal has been made or missed. 3) A highly significant basketball item signed by Naismith relating to the introduction of Basketball in the Olympics, entitled, "Basketball at the Olympics 1936". The 5-page (8.5 x 11 in.; 216 x 279 mm.) typed report signed ("J. Naismith"), has hand-annotations by Naismith in ink and pencil. Naismith writes in part: [The introduction of basketball into the Olympic program] emphasized the difference in the physical makeup of the different nations, eg. The tallest man on the Philippine team was 5'11" and the tallest man on the American team was 6'9". This brought out the fact that tall men were monopolizing the game and that the shorter races were greatly handicapped, not alone in the center jump, but in the whole game. So apparent was this that it has been suggested that there be two classes, the short and the tall, following the plan in boxing and wrestling. The next Olympics will be held in Japan whose men are under six feet, and the neighboring countries, China and the Philippines are all short. The only team with extremely tall men was the U.S.A.; Turkey, Egypt, Switzerland, Italy, France and Canada ranged from 5'10' to about 6'2". These latter teams have set their estimate of the high limit as 6'3" or 190 c.m. This would exclude the extremes but would not quite meet the requirements of the Chinese. On Naismith's "Results of Including Basketball in the Olympics," he states, it [basketball] has won a permanent place on the program, there being 22 countries represented; and there will be a greater number willing to put more teams in the next. He also mentions, Girls teams may be included and the game may have wooden floors even though played out of doors. When Naismith returned from basketball's inaugural Olympic games in Berlin, he commented that seeing the game played by many nations was the greatest compensation he could have received for his invention. 4) The pencil Dr. Naismith used when formulating the Rules of Basketball in 1891. Measuring 3.25 in. (83 mm.), the pencil is encased in a decorative metal holder featuring an elaborate filigree design; it has been cherished by the Naismith family through the generations as being the writing instrument used to write the historic rules of the game. Includes a family member's notarized LOA attesting to the pencil's incredibly significant history. 5) James Naismith's personal 1892 - 1936 scrapbook, including an historic letter from George W. Ehler, dated 23 April 1892, on YMCA letterhead discussing the introduction of the sport of basketball to New York; 120+ pages (9.25 x 12 in.; 235 x 305 mm.) blue and crimson University of Kansas book with large "K" on the cover. Includes newspaper and magazine articles, as well as letters on the subject of basketball, beginning with a clipping from the 27 April 1892 edition of The New York Times entitled, "A New Game of Ball. A Substitute for Football Without its Rough Features." 6) James Naismith signed 1885 McGill University Athletic Association Constitution, By-Laws with Laws of Athletics, 20-page booklet (4.1 x 6.5 in.; 104 x 165 mm.), signed, "J. Naismith" on the cover in pencil. Naismith attended McGill University in Montreal, Canada from 1883 - 1887, earning a BA in Physical Education. 7) Gold-filled medallion, decorated with red and clear semi-precious stones, presented to Naismith in honor of his trip to the Berlin Olympics in 1936. The medallion measures 1.5 in. (38mm.) diameter and reads, "A.A.U. Rocky Mountain Assn." on the front and is engraved, "To Dr. James Naismith In Appreciation Rocky Mt. A.A.U. 1936," on the reverse. Complete with its original chain. 8) Pair of James Naismith autograph letters signed ("Florence & Dad" and "Dad"), (each 8.5 x 11 in.; 216 x 279 mm.), (1) 2-page letter dated 19 July 1939 (4 months prior to his death); the other is 1-page and undated (written on the reverse of another letter). Both are written to his daughter Maude ("Dimps"). 9) Pair of Naismith's personal photo albums: (11.75 x 7.25 in.; 298 x 184 mm. and 8.25 x 5.5 in.; 210 x 140 mm.) featuring family photographs ranging from 9.25 x 6.5 in. (235 x 165 mm.) to 3.5 x 2.5 in. (89 x 64 mm.). 10) 1899 University of Kansas yearbook picturing coach Naismith with his team. 11) Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame Award plaque honoring Naismith "For Noteworthy Contributions [to the] National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball" (13.5 x 19.5 in.; 343 x 495 mm.). 12) Vintage Naismith-endorsed Rawlings basketball (one of the few products Naismith ever endorsed). Also included is a miscellaneous grouping of material including (3) photographs of Naismith (one of him holding an early basketball with a pair of peach baskets), a pair of wooden bookends from his office and an array of Naismith ephemera (programs, booklets & photos), a 1941 hard bound edition of Basketball: The Fascinating Story of the Game the Whole World Plays Told by the Man Who Invented It and various correspondences (written by others). In December 2010 Sotheby's sold Naismith's 2-page "First 13 Rules of Basketball" for an astounding $4.3 million. Far too much to list, interested buyers are strongly encouraged to view this historic collection in person.