For a time in the 1890s many believed that indoor baseball would become “the” winter sport. Originated in Chicago the popularity of the game quickly spread. But many were offended by the rowdy behavior of the players and spectators. This left an opening for basketball. Like its counterpart basketball also had to deal with “rowdyism.” This article by OP Schmidt summarizes the game of basketball that was played in the District during the winter of 1896/1897. Dr. James Naismith had invented the game several years earlier. The game as it was played in Washington was unique and you will notice that dribbling is not mentioned, it would be introduced much later.
No single feature in the form of a game introduced into the gymnasiums of the YMCA and the athletic clubs of the country in the last decade has created more universal interest, received more general attention, or had more rapid development in the shape of a contest than the game of basketball. Especially rapid has been this growth of interest in the past three years, and the more noteworthy has been the spread of interest among athletes and the lovers of sport generally during the present season; so much so that there is scarcely a city of any size having a YMCA gymnasium or an athletic club but has a basketball tram of more or less pretentions and ability. The leagues of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Springfield are well known. This city, generally in the lead and nearly always on even terms with other cities in matters athletic, has had its basketball teams for six years at least, the game first finding a home at the YMCA, under the direction of Prof. John Sims, then its physical instructor, and at present holding the same position for the Pennsylvania Railroad branch YMCA, at Philadelphia Soon afterward a team was organized by Prof. Maurice Joyce, physical instructor at Carroll Institute. These teams played in their own gymnasiums for the sake or exercise and never met in a contest. Three years ago the writer, seeing the great possibilities of the game as an indoor attraction during a season that is always more or less dull, enlisted the interest of other organizations in the game, and the promptly organized teams and took up the practice of the game. As a result, the respective teams met occasionally, and before the season has been well under way the writer organized a league of five teams, which then, as now, was known as the District of Columbia Basketball League.
From the very moment of its inception the affair was a success. It provided what the dull winter athletic season needed an exciting and interesting sport in the nature of contests; something to bring out the existing rivalry between organizations and the individual members, thereof; some means by which one or the other could show its supremacy. Promptly, almost after the first game of a regularly scheduled series of interclub championship contests, the interest of the public was secured, and the capacity of the respective gymnasium was the only limit to the attendance upon its games. For the purpose or keeping the size of the audience within bounds, as well as to defray necessary expenses, an admission fee was charged, and this policy of conducting the League series upon business principles has been followed out ever since. Now the home and visiting teams upon a league game might divide between them upon a percentage basis, the gate receipts from an attendance generally from 300 to 500 spectators, and the audience would in several instances be still larger if the gym space were greater. Nearly half the spectators these games are ladies. The game is played here under the rules issued by the international committee of the YMCA, and adopted by the YMCA Athletic League, of North America, with certain modifications and changes to suit this locality, and the character of players, who originally took up the game hereabouts. In some of the plays it is doubtful if James Naismith. the ingenious inventor of a very excellent sport, would know his own game, but the changes made in the first place were to add life and ginger to the game, and latterly to tone it down and take away as much as possible the tendencies to rough playing which crept in, and at the same time by its lively features to keep up the rooting interest of the spectators. When it was found that the players, for the most part, were football players, who found it difficult to leave off certain tactics peculiar to that game, the question of playing uniforms became a difficult one to settle. The teams composed of non-football men opposed the introduction of football or baseball suits because of their fear that the wearer would necessarily make the game rougher and harder against those players wearing ordinary gymnasium clothes who would stand but little show, and who could expect but little tenderness and mercy in the play of their opponents. After several contests, costumed as stated, the gymnasium floors summed harder than ever to all players, and the many unavoidable rough plays caused much wincing and gnashing of teeth, and it took but a little while for all hands to come to the conclusion that it would be better if all players wore the padded knee-pants. The result has been less injury, with a consequent greater freedom of movement. Gymnasium shirts or sweaters or jerseys are worn with the padded-pants, and, of course, rubber sole or gymnasium canvass shoes.
