Dr. James Naismith may arguably be the best and the most popular Physical Education teacher to ever exist in human history. He is an American-Canadian who was also a sports coach and is known worldwide as the father of Basketball.
Naismith’s one invention has impacted human civilization so deeply that has gone on to become an essential part of many people’s lives and a source of livelihood and happiness for millions of individuals across the globe. Let’s take a look at the legacy of this great man.
Reliving the life of Dr. James Naismith
Dr. James Naismith was born in Almonte, California. He attended the University of Montreal where he developed an interest in the sport of rugby and football. He studied Theology at his university and successfully graduated in 1887 after which in 1891 he was hired at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now known as Springfield College) as an instructor.
At his job, Dr. James Naismith was tasked with coming up with an entirely new game that could be played during the winter indoors because of the harsh weather conditions outside. This task led the doctor to think of a game that has now become so popular that around 450 million people love it. He planted two peach baskets from the walls of his school’s gymnasium and hung a Soccer ball from the bottom of each basket. He then created 13 basic or primary rules for the game that he named “Basketball.”
In 1898 Naismith attained a degree in M.D. from a college in Denver and joined Kansas University heading the post of the chairman of the physical education department. In his time at the University of Kansas, he also became a coach for the Kansas Jayhawks and coached the team from 1898 -1907. He retired in 1937 but still promoted basketball, the game he created. He died peacefully in 1939 and the same year he was inducted as a legendary Hall of Famer in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Naismith’s everlasting legacy
The legacy that Dr.James Naismith has created is evergreen and everlasting. It will be with the human civilization until everything ceases to exist. Basketball has gained so much popularity that its creator himself would never have imagined. There are multiple professional basketball leagues across the globe and hundreds of thousands of domestic-level competitions that happen every year.
The Greatest competition of them all is the NBA, which has risen to the point of global recognition. Every kid who holds a basketball and has a dream of becoming a professional dreams about the NBA. Naismith’s contribution to the sport is so immense that the most prestigious Hall of Fame featuring the biggest of Basketball stars in history is rightfully named after him.
The sport he created is bigger than life for many people. It has offered opportunities to the poorest of people to rewrite their fate and has produced megastars worth over a billion dollars, making them among the wealthiest people on the planet. This sport has given hope to hundreds of millions of children, inspiring them to pursue their dreams and work hard to achieve them. All of this was possible because of a single man, a P.E. teacher, Dr. James Naismith.
What do you think about Dr. James Naismith? Can you imagine a life without basketball? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section.
