Naismith Wall at Kansas

Sound Mind and Sound Body LIVING THE BALANCED MAN IDEAL The creator of the sport of basketball (and SigEp Brother) is memorialized with the... Naismith Wall at Kansas B Y DANIEL S. O’NEILL, Kansas ’08 here have been few men who (Naismith wrote it as two words), the have single-handedly changed game remains the product of Naismith’s the face of sports. Over 100 invention. T years ago, Dr. James S. Today at the University of Kansas, Naismith, Kansas ’23, became one of basketball serves as a sense of pride and those men. Assigned the difficult task of tradition. From the court in Allen inventing a game in two weeks time that Fieldhouse which is named after James would provide “athletic distraction” for a Naismith, to the walls of SigEp, rowdy group of young men over the Naismith’s legend lives on. winter months, Dr. Naismith combined In 1923, James Naismith was among his ideals with a number of other sports the charter members of the Kansas of the time and composed a game he Gamma Chapter. He went on to marry called basket ball. However, it is reported the housemother and become the Chapter he didn’t even conceive “basket ball” until Counselor. Today’s SigEp house at the the day before the deadline. Perhaps even university chooses to remember Naismith more impressive, the original 13 rules with a wall containing, among other were not written until an hour before his things, a copy of the 13 original, class. Although nearly every aspect of the handwritten rules of basketball. game has evolved over the past century, Through the original rules, Dr. including the way we now write the word Naismith’s ideas of how games should be A copy of the original handwritten rules of the game played are evident. Rule number five goes on display in the SigEp chapter house. into the details of a foul. Dr. Naismith used this rule to take some of the Also encased on this wall are plaques physicality out of the game. Physical commemorating the “Peachbasket” Award contact is what eliminated football as an which is given in honor of Dr. Naismith indoor option. In the spirit of conducting by the Greater Kansas City Alumni fair games, Naismith mentions an umpire Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Nearly in rule nine and elaborates on the anyone involved in the game is eligible, umpire’s role in rules 10 and 11. As the from coaches to sportswriters. The first game continues to evolve, most of the recipient of this award was John Wooden. rules have changed. Other memorabilia include signed copies At KU he is possibly remembered of “The Basketball Man,” a book by infamously as the only coach to don a Bernice Larson Webb about the inventor losing record (55-60). But, basketball was of the game. There are also signed items more than winning and losing to the great from other Kansas coaches such as Roy coach who was sometimes not even Williams and Larry Brown. present for the games, as he was away In the early 20th Century, a crowd of refereeing others. Naismith saw the game hundreds was large for a game. Through as one that was never meant to be the years, KU has routinely drawn sell-out coached, just played. crowds of over 16,000. Basketball has become as much a part of student life as SigEp’s original Balanced Man-Dr. James S. Naismith studying. Tickets are a precious 10 The Journal of Sigma Phi Epsilon www.sigep.org 10-15-w04 10 10/26/04, 11:04 AM commodity during the season, and all medicine. Naismith also served in the televisions are tuned in for road games. First Kansas Infantry. However, he Ironically, Dr. Naismith had no obviously is most remembered for his intentions of the game reaching this type contributions to the sport of basketball. of popularity. Basketball grew Dr. Naismith made everything he was exponentially over its first century. In 45 involved in better. He set out on a years, it went from 18 young men in a mission, determined to positively affect YMCA to an Olympic event in 1936. the quality of other’s lives. In a speech Basketball is currently played by over given to a class at Springfield College in 300 million people worldwide. 1932, Naismith summed up his beliefs Dr. Naismith was the quintessential in a single statement: “It is your inner brother, and embodied nearly every life, the things you do and say that will aspect of the Balanced Man. In his influence (others) and make them men.” lifetime, he earned degrees in philosophy, religion, physical education, and “Olympism is a philosophy of life exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind.” Various items on display in the Naismith Wall. — Olympic Charter, Fundamental principles, paragraph two Sound Mind and Sound Body The Journal of Sigma Phi Epsilon 11 10-15-w04 11 10/26/04, 11:23 AM.

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