View source for James Naismith

{{Short description|Inventor of basketball (1861–1939)}}
{{For|the chemical biologist|James Naismith (chemist)}}
{{Distinguish|James Nasmith|James Nesmith|James Nasmyth}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = James Naismith
| image = Dr. James Naismith.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Naismith holding a [[basketball (ball)|basketball]] and basket
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1861|11|06}}
| birth_place = [[Almonte, Ontario|Almonte]], [[Canada West]], [[Province of Canada]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1939|11|28|1861|11|06}}
| death_place = [[Lawrence, Kansas]], U.S.
| alma_mater = [[McGill University]]<br>[[Springfield College]]<br>[[Presbyterian College]]
| coach_sport1 = Basketball
| coach_years2 = 1898–1907
| coach_team2 = [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas]]
| coach_sport3 = Track and field
| coach_years4 = 1900–1906
| coach_team4 = [[Kansas Jayhawks track and field|Kansas]]
| overall_record = 55–60 (basketball)
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 
| awards = {{Plainlist|
* [[FIBA Hall of Famer|FIBA Hall of Fame]]
* [[Canada Basketball#Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame|Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame]]
* [[Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame]]
* [[Canadian Sports Hall of Fame]]
* [[Ontario Sports Hall of Fame]]
* [[Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame]]
* McGill University Sports Hall of Fame
* Oklahoma State Sports Hall of Fame
}}
| coaching_records = 
| BASKHOF_year = 1959
| BASKHOF_id = james-naismith
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
}}
<!--Please SEE naming conventions at WP: MOSBIO, please do not add details like "Dr."(this includes adding postnominal degrees after the name)-->

'''James Naismith''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|eɪ|s|m|ɪ|θ|}} {{respell|NAY|smith}}; November 6, 1861{{spnd}}November 28, 1939) was a Canadian-American physical educator, physician, Christian chaplain, and sports coach, best known as the inventor of the game of [[basketball]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/james-a-naismith-9420059|title=James A. Naismith|website=Biography.com|language=en-us|access-date=May 19, 2017}}</ref><ref name="mcgill" /><ref name="Porter">{{cite book |author=Porter, David L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DDO3sdV6ytsC&q=James+Naismith |title=Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary |publisher=Greenwood |year=2005 |isbn=978-0313309526}}</ref>

First developing the game in Canada, he wrote the [[James Naismith's Original Rules of Basketball|original basketball rule book]] after moving to the United States and founded the [[Kansas Jayhawks basketball|University of Kansas]] basketball program in 1898.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/sports/basketball/basketballs-birth-in-james-naismiths-own-spoken-words.html|title=Basketball's Birth, in James Naismith's Own Spoken Words|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|date=December 15, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 19, 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Naismith lived to see basketball adopted as an Olympic demonstration sport in [[1904 Summer Olympics|1904]] and as an official event at the [[1936 Summer Olympics]] in [[Berlin]], and to see the birth of the [[National Invitation Tournament]] (1938) and the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Tournament]] (1939). He also lived to see the creation of half of the leagues that eventually became the present-day [[National Basketball Association]], with the 1935 creation of the Midwest Basketball Conference before it became the [[National Basketball League (United States)|National Basketball League]] in 1937.

Naismith studied and taught [[physical education]] at [[McGill University]] in [[Montreal]] until 1890, before moving later that year to [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], where in 1891 he designed basketball while teaching at the [[Springfield College|International YMCA Training School]].<ref name="Porter 2005 pp. 346–347">{{cite book |last=Porter |first=David |title=Basketball : a biographical dictionary |publisher=Greenwood Press |publication-place=Westport, Conn |year=2005 |isbn=9780313061974 |oclc=562553759 |pages=[{{Google books|id=DDO3sdV6ytsC|page=PA346|plainurl=yes}} 346]–[{{Google books|id=DDO3sdV6ytsC|page=PA347|plainurl=yes}} 347]}}</ref> Seven years after inventing basketball, Naismith received his [[Doctor of Medicine|medical degree]] in [[Denver]] in 1898. He then arrived at the [[University of Kansas]], later becoming the [[Kansas Jayhawks]]' athletic director and coach.<ref name="Porter 2005 pp. 346–347"/>

While a coach at Kansas, Naismith coached [[Phog Allen]], who later became the coach at Kansas for 39 seasons, beginning a lengthy and prestigious [[coaching tree]]. Allen went on to coach players including [[Adolph Rupp]] and [[Dean Smith]], who themselves coached many notable players and future coaches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dean Smith's Coaching Tree Displays Incredible Reach Across Decades |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2358295-dean-smiths-coaching-tree-displays-incredible-reach-across-decades|website=BleacherReport.com}}</ref>

