This profile of Dr. James Naismith from the New York Times made for an enjoyable read, and one definitely worth checking out. He was something of a renaissance man. Although, one couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at this passage:
James Naismith Did WHAT to Babies?
↵↵Naismith was a far more progressive thinker than century-old black-and-white images of him holding a basketball would suggest…
↵A minister as well as a medical doctor, he quickly realized that taller players had an advantage in basketball and wondered if there was a way to stretch babies to make them grow taller.
↵In 1907, he said his theory was that “the body is more or less elastic†and that “by stretching the body 30 minutes a day for six months, it will lengthen two inches.â€
↵He thought the best time to stretch individuals was from 5 months to a year old.
↵↵Really? He stretched babies? That’s… Uhh… Unsettling. And raises so many questions.
↵What else do we not know about the congenial, grandfatherly figure who spawned basketball? Did he also practice alchemy in his spare time? And what about the peach basket? Was that just an elaborate contraption for baby stretching?
↵(HT to Mr. Brennan for this disturbing news).
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