In this city seven players constitute a side in all gymnasiums, excepting when games are played in the Washington Light Infantry Armory, where, owing to the immense area or the playing field, nine men constitute a team. In nearly all other cities five men compose a team. The great difficulty to overcome has been the natural tendency to rough playing. In order to gain points, and as is stated in the rule book, “the thirst for victory habitually tempts men to ungentlemanly, unfair and even dishonorable acts; to take advantage of the rules; to violate their spirit, while working in accord with the letter, to violate the letter on the sly; to violate the rules, if willing to pay the penalty when caught.” If men should attempt to take unfair advantage of one another in other lines, as they do in sport, they would at once forfeit their standing as gentlemen in basketball, as in football, it seems to be a matter of correct ethics that men violate the rules, provided they do it in such a way as not to be seen by the umpire, and by him ejected from the field. The sentiment of some clubs often tolerates deliberate violation of the rules in the hope of victory, and this fortunately rare offense holds good in nearly every city. I do not believe that it has a footing here. To carry it out where men place chief value in victory, holding, striking, running into men with such vigor and frequency that the inference is unavoidable that it was at least partly deliberate, are among the most flagrant offenses, and are known in basketball as “fouls” Gradually the class of men guilty of such offenses are put out of the game, and with greater and more thorough knowledge of the rules, the players put up a clean game, and the teams a more interesting and by long odds less revolting contest; one which it is a pleasure to look upon, and to which, one may take ladles, and without fear of having their gentle and delicate appreciation of manliness offended in the least. On the other hand, the game is frequently made a rough, fierce, and often too-earnest a game by the audience. Under such conditions and influences a team of players forgets its head and throws aside all rules and regard for the personal safety of its opponents and forthwith wades in to “do” the player opposite him, and the result is a slugging match and disorder. One such exhibition will do much to injure the attendance of respectable, real sport-loving persons at a whole series of subsequent games.
It is the earnest purpose and the never-ending desire of the management of the local basketball league to do away with the rough playing, and the almost as bad boisterous demonstrations by the audiences, and to do this the games will be stopped until order and the situation The fact that basketball has aroused so much interest as to bring on all these difficulties, indicates that there is something in it, that it has merit and usefulness. Uninteresting things will never run riot.” In this city, as in New York, Philadelphia and Boston and at Vassar, as well as in nearly all the larger female colleges and seminaries, the game of basketball is played by the young ladles’ classes in the respective gymnasiums under rules so changed as to adapt them to the peculiar needs of the fair devotees of the sport, and their game is by no means as rough as that of the men. In the ladies classes in the gymnasium of Carroll Institute, in this city, Prof. Maurice Joyce, physical instructor, has trained two teams of young women so well that they play to win at all times, but ever free from roughness, and to watch them is exhilarating in the extreme, not only because of the freedom of their inclement and their finer conception of the rules, but because of the strong contrast of their game as against the war like contest of their rougher, more brutal opposites, some of whom are called men. The game has proven a most beneficial one to the ladies, and an attractive feature of a well regulated and progressive gymnasium. It is a splendid game to cultivate physical courage. The young ladies of the several High Schools are, I am just now informed, organizing teams. So much is the game appreciated here and so much interest and rivalry has been caused by it that the National Guard has taken an active part in it. In the present local league there are two teams composed of young soldiers, the Light Infantry and Corcoran Cadets, NGDC. Since the opening of the season the soldier interest has spread, and now the four companies of the Washington Light Infantry Corps, are each organizing a team and these will play for the championship of the corps, it has been decided among the companies that no player a member of the league team shall be a member of a company team. Following after the plan of the Inter-collegiate Basketball Association formed by Yale, Trinity and Wesley, the local institutions of learning, including the high schools are about to form a league. There is a basketball fever raging here. It is proposed to shortly play a game or a series of games outdoors to demonstrate its still greater practicability as an all-around the year game. The greatest difficulty the officers of the local league have to overcome is the securing of enough, competent, efficient umpires, men who know how to handle men, and have the nerve to enforce the rules When it is once settled that such men can be found to officiate at games, the matter of rough playing will be a thing of the