==Early years==
[[File:Naismith statue, Almonte.jpg|thumb|left|Sculpture in [[Almonte, Ontario]]. Identical copies are located in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], and [[Lawrence, Kansas]].]]
Naismith was born on November 6, 1861, in [[Almonte, Ontario|Almonte]], [[Province of Canada#Canada West|Canada West]], [[Province of Canada]] (now part of [[Mississippi Mills, Ontario]], Canada) to [[Scottish people|Scottish]] parents.<ref name="kuhistory">
{{cite web| last = Laughead| first = George| title = Dr. James Naismith, Inventor of Basketball| work = Kansas Heritage Group | url=http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html| access-date = September 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060406064642/http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html|archive-date=April 6, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 6, 2025 |title=Research reveals basketball creator was Scottish, not Canadian |url=https://www.stir.ac.uk/news/2025/march-2025-news/research-reveals-basketball-creator-was-scottish-not-canadian/ |access-date=March 15, 2026 |website=University of Stirling}}</ref> Despite some sources to the contrary, Naismith never had a middle name and never signed his name with an "A" initial. The "A" was added by someone in administration at the University of Kansas.{{efn|In 1982, Naismith's only living child stated that his father never had the middle initial "A". According to Canadian basketball historian Curtis J. Phillips, other members of Naismith's family and friends also confirm this.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://curtisjphillips.tripod.com/id10.html|title=The original Dr. J.|last=Phillips|first=Curtis J.|date=1996|access-date=January 16, 2020}}</ref>}} Naismith spent his days outside playing catch, hide-and-seek, or [[duck on a rock]], a medieval game in which a person guards a large [[stone skipping|skipping stone]] from opposing players, who try to knock it down by throwing smaller stones at it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Newly found documents shed light on basketball's birth  |date=November 13, 2006  |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2660882 |access-date=2015-01-31  |url-status=live  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201225936/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2660882  |archive-date=December 1, 2007}}</ref><ref name="museumtimeline">
{{cite web| last = Laughead| first = George| title = Dr. James Naismith | work = Kansas Heritage Group| url=http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html
|quote=In the late 1930s he played a role in what became the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball.|access-date=September 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060406064642/http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html|archive-date=April 6, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> Orphaned early in his life, Naismith lived with his aunt and uncle for many years and attended grade school at Bennies Corners near Almonte. Then, he enrolled in Almonte High School, in Almonte, Ontario, from which he graduated in 1883.<ref name=museumtimeline/>

In the same year, Naismith entered [[McGill University]] in [[Montreal]]. Although described as a slight figure, standing {{convert|5|ft|10+1/2|in}} and listed at {{convert|178|lb}}<ref name=hofsummary>
{{cite web| last = Dodd| first = Hellen Naismith | date = January 6, 1959| title = James Naismith's Resume| work = Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame| url= http://hoophall.com/history/naismith-resume.html| access-date = September 30, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071119053704/http://www.hoophall.com/history/naismith-resume.html |archive-date = November 19, 2007}}</ref> he was a talented and versatile athlete, representing McGill in [[Canadian football|football]], [[lacrosse]], [[rugby union|rugby]], [[soccer]], and [[gymnastics]]. He played centre on the football team, and made himself some padding to protect his ears.<ref>{{cite book|author=John Melady|title=Breakthrough!: Canada's Greatest Inventions and Innovations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F2a6wWxFa_4C&pg=PA56|year=2013|publisher=Dundurn|page=56|isbn=9781459708532}}</ref> He won multiple Wicksteed medals for outstanding gymnastics performances.<ref name=mcgill>{{cite web | last = Zukerman| first = Earl | date = December 17, 2003| title = McGill grad James Naismith, inventor of basketball| work = Varsity Sports News | publisher = McGill Athletics| url = http://athletics.mcgill.ca/varsity_sports_article.ch2?article_id=110 | access-date = September 30, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207055905/http://athletics.mcgill.ca/varsity_sports_article.ch2?article_id=110 | archive-date = December 7, 2008| url-status = dead}}</ref> Naismith earned a BA in physical education (1888) and a diploma at the [[The Presbyterian College, Montreal|Presbyterian College in Montreal]] (1890).<ref name=museumtimeline/> At the end of his career, in 1938 and 1939, he would receive honorary doctorates from both institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Naismith {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/james-naismith |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-03-10 |title=About Dr. James Naismith |url=https://naismithbasketballfoundation.com/about-dr-james-naismith/ |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=Naismith Basketball Foundation |language=en}}</ref> From 1888 to 1890, Naismith taught physical education and became the first McGill director of athletics, but then left Montreal to study at the [[Springfield College|YMCA International Training School]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web|title=A Shot at History: Basketball|url=http://www.davison.com/blog/2013/10/24/a-shot-at-history-basketball/|access-date=October 24, 2013|archive-date=October 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190634/http://www.davison.com/blog/2013/10/24/a-shot-at-history-basketball/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=McGill University · James Naismith's Life and Legacy: Celebrating 150 Years · KU Libraries Exhibits|url=https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/show/naismith150/collections/mcgill|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=exhibits.lib.ku.edu}}</ref> Naismith played football during his one year as a student at Springfield, where he was coached by [[Amos Alonzo Stagg]] and scored a touchdown in the first exhibition of [[Indoor American football|indoor college football]] at [[Madison Square Garden (1890)|Madison Square Garden]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 13, 1890|title=Foot-ball at the S.I.A.C. Games, Yale Daily News|url=https://ydnhistorical.library.yale.edu/?a=d&d=YDN18901213-01.2.4&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|website=Yale Daily News Historical Archive}}</ref>

==Springfield College: Invention of basketball==
{{Wikisource|Basket Ball}}
[[File:Firstbasketball.jpg|thumb|upright|The original 1891 "Basket Ball" court in [[Springfield College]]. It used a peach basket attached to the wall.]]
Naismith is credited with inventing basketball. Having been an outstanding football player at McGill University in Montreal, he later decided to become a physical education teacher at McGill University for his three postgraduate years and then went to Springfield, Massachusetts, to study at the YMCA International Training School in the 1890s. Whilst teaching there, Naismith realized he needed to invent an indoor game for the winter due to the weather conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetribune.ca/sports/130-years-ago-mcgill-alumnus-dr-james-naismith-invented-basketball-01262021/|title=130 years ago, McGill alumnus Dr. James Naismith invented basketball|last=Ali|first=Reza|date=January 26, 2021|work=Tribune.ca|access-date=January 13, 2025}}</ref>

