Journal+Entry

10/24/1891

Dear Journal, Today was a very exciting day for me. The first game of the awesome new game I created for the students at the YMCA school to play during the winter season was played. This new game is now called “basketball” because one of the boys made up this name during the first game. A couple of weeks ago, I met with the Physical Education Department and the gym teacher at the YMCA school said that the students needed a sport to play during the winter season, in between football in the fall and track in the spring. They said that the game couldn't be too similar to another sport and that it had to be able to be played indoors because the weather is too unpredictable during the winter. After a long discussion, they assigned me with the job of creating this new game.

When the meeting ended, I went back to my office and sat down for awhile. I thought about how I was going to come with this new game. I approached this task by asking myself a series of questions. First I thought to myself, 'Well they all like to play football'. Then I thought, 'Why can't we play it indoors---Because it is too rough'. Next, 'Why do we tackle?---Because we run with the ball'. Then, 'If we didn't run with the ball, there would be no necessity for tackling'. Lastly, 'We need a game to play indoors'. At that moment I didn't know it, but I had just come up with the basis for the new game we call basketball. However, because I didn't realize this, I continued to think for hours and hours and I was finally able to put the pieces together and create the game. It's pretty amazing that I created this game by asking myself why, isn't it?

I can't even begin to describe how proud and honored I am to know that I created a game that many people now know about and love. Almost 100 people were in the stands today and I can't tell you how many of them came up to me and told me how great of a job I did coming up with this game. I am proud, excited, happy, honored, delighted, glad, overjoyed, and elated. Today was one of the best days of my life because for once, people actually appreciated what I did. I feel great!

Sincerely, James Naismith