past. The umpire has charge of the men to judge their play, while the referee is judge of the ball. He decides when the ball is in play, to whom it belongs and when a goal is made in other league cities two umpires instead of one, as here, officiate. It has been found that with the two officials named and a timer and a scorer too much room is taken up and one umpire has been found sufficient. The association rules call for and nearly all the league cities divide their games into halves of twenty minutes each, with a rest of ten minutes between halves. Here the role is to play three fifteen minute’s innings, with a rest of file minutes between this is the time of actual play as time is taken out for disputes and injuries and so on. Here no one but the captain is allowed to question a decision, and he is supposed to do all the talking for his team. Their titles indicate what “timers” and “scorers” are expected to do. In this city the league decided to do away with “bounds” or limit line of playing field, because in most instances the playing fields were not any too large, and to take away three feet for a boundary line or foul line would make the fields too small. The entire gym floor is considered in bounds, and the ball is only out of bounds when it is thrown or bounds into the gallery or running track overhead. The goals should the protected from interference from spectators, and this protection must extend at least six feet on each side of the goals, and in case of a screen must be at least the same height. The field or floor must be entirely free from obstruction or gymnasium apparatus, and must not exceed 3,500 feet of actual playing ground. By some the game is looked upon as modern football. It is nothing of the sort. It is simply a game played by sides from five to nine men each, upon a floor or field as described. The implement used is a ball, which here is not allowed to be less than 30 nor more than 31 inches in circumference. It is made of a rubber bladder covered with a leather case, inflated and laced and to all intents and purposes a football, but round and not oblong as is the Rugby. The game is played with the hands alone by throwing or passing or driving or batting it, with the hands open, not with the fists. It must not be kicked, nor must a player run with the ball. Feet are useful in this game only to stand upon or in following up the ball with a hope of securing it to pass it to one’s own side or players, or to walk up to the umpire or referee with and add to his already numerous worries and troubles.
Tackling is absolutely forbidden and prohibited. It is entirely too dangerous upon, so hard a substance as a gymnasium floor, and. besides, it is not necessary. Kicking, running or tackling will call down a penalty, for fouls and likewise for holding the ball with anything but the
hands, and holding, striking, tripping, pushing or shouldering an opponent likewise come under the ban. The object of the game is to bring activity and a sharpening and quickening of mind and eye, to cause quick decision and accurate motion. To put the ball into the enemy’s goal basket is the game, and upon the success or failure to do this depends the victory. A goal made counts one score under our rules. At opposite ends of the playing field the goals are suspended. These goals are like small hammock nets, swung from metal rings eighteen inches in diameter, or a basket of the same dimension, and must be at least twelve inches deep, and are hung or fastened in a vertical position, with the mouth not less than ten nor more than twelve feet in an upright line from the floor.
The players or positions as they line up: Center; right and left backs: right and left forwards: enemy and home goal keepers: and when nine men are played right and left center are added. Play is begun by the referee throwing or tossing the ball up to the ceiling from the center of the field, standing between the two center men, who must stand at least four feet apart. In this city the rule is to stand on the edge of a circle eight feet in diameter. As the ball comes down it is the duty of the center men to jump for it and pass or drive it toward their forwards, and they to the goal man, or, if possible, directly to the basket. If it reaches the basket and stays therein it is counted a goal made. The duty of the guards or backs is to “cover” his opponent and watch the ball. By “covering his man” is meant that he does all he can to prevent his making a goal, and this he does by pulling or knocking the ball out of his opponent’s hands or by blocking the throw by jumping between the ball and the goal as the former is thrown. It is also the duty of the “backs” to watch the tactics of the opposing “forward” and see what the next move of the ball will probably be. It he wishes the ball to drop between center and forward he should play behind the forward; then when it is put in play a quick rush will nine times out of ten secure it to his side. There is a great knack in throwing the ball. There is the “side throw” from the palm of one hand; or the “overhand” throw, with both hands from over the head, or the underhand. To throw from back of the shoulder is popular, and is made with the ball in one hand as it about to “put the shot,” and then giving a quick upward and forward motion, allowing it to twist off the fingers. It may thus be thrown the length of the field and without much danger of being blocked.