After completing the [[YMCA]] physical director training program that had brought him to Springfield, Naismith was hired as a full-time faculty member in 1891.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Springfield College · James Naismith's Life and Legacy: Celebrating 150 Years · KU Libraries Exhibits|url=https://exhibits.lib.ku.edu/exhibits/show/naismith150/collections/springfield|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=exhibits.lib.ku.edu}}</ref> At the Springfield YMCA, Naismith struggled with a rowdy class that was confined to indoor games throughout the harsh [[New England]] winter, and thus was perpetually short-tempered. Under orders from then head of physical education [[Luther Gulick (physician)|Luther Gulick]], Naismith was given 14 days to create an indoor game that would provide an "athletic distraction"; Gulick demanded that it would not take up much room, could help its track athletes to keep in shape<ref name=mcgill/> and explicitly emphasized to "make it fair for all players and not too rough".<ref name=hofsummary/> Naismith was later employed to teach physical education using two boxes. He told the superintendent he needed the two boxes to be put onto a pole so a large ball could be thrown into them.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hess |first=M. Whitcomb |date=1948 |title=The Man Who Invented Basketball |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/41205127 |journal=The American Scholar |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=87–92 |jstor=41205127 |access-date=2023-10-02 }}</ref>

In his attempt to think up a new game, Naismith was guided by three main thoughts.<ref name="museumtimeline" /> Firstly, he analyzed the most popular games of the times (rugby, lacrosse, [[Association football|soccer]], football, [[ice hockey|hockey]], and [[baseball]]); Naismith noticed the hazards of a ball and concluded that the big, soft soccer ball was safest. He noticed that most physical injuries would occur with players being in direct contact. Due to this discovery players were not permitted to run with the ball. Instead, they had to throw it from the spot where they caught it. In addition the ball was to be held only with the hands, the arms and body could not be used to cradle and carry the ball.<ref>{{Citation |last=Grasso |first=John |title=Appendix A: Dr. James Naismith's Original Thirteen Rules of Basketball |date=2010 |work=Historical Dictionary of Basketball |pages=399–400 |url=https://doi.org/10.5771/9780810875067-399 |access-date=2025-04-24 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |doi=10.5771/9780810875067-399 |isbn=978-0-8108-7506-7|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Finally, to further reduce physical contact Naismith decided to make the goal open to all players by placing it high above the player's heads with the plane of the goal's opening parallel to the floor. This made the goal unguardable, giving players an equal opportunity to score. In order to score goals, players would throw a soft, lobbing shot like that which had proven effective in his old favorite game, [[duck on a rock]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Duck on the Rock |publisher=History Channel Canada}}</ref> For this purpose, Naismith asked a janitor to find a pair of boxes, but the janitor brought him peach baskets instead.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ladd|first=Travis C.|title=History Of Basketball: Who, When, Where and How It Was Invented?|url=https://sportsierra.com/history-of-basketball/|access-date=May 7, 2021|website=Sportsierra}}</ref> Naismith christened this new game ''Basket Ball''<ref name=museumtimeline/> and put his thoughts together in [[James Naismith's Original Rules of Basketball|13 basic rules]].<ref name=13rules>{{cite web  |last=Naismith  |first=James  |title=Dr. James Naismith's 13 Original Rules of Basketball  |work=National Collegiate Athletic Association  |url=https://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/basketball/original_rules.html  |access-date=September 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408185146/http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/basketball/original_rules.html |archive-date=April 8, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, and instead of shooting at two hoops, the goals were a pair of peach baskets: "When Mr. Stubbins brot {{sic}} up the peach baskets to the gym I secured them on the inside of the railing of the gallery. This was about {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us|disp=sqbr}} from the floor, one at each end of the gymnasium. I then put the 13 rules on the bulletin board just behind the instructor's platform, secured a soccer ball, and awaited the arrival of the class ... The class did not show much enthusiasm, but followed my lead ... I then explained what they had to do to make goals, tossed the ball up between the two center men and tried to keep them somewhat near the rules. Most of the fouls were called for running with the ball, though tackling the man with the ball was not uncommon."<ref name=firstgame>{{cite web | last = Naismith | first = James | title = James Naismith Handwritten Manuscript Detailing First Basketball Game | work = Heritage Auction Galleries | url = http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=706&Lot_No=19007&type=prte-pr11136b&ic= |access-date = September 30, 2008| archive-date = December 17, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191217212116/http://sports.ha.com/common/view_item.php?Sale_No=706&Lot_No=19007&type=prte-pr11136b&ic=
| url-status = dead }}</ref> In contrast to modern basketball, the original rules did not include what is known today as the [[dribbling|dribble]]. Since the ball could only be moved up the court by a pass early players tossed the ball over their heads as they ran up court. Also following each "goal", a [[jump ball]] was taken in the middle of the court. Both practices are obsolete in [[Rules of basketball|the rules of modern basketball]].<ref name=modernrules>{{cite web | title = Official basketball rules | work = [[International Basketball Federation]] | url = http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/FIBA/ruleRegu/p/openNodeIDs/897/selNodeID/897/baskOffiRule.html | access-date = September 30, 2008 | archive-date = April 12, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160412000319/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/FIBA/ruleRegu/p/openNodeIDs/897/selNodeID/897/baskOffiRule.html| url-status = dead }}</ref>

In a radio interview in January 1939, Naismith gave more details of the first game and the initial rules that were used:

