There’s no such sport more convenient or accessible than basketball. It is fun, practical, and affordable. It’s also a common and healthy alternative to electronic entertainment. However, such a great sport could not come about by itself. There was an idea behind it. And behind that idea was a man, Dr. James Naismith.James Naismith was born near Almonte, Ontario on November 6, 1861. He was the eldest son of Scottish immigrants John and Margaret Naismith. His family moved to Grand Calumet in 1869 when James was eight, so his father could become a sawhand. Two years later his parents died from typhoid fever leaving James his brother, and his sister, orphans. James, his brother Robbie, and sister Annie, then went to live with their maternal grandmother. When she died, they were sent into the care of their authoritarian uncle, Peter Young.James’ childhood education was received at a single-roomed grade school. Although James was a strong and skillful boy, his academic studies were not as strong. His leadership skills compensated for poor marks. He was a leader among his peers in physical activities. He showed signs of becoming a great athlete. James soon moved on to high school, which was a grey-stone building in Almonte for him. Before and after school James did chores around the farm and worked woods. Through these chores he learned how to chop trees, saw logs, and drive horses. He was very independent in everything he did. If he was in the field or the woods he was expected to carry out his given work without any help. If problems arose, he dealt with them himself. This was due to his strong sense of leadership and skillfullness.To further his education, James attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. There he began a four-year program in Bachelor of Arts. Here he studied exceedingly hard, and to do this he decided set aside sports. Finally, one day two of his friends convinced him that V...