Much depends upon team work; and. good team work makes scientific basketball. Innumerable combinations may be made by a team; geometrical figures may be planned and easily carried out. The “triangle” is a popular and pretty play and is worked by the center passing ball to a guard and by him to a forward and from thence it is easy to pass to the goal man. It has been found impracticable to divide off the floor into divisions for backs, centers and backs. Free throws are the penalty for fouling and are made in this city by standing twenty feet from a point on the floor directly beneath the center of the goal measuring toward the opposite goal. When making the throw no player shall stand nearer than six feet to the thrower nor in a lane six feet wide from the thrower to the goal, nor shall anyone interfere with the throw in any way. If this rule is violated the side is entitled to another throw. If the goal is made it counts one score. If it fails of goal the ball is in play und either side may take it. When the ball goes out of bounds and
remains there, under our rules, it shall be returned to the referee who shall put it in play by tossing it up. Teams change goals at the end of each inning. If a player throws for a goal and the whistle or the referee, umpire, or time keeper sounds while the ball is in the air and the goal is made, it shall count as a goal. A goal scored before the whistle can be blown for a foul made by the team scoring shall not count, but if a player while throwing for a goal is fouled by an opponent and makes the goal, both the foul and the score shall be counted. Any persistent attempt to delay a game shall be counted as a foul against the team delaying. The umpire must promptly disqualify any player using profane language. All fouls shall he called by the umpire and the penalty for fouls is a free throw. In case of an officer being addressed by, others than a captain a team, the referee shall call a foul.” Grasping the clothing or person of a player with the hands or putting one or both arms about a player comes under the head of “holding” and constitutes a foul. Falling on and rolling on the hall is “grounding” and is a horribly poor method of securing the ball and the worst kind of a foul.
What Constitutes a Foul. The umpire may for a first offense, and must for the second offense, disqualify an offender.
Following are fouls which the umpire must take cognizance of:
1 – Players addressing officers
2 – Touching ball in center
3 – Kicking or striking ball
4 – Carrying ball
5 – Holding
6 – Tackling, holding, pushing opponents
7 – Delaying game
Fouls for which players may be disqualified
1 – Striking
2 – Kicking
3 – Shouldering
4 – Unnecessary rough play
5 – Tripping
The schedule which the local league is now playing off and in which six good, strong, well-matched teams are interested, calls for games at least twice a week up to March 9th, and by the time holiday season is well on the interest and rooting will be at fever heat. The standing of the four teams at the end of the season of the 1894/1895 season was as follows; Columbia Athletic Club, champions, Washington Light Infantry, Washington Athletic Club and Carroll Institute, the latter did not finish the season. Following is the standing of the league teams at the end of the season of 1895/1896.
Clubs Won Lost
Light Infantry 12 0
Carroll Institute 10 2
Washington AC 8 4
Corcoran Cadets 4 7
Eastern AC 3 7
Miles Cycle Corps 2 9
YMCA 1 11
At the beginning or this season it was hoped that all league games would be played in a large ball or armory, a playing field common to all teams, and therefore neutral, but the opposition to the plan resulted in the return to the old plan of individual gymnasium fields. The latter plan undoubtedly attracts visitors to this or that gymnasium and helps to popularize it; but it is believed that the hall plan would have drawn larger crowds and would have given not only more profit to the teams, but larger and better playing fields. It remains to be seen if the league does not in the long run follow in the wake of other cities in this respect.