<blockquote>I showed them two peach baskets I'd nailed up at each end of the gym, and I told them the idea was to throw the ball into the opposing team's peach basket. I blew a whistle, and the first game of basketball began ... The boys began tackling, kicking, and punching in the clinches. They ended up in a free-for-all in the middle of the gym floor. [The injury toll: several black eyes, one separated shoulder, and one player knocked unconscious.] It certainly was murder. [Naismith changed some of the rules as part of his quest to develop a clean sport.] The most important one was that there should be no running with the ball. That stopped tackling and slugging. We tried out the game with those [new] rules (fouls), and we didn't have one casualty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/sports/basketball/basketballs-birth-in-james-naismiths-own-spoken-words.html|title=Basketball's Birth, in James Naismith's Own Spoken Words|date=16 December 2015|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Laura |title=How James Naismith created basketball when he was a gym teacher |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/16/459991511/basketball-inventor-james-naismith |access-date=15 May 2022 |work=[[NPR]] |date=11 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>

Naismith was a classmate of [[Amos Alonzo Stagg]] at the YMCA School, where Stagg coached the football team. They became close friends and Naismith played on the football team and Stagg played on the basketball team. Naismith invited Stagg to play in the first public basketball game on March 12, 1892. The students defeated the faculty 5–1 and Stagg scored the only basket for the faculty.<ref name="Sumner 2021 53">{{Cite book|last=Sumner|first=David E.|title=Amos Alonzo Stagg: College Football's Greatest Pioneer|publisher=McFarland Books|year=2021|isbn=978-1-4766-8576-2|location=Jefferson, NC`|pages=53}}</ref> The Springfield Republican reported on the same: "Over 200 spectators crammed their necks over the gallery railing of the Christian Workers gymnasium while they watched the game of 'basket ball' between the teachers and the students. The most conspicuous figure on the floor was Stagg in the blue Yale uniform who managed to have a hand in every scrimmage."<ref>{{Cite news|date=March 12, 1982|title=Basket Football Game|work=The Springfield Republican, Springfield College Digital Collection|url=https://library.springfield.edu/springfield-college-digital-collections/sc-digital-collections|access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref>

By 1892, basketball had grown so popular on campus that Dennis Horkenbach (editor-in-chief of ''The Triangle'', the Springfield college newspaper) featured it in an article called "A New Game",<ref name=kuhistory/> and there were calls to call this new game "Naismith Ball", but Naismith refused.<ref name=museumtimeline/> By 1893, basketball was introduced internationally by the [[YMCA]] movement.<ref name=kuhistory/> From Springfield, Naismith went to Denver, where he acquired a medical degree, and in 1898, he joined the [[University of Kansas]] faculty at [[Lawrence, Kansas|Lawrence]].<ref name=hofsummary/>

The family of Lambert G. Will, disputing Naismith's sole creation of the game, has claimed that Naismith borrowed components for the game of basketball from Will, citing alleged photos and letters. In an interview, the family did give Naismith credit for the general idea of the sport, but they claimed Will changed aspects of Naismith's original plans for the game and Naismith took credit for the changes.<ref name="VPR">{{cite web|last=Baruth|first=Philip|title=Commentary Series: Basketball Inventor|url=http://www.vpr.net/episode/33157/|publisher=Vermont Public Radio|access-date=March 27, 2011|date=January 29, 2007|url-status=live|archive-date=March 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306140120/http://www.vpr.net/episode/33157/}}</ref><ref name=Box>{{cite web|last=Fosty|first=George & Darril|title=Basketball's Origins, Lingering Questions Remain|url=http://boxscorenews.com/basketballs-origins-lingering-questions-remain-p783-78.htm|publisher=Box Score News|access-date=March 27, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727022410/http://boxscorenews.com/basketballs-origins-lingering-questions-remain-p783-78.htm|archive-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref>

[[Spalding (company)|Spalding]] worked with Naismith to develop the official basketball and the Spalding Athletic Library official basketball rule book for 1893–1894.<ref name="Spalding">{{cite web |title=History |website=Spalding |url=https://www.spalding-basketball.com/en/about-spalding/history/// |access-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224215116/https://www.spalding-basketball.com/en/about-spalding/history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Digital Commonwealth">{{cite web |title=Basketball: A book written by Dr. James Naismith and Dr. Luther Gulick, 1894 |website=Digital Commonwealth |url=https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth-oai:5712m6770 |access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref>

==University of Kansas==
{{Stack|
[[File: Kansas U team 1899.jpg|right|thumb|1899 University of Kansas basketball team, with James Naismith at the back, right]]
[[File: Allen Fieldhouse.jpg|right|thumb|Basketball games at [[Allen Fieldhouse]] take place on the James Naismith Court.]]
}}
The [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|University of Kansas]] men's basketball program officially began following Naismith's arrival in 1898, seven years after Naismith drafted the sport's first official rules. Naismith was not initially hired to coach basketball, but rather as a chapel director and physical-education instructor.<ref name=untold>{{cite web
 | last = Chimelis
 | first = Ron
 | title = Naismith Untold
 | work = Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
 | url= http://www.hoophall.com/history/naismith-untold-story.html | access-date = September 30, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071102090506/http://www.hoophall.com/history/naismith-untold-story.html |archive-date = November 2, 2007}}</ref> In those early days, the majority of the basketball games were played against nearby YMCA teams, with YMCAs across the nation having played an integral part in the birth of basketball. Other common opponents were [[Haskell Indian Nations University]] and [[William Jewell College]]. Under Naismith, the team played only one current [[Big 12]] school: [[Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball|Kansas State]] (once). Naismith is the only coach in the program's history to have a losing record (55–60).<ref name=kurecord>{{cite web
 |title=Naismith's Record
 |work=kusports.com
 |url=http://www.kusports.com/basketball/history/naismith/naismith_record.html
 |access-date=September 30, 2008 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704144839/http://www.kusports.com/basketball/history/naismith/naismith_record.html
 |archive-date=July 4, 2008 }}</ref> However, Naismith coached [[Phog Allen|Forrest "Phog" Allen]], his eventual successor at Kansas,<ref name=kshs>{{cite web
 | title = James Naismith, A Kansas Portrait
 | work = Kansas Historical Society
 | url= http://www.kshs.org/portraits/naismith_james.htm | access-date = September 30, 2008 }}</ref> who went on to join his mentor in the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web
 | title = Forrest C. "Phog" Allen
 | work = Naismith Museum And Hall of Fame
 | url= http://hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-phog-allen.html
 | access-date = September 30, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071230130907/http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-phog-allen.html |archive-date = December 30, 2007}}</ref>

