Five Interesting Basketball Items from the Toronto Reference Library

The recent Raptors playoffs got me very excited so I thought I would dip into the stacks of the Toronto Reference Library to see what I could find. One of the great things about working here is the depth, breadth and age of the collection. I hope you enjoy some of these quirky discoveries.

Because these items are all at the Toronto Reference Library, and some are quite fragile, none of them can be borrowed. But they can be read in the library.

Basketball, its Origin and Development was written by James Naismith in 1941 about 50 years after he invented basketball. Born in Canada, Naismith spent much of his adult life teaching in the United States and it was there as a physical education instructor at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts he invented the game (and its original 13 Rules).

This attractive antique 1907 book published by sports manufacturer Spalding and written by Dr. Luther Gulick raised my hackles. He claimed to be the inventor of basketball! Dr. Gulick was in fact the boss / colleague of Naismith at the YMCA and certainly he did much to promote basketball in its early days.

How to Play basket ball by Dr Luther Halsey Gulick (Spalding series 1907)

Basket Ball and Indoor Baseball for Women published in 1927 stood out as an early women's title.

I also wanted to slip in this 1913 photo from Havergal (girls) College showing students playing basketball outdoors.

A few years later in 1932 there was this local title Canadian Women's Basketball Rules.

And lastly, this gem from the Humanities and Social Sciences Department's fragile Annex Collection (carefully wrapped to protect it). This has a another nice Canadian and, in fact, a local Toronto twist. It also goes to the root of the original intent of Naismith to create an activity that was for youth and health.

Basket Ball, Base Ball, Foot Ball and Hockey Guide published in 1914 by the Toronto Public School Athletic Association.

It's game six tonight - go Raptors go!