"I Had No Idea Basketball Was So Popular Down Here"

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Reynolds Coliseum, cradle of basketball fans.

This was the next-to-last story I ever wrote for Technician, NC State's student newspaper, just before I graduated in the winter of 1987. I always thought it turned out well and informed the school of a student who was part of a famous family. Essentially, I'm still doing the same thing today, three and a half decades later.

Before I republished this, I went on a quest to find Anne Naismith, but was unsuccessful. If any one can help, contact me here.

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© Tim Peeler, 2023

 Anne Naismith is a graduating senior in chemical engineering. She is from Nyack, New York., a smaJl town in the southern part or the state. Her favorite sport, like most people from that area, is basebaJl. She's married but she kept her fairly famous maiden name. She's already got a job after graduation with a big-time Triangle corporation.

Oh, yeah -- her great-grandfather invented basketball.

She faintly remembers hearing of Everett Case and Adolph Rupp. She went to her first big-time college basketball game last year. And when she enrolled at State in January of l 985, she had no idea the Wolfpack basketball team won a national championship just 18 months before.

She transferred to State from Broome Community College in Binghampton. New York. She came to Raleigh because it meant a good engineering school, not good tickets to the State-Carolina basketball game.

"I came to NC State because it has a good reputation, Raleigh has a good climate and the job prospects are good when I get out,” she said. '' l didn’t know anything about basketball. I had no idea it was so big down South. When you are from New York, especially downstate, baseball's the game.

“I’m liking basketball more and more now, but baseball was always my favorite sport."

Had it not been for her great-grandfather, maybe the Atlantic Coast Conference would have developed into a great baseball conference. Or maybe even football.

But. Dr. James Naismith wasn't as big of a baseball fan as his great-granddaughter. He was looking for something else. And in the late 19th century, he found it.

Naismith was a budding teacher at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts., and one late fall day he was asked to some up with another indoor game that classes could play in the winter. Football did bad things to the interior of the auditorium, so Naismith hammered up a couple of peach baskets and a national pastime was born. That was in December 1891.

The game remains as the only major sport strictly of U.S. origin, even though the Soviets claim they came up with the sport the same time Naismith did. Of course, the Russians would claim inventing moms, apple pie and Chevrolet if they thought they could get away with it.

The game grew, but apparently the Naismith family didn’t. One factions up and moved to Texas. The other two remaining grandchildren – James and Stuart Naismith – were the only ones to stay in New England.

Because of her heritage, Anne may have seemed a natural to try out for school basketball teams. But in today’s game, heritage means a lot more if it is accompanied by height.”

“I’m only 5-foot-2,” she said. “My great-grandfather was short. When I was a kid they used to make me play because of who my great-grandfather was, but I was never much good.”

Granted, if James Naismith accompanied his great-granddaughter to Reynolds Coliseum, it would be quite a far sight from what he taught the 18 original members of his 1891 physical education class. He would see players easily match the rare feat accomplished by William R. Chase, who scored the first and only basket in the inaugural game.

Reynolds wouldn’t be a familiar place for either of them. “I’m kind of embarrassed to say this, but the first time I ever saw a game in person was last year,” Anne said. “You know, in gym and in school we played basketball, but the first time I ever saw a live game was State against Wake Forest, I think. I thought it was exciting. I had no idea that basketball was so big down here.”

It didn’t take long for her to develop a passion for the rivalries that are associated with college basketball or to become a couch-potato fan.

“It’s very interesting, especially when your school is playing,” she said. “I wouldn’t say I don’t like the games. I just don’t go to them. I watch a lot of them on television, though.”

She has only met one big-time college coach, and he’s no longer in the business.

“I introduced myself to Lefty Driesell,” she said. “He was here for the Olympic Festival, and I was a volunteer. I told him who my great-grandfather was and he didn’t believe me until I really pressed the issue.

“Then, he slapped me on the rump.”

Ahem. That’s one of the things basketball coaches do, by the way.

She’s never met the well-known coach at State, though she does keep her eyes out for him in the grocery store, just in case.

“I’d like to introduce myself to him some time,” she said. “Just to let him know I’m around.”

Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano was a little taken aback to learn about the inventor of the game’s family enrolled at the Southern school where he worked.

“I’d love her to be a guest here in Reynolds some time,” said the Wolfpack basketball coach and athletics director. “Or maybe we could get together and go to a baseball game.”