When Allen became a coach himself and told him that he was going to coach basketball at [[Baker University]] in 1904, Naismith discouraged him: "You can't coach basketball; you just play it."<ref name=mcgill /> Instead, Allen embarked on a coaching career that would lead him to be known as "the Father of Basketball Coaching". During his time at Kansas, Allen coached [[Dean Smith]] (1952 National Championship team) and [[Adolph Rupp]] (1922 Helms Foundation National Championship team). Smith and Rupp have joined Naismith and Allen as [[List of members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|members of the Basketball Hall of Fame]].

By the turn of the century, enough college teams were in the East that the first intercollegiate competitions could be played out.<ref name=kshs/> Although the sport continued to grow, Naismith long regarded the game as a curiosity and preferred gymnastics and [[Scholastic wrestling|wrestling]] as better forms of physical activity.<ref name=kshs/> However, basketball became a [[Basketball at the 1904 Summer Olympics|demonstration sport]] at the [[1904 Summer Olympics]] in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]. As the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame reports, Naismith was not interested in self-promotion nor was he interested in the glory of competitive sports.<ref name=hof>{{cite web
 | work = Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
 | title = Hall of Fame Feature: James Naismith
 | url= http://hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-james-naismith.html | access-date = September 30, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071123173152/http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-james-naismith.html |archive-date = November 23, 2007}}</ref> Instead, he was more interested in his physical-education career; he received an honorary PE master's degree in 1910,<ref name=museumtimeline/> patrolled the [[Mexico – United States border|Mexican border]] for four months in 1916, traveled to France, and published two books (''A Modern College'' in 1911 and ''Essence of a Healthy Life'' in 1918). He took American citizenship on May 4, 1925.<ref name="Porter 2005 pp. 346–347"/> In 1909, Naismith's duties at Kansas were redefined as a professorship; he served as the ''de facto'' athletic director at Kansas for much of the early 20th century.

Naismith had "strong feelings against [[racial segregation|segregation]]," dating back to his World War I-era service in France and his service on the United States-Mexico border, and he strove for progress in race relations through modest steps. During the 1930s, he would not or could not get [[African Americans]] onto Kansas' varsity Jayhawks, but he did help engineer the admission of black students to the university's [[swimming pool]]. Until then, they had been given automatic passing grades on a required swimming test without entering the pool, so it could remain all-white.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/03/upshot/choices-on-race-even-from-basketballs-beginnings.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer|title=Naismith's Choices on Race, From Basketball's Beginnings|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 2, 2014|author=Michael Beschloss|access-date=December 29, 2018}}</ref>

Through Naismith's association with Baker University Basketball Coach Emil Liston, he became familiar and impressed with Emil Liston's fraternity at Baker University, [[Sigma Phi Epsilon]] (SigEp). As a result, he started the effort to bring a Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter to his University of Kansas (KU). On February 18, 1923, Naismith, intending to bring a SigEp Chapter to KU, was initiated as a SigEp member by national office of the fraternity. Under Naismith's leadership, the University of Kansas Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter was founded and officially Charted on April 28, 1923, with Naismith leading the new 40-member fraternity as "Chapter Counselor".   Naismith was deeply involved with the members, serving as Chapter Counselor for 16 years, from 1923 until his death in 1939. During those 16 years as Chapter Counselor, he married SigEp's housemother, Mrs. Florence Kincaid. Members who were interviewed during that era remembered Naismith: "He was deeply religious", "He listened more than he spoke", "He thought sports were nothing but an avenue to keep young people involved so they could do their studies and relate to their community", and "It was really nice having someone with the caliber of Dr. Naismith, he helped many a SigEp."

In 1935, the [[National Association of Basketball Coaches]] (founded by Naismith's pupil Phog Allen) collected money so the 74-year-old Naismith could witness the introduction of basketball into the official Olympic sports program of the [[1936 Summer Olympic Games]] in [[Berlin]].<ref name=hof/><ref name="muddy_2017_08_27_olympics_com">[https://www.olympics.com/en/news/olympic-basketball-s-muddy-beginnings "Olympic basketball’s muddy beginnings,"] August 27, 2017, the [[International Olympic Committee]]</ref> There, Naismith handed out the medals to three North American teams: the [[United States]], for the gold medal, [[Canada]], for the silver medal, and [[Mexico]], for their bronze medal.<ref name="muddy_2017_08_27_olympics_com" /><ref>{{cite web
 |work=collegesportsscholarships.com
 |title=James Naismith, the inventor of basketball
 |url=http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/basketball-inventor-james-naismith.htm
 |access-date=September 30, 2008 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017134337/http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/basketball-inventor-james-naismith.htm
 |archive-date=October 17, 2008 }}</ref> During the Olympics, he was named the honorary president of the [[International Basketball Federation]].<ref name=museumtimeline/> When Naismith returned, he commented that seeing the game played by many nations was the greatest compensation he could have received for his invention.<ref name=kshs/> In 1937, Naismith played a role in the formation of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball, which later became the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] (NAIA).<ref name=naia>{{cite news
 | last = Kerkhoff
 | first = Blair
 | title = The NAIA basketball tournament? Throw 32 teams in the same building and see which is the last one standing at the end of a weeklong frenzy
 | url= http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_10_230/ai_n26787758m
 | access-date = September 30, 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Naismith became professor ''emeritus'' at Kansas when he retired in 1937 at the age of 76. In addition to his years as a coach, for a total of almost 40 years, Naismith worked at the school and during those years, he also served as its athletic director and was also a faculty member at the school. In 1939, Naismith suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage. He was interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in [[Lawrence, Kansas]]. His masterwork "Basketball&nbsp;— its Origins and Development" was published posthumously in 1941.<ref name=museumtimeline/> Also in 1941, the National Academy of Kinesiology (née American Academy of Physical Education) recognized Naismith (posthumously) for creating the game of basketball by granting him their "Creative Award".<ref name="The National Academy of Kinesiology">{{cite journal |last1=Cardinal |first1=Bradley J. |title=The National Academy of Kinesiology: Its founding, focus, and future |journal=Kinesiology Review |date=2022 |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=6–25 |doi=10.1123/kr.2021-0064}}</ref>  

In Lawrence, Naismith has a road named in his honor, Naismith Drive, which runs in front of Allen Fieldhouse. James Naismith Court in Allen Fieldhouse is named in his honor as well. Naismith Valley Park and the dormitory Naismith Hall are also named after him.<ref name=googlemaps>{{cite web
 | work = Google Maps
 | title = Google Maps Route
 | url= https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=Naismith+Drive+and+24th+St,+Lawrence,+Kansas&daddr=Naismith+Drive+and+W+University+Drive&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=38.95045,-95.25601&sspn=0.027701,0.052013&ie=UTF8&ll=38.950799,-95.251207&spn=0.027701,0.052013&t=h&z=14| access-date = September 30, 2008 }}</ref>

==Head-coaching record==
===Basketball===
[[File: James Naismith at Springfield College circa 1920.jpg|thumb|right|170px|Naismith as University of Kansas athletics director, c. 1920]]

In 1898, Naismith became the first basketball coach of [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|University of Kansas]]. He compiled a record of 55–60 and is the only losing coach in Kansas history.<ref name=kurecord/> Naismith is at the beginning of a massive and prestigious coaching tree, as he coached [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] coach [[Phog Allen]], who himself coached Hall of Fame coaches [[Dean Smith]], [[Adolph Rupp]], and [[Ralph Miller]] who all coached future coaches as well.<ref name=kshs/>

In addition to Allen, Naismith also can be seen as a mentor and therefore beginning for the coaching tree branches of [[John McLendon]] who wasn't permitted to play at Kansas but was close to Naismith during his time as an athletic director.<ref name="Breaking1">{{cite book |title=Breaking Through: John B. McLendon, Basketball Legend and Civil Rights Pioneer |last=Katz |first=Milton S. |year=2010 |publisher=University of Arkansas Press |location=Fayetteville, Arkansas |isbn=978-1557289513 |page=2 }}</ref> [[Amos Alonzo Stagg]], was primarily a [[American football|football]] coach, but he did play basketball for Naismith in Springfield, coached a year of basketball at [[Chicago Maroons men's basketball|Chicago]] and had several football players who also coached basketball such as [[Jesse Harper]], [[Mysterious Walker|Fred Walker]] and [[Tony Hinkle]].<ref name="Sumner 2021 53"/>

{{CBB Yearly Record Start | type = | conference = | postseason= | poll = }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name       = [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas Jayhawks]]
 | conference = Independent
 | startyear  = 1898
 | endyear    = 1907
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1898–99 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1898–99]]
 | name         = [[1898–99 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 7–4
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1899–1900 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1899–00]]
 | name         = [[1899–1900 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 3–4
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1900–01 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1900–01]]
 | name         = [[1900–01 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 4–8
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1901–02 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1901–02]]
 | name         = [[1901–02 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 5–7
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1902–03 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1902–03]]
 | name         = [[1902–03 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 7–8
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1903–04 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1903–04]]
 | name         = [[1903–04 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 5–8
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1904–05 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1904–05]]
 | name         = [[1904–05 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 5–6
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1905–06 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States|1905–06]]
 | name         = [[1905–06 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 12–7
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | season       = [[1906–07 IAAUS men's basketball season|1906–07]]
 | name         = [[1906–07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]]
 | overall      = 7–8
 | conference   =
 | confstanding =
 | postseason   =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
 | overall = 55–60 ({{Winning percentage|55|60}})
 | legend  = no
}}

==Legacy==
[[File: James Naismith.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of James Naismith at [[Basketball Hall of Fame]] and Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts]]

Naismith invented the game of basketball and wrote the original 13 rules of this sport;<ref name=hof/> for comparison, the NBA rule book today features 66 pages. The [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in Springfield, Massachusetts, is named in his honor, and he was an inaugural inductee in 1959.<ref name="hof" /> The [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] rewards its best players and coaches annually with the [[Naismith Award]]s, among them the [[Naismith College Player of the Year]], the [[Naismith College Coach of the Year]], and the [[Naismith Prep Player of the Year]]. After the Olympic introduction to men's basketball in 1936, women's basketball became an Olympic event in [[Montreal]] during the [[1976 Summer Olympics]].<ref name=women1976>{{cite web|last=Jenkins |first=Sally |title=History of women's basketball |work=WNBA.com |publisher=Women's National Basketball Association |url=http://www.wnba.com/about_us/jenkins_feature.html |access-date=September 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106144210/http://www.wnba.com/about_us/jenkins_feature.html |archive-date=January 6, 2013 }}</ref>

Naismith was also inducted into the [[Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame]], the [[Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame]], the [[Canadian Sports Hall of Fame]], the [[Ontario Sports Hall of Fame]], the [[Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame]], the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas State Sports Hall of Fame, [[FIBA Hall of Famer|FIBA Hall of Fame]].<ref name=museumtimeline/><ref>{{cite web |title=James Naismith |url=http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/92-james-naismith |website=oshof.ca |publisher=[[Ontario Sports Hall of Fame]] |access-date=September 23, 2014 |archive-date=December 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226032455/http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/92-james-naismith |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[FIBA Basketball World Cup]] trophy is named the "James Naismith Trophy" in his honor. On June 21, 2013, Naismith was inducted into the Kansas Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Topeka.<ref name=KSHF>{{cite web|url=http://www.kshof.org/inductees/inductees-a-z/2-kansas-sports-hall-of-fame/inductees/198-naismith-dr-james.html|title=Naismith, Dr. James |access-date=September 14, 2013}}</ref>

Naismith's home town of [[Almonte, Ontario]], hosts an annual 3-on-3 tournament for all ages and skill levels in his honor. Every year, this event attracts hundreds of participants and involves over 20 half-court games along the main street of the town.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Naismith 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament Aug. 11 in Almonte|url=https://www.newhamburgindependent.ca/community-story/8797964-naismith-3-on-3-basketball-tournament-aug-11-in-almonte/|access-date=January 15, 2021|website=NewHamburgIndependent.ca|language=en-CA|archive-date=January 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121004511/https://www.newhamburgindependent.ca/community-story/8797964-naismith-3-on-3-basketball-tournament-aug-11-in-almonte/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Today basketball is played by more than 300 million people worldwide, making it one of the most popular team sports.<ref name=mcgill/> In North America, basketball has produced some of the most-admired athletes of the 20th century. [[ESPN]] and the [[Associated Press]] both conducted polls to name the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century. Basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] came in first in the ESPN poll and second (behind [[Babe Ruth]]) in the AP poll. Both polls featured fellow basketball players [[Wilt Chamberlain]] (of KU, like Naismith) and [[Bill Russell]] in the top 20.<ref name=espnvote>{{cite web
|work=ESPN.com|title=Top N. American athletes of the century|url= https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/athletes.html|access-date=September 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Top 100 athletes of the 20th century|work=USA Today|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ssat2.htm|access-date=September 30, 2008|date=December 21, 1999|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312070523/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ssat2.htm|archive-date=March 12, 2009}}</ref>

[[File: Naismith Rules of Basketball 1892 first draft.jpg|thumb|right|Typewritten first draft of the rules of basketball by Naismith]]
The original rules of basketball written by Naismith in 1891, considered to be basketball's founding document, were auctioned at Sotheby's, New York, in December 2010. [[Josh Swade]], a University of Kansas alumnus and basketball enthusiast, went on a crusade in 2010 to persuade moneyed alumni to consider bidding on and hopefully winning the document at auction to give it to the University of Kansas. Swade eventually persuaded [[David G. Booth]], a billionaire investment banker and KU alumnus, and his wife Suzanne Booth, to commit to bidding at the auction. The Booths won the bidding and purchased the document for a record US$4,338,500, the most ever paid for a sports memorabilia item, and gave the document to the University of Kansas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2010/james-naismith39s-founding-rules-of-basketball-n08735.html|title=James Naismith's Founding Rules of Basketball - N08735|website=Sothebys.com}}</ref> Swade's project and eventual success are chronicled in a 2012 ESPN ''[[30 for 30]]'' documentary "There's No Place Like Home" and in a corresponding book, ''The Holy Grail of Hoops: One Fan's Quest to Buy the Original Rules of Basketball''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/watch/film/f1376f23-d489-4f93-bc42-54dbaa0f663f/there%E2%80%99s-no-place-like-home|title=There's No Place Like Home - Stream the Film on Watch ESPN|website=ESPN}}</ref> The University of Kansas constructed an $18 million building named the Debruce Center, which houses the rules and opened in March 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/weblogs/heard_hill/2016/jan/15/updates-from-the-debruce-center-future-h/|title=Heard on the Hill &#124; Updates from the DeBruce Center, future home of Naismith's 'Rules of Basket Ball'}}</ref>

Naismith was designated a National Historic Person in 1976, on the advice of the national [[National Historic Sites of Canada#Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada|Historic Sites and Monuments Board]]<ref>[https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1173 James Naismith National Historic Person], Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Parks Canada</ref>

In 1991, postage stamps commemorated the centennial of basketball's invention: four stamps were issued by [[Canada Post]], including one with Naismith's name; one stamp was issued by the [[US Postal Service]]. Another Canadian stamp, in 2009, honored the game's invention.

In July 2019, Naismith was inducted into Toronto's [[Canada Walk of Fame|Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductee/dr-james-naismith|title=James Naismith |website=Canada's Walk of Fame}}</ref>

On January 15, 2021, [[Google]] placed a [[Google Doodle]] celebrating James Naismith on its home page in 18 countries, on five continents.<ref>{{YouTube|tkuwmytvtNg|Dr. James Naismith Google Doodle {{pipe}} History of Basketball Invention}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Naismith was the second child of two Scottish immigrants.<ref name=museumtimeline/> His father left Europe when he was 18, and also settled down in Lanark County.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stepaside.net/drjanaismith/dat4.htm#5|title=Dr. James A. Naismith and the Barony Naismiths|access-date=October 5, 2015|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305234951/http://www.stepaside.net/drjanaismith/dat4.htm#5|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On June 20, 1894, Naismith married Maude Sherman in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]]. The couple had five children.<ref name=hofsummary/>

He was a member of the [[Pi Gamma Mu]] and [[Sigma Phi Epsilon]] fraternities.<ref name=hofsummary/> Naismith was a Presbyterian minister and was also a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]].<ref name="masons">{{cite web| work = Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon the great couple had five kids| title = James Naismith| url = http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/naismith_j/naismith_j.html | access-date = September 30, 2008 }}</ref>

His first wife died in 1937, and on June 11, 1939, he married Florence Kincaid.<ref name=hofsummary/> On November 19 of that year, Naismith suffered a major [[brain hemorrhage]] and died nine days later in his home in Lawrence, Kansas.<ref name=museum>{{cite web|title=Naismith Museum & Hall of Fame: Biography of James Naismith |url=http://www.naismithmuseum.com/naismith_drjamesnaismith/main_drjamesnaismith.htm |access-date=December 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205045627/http://www.naismithmuseum.com/naismith_drjamesnaismith/main_drjamesnaismith.htm |archive-date=February 5, 2007 }}</ref> He was 78 years old.<ref name=bookrags>{{cite news| work = bookrags.com| title = James Naismith Biography| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10765-2005Jan14.html| access-date = September 30, 2008| first=Mark| last=Schlabac| date=January 15, 2005}}</ref> Naismith died eight months after the birth of the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA Basketball Championship]], which today has evolved to one of the biggest sports events in North America. Naismith is buried with his first wife in [[Memorial Park Cemetery]] in Lawrence, Kansas.<ref name=" LJWorld.com 2018">{{cite web |title=Hoops inventor's grave fails to draw KU fans |website=LJWorld.com |date=June 5, 2018 |url=https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2003/oct/17/hoops_inventors_grave/ |access-date=January 15, 2021}}</ref> Florence Kincaid died in 1977 at the age of 98 and is buried with her first husband, Frank B. Kincaid, in Elmwood Cemetery in [[Beloit, Kansas]].

During his lifetime, Naismith held these educational and academic positions:<ref name=hofsummary/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"| Location
!  style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"| Position
!  style="background:#ddf; width:15%;"| Period
!  style="background:#ddf; width:35%;"| Remarks
|-
| Bennie's Corner Grade School ([[Almonte, Ontario]])||[[Primary school]]||1867–1875||
|-
| [[Almonte and District High School|Almonte High School]]||[[Secondary school]]||1875–1877, 1881–83||Dropped out and re-entered
|-
| [[McGill University]]||University student||1883–87||Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education
|-
| McGill University|| Instructor in [[Physical education|Physical Education]]||1887–1890||Gold Wickstead Medal (1887), Best All-Around Athlete; Silver Cup (1886), first prize for a one-mile walk; Silver Wickstead Medal (1885), Best All-Around Athlete; Awarded one of McGill's first varsity letters
|-
| [[The Presbyterian College, Montreal]]||Education in [[Theology]]||1887–1890||Silver medal (1890), second highest award for regular and special honor work in Theology
|-
| [[Springfield College]]|| Instructor in Physical Education||1891–1895||Invented "Basket Ball" in December 1891
|-
| YMCA of Denver || Instructor in Physical Education||1895–1898||
|-
| [[University of Kansas]]||Instructor in Physical Education and Chapel Director ||1898–1909||
|-
| University of Kansas|| Basketball Coach ||1898–1907||First-ever basketball coach
|-
| University of Kansas||Professor and University Physician ||1909–1917||Hiatus from 1914 on due to [[World War I]]
|-
| First Kansas Infantry||Chaplain/Captain||1914–1917||Military service due to [[World War I]]
|-
| First Kansas Infantry (Mexican Border)||Chaplain ||1916||
|-
| Military and YMCA secretary in France ||Lecturer of Moral Conditions and [[Sex education|Sex Education]] ||1917–1919||
|-
| University of Kansas|| [[Athletic Director]] ||1919–1937||[[Emeritus]] in 1937
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports}}
* [[James Naismith's Original Rules of Basketball]]
* [[Basketball scorekeeping]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1=Naismith |first1=James |last2=Gulick |first2=Luther Halsey |author2-link=Luther Gulick (physician) |title=Basket Ball |year=1894 |location=New York|publisher=American sports Publishing Company |oclc=1041046804 |url=https://archive.org/details/basketball00nais |ref=none}}
** Reprinted: {{cite book |last=Naismith |first=James |title=Basketball : its origin and development |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |publication-place=Lincoln |year=1996 |isbn=9780803283701 |oclc=604260339 |url=https://archive.org/details/basketballitsori00nais |url-access=registration |ref=none}}
* {{cite book <!-- Citation bot bypass--> |last=Rains |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Rains |last2=Carpenter |first2=Hellen |title=James Naismith : the man who invented basketball |publisher=Temple University Press |publication-place=Philadelphia |year=2009 |isbn=9781439901359 |oclc=489150081 |url={{Google books |id=xmashQbIYyMC|page=PP1|plainurl=yes}} |jstor=j.ctt14btb6m |ref=none}}
* Sumner, David E. ''[https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/amos-alonzo-stagg/ Amos Alonzo Stagg, College Football's Greatest Pioneer]''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland Books, 2021.

==External links==
* {{Basketballhof|james-naismith}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930160126/http://www.halloffame.fiba.com/pages/eng/hof/indu/p/lid_9061_newsid/18082/contBio.html FIBA Hall of Fame profile] (archived 30 September 2007)
* [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/753/james-naismith James Naismith] at [[Find a Grave]]

{{basketball}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Naismith, James}}
[[Category:1861 births]]
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