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1894 Dr. James Naismith Signed Diploma From The YMCA At Which Invented Basketball
Monumentally rare and important 1894 graduate diploma from the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and signed by Dr. James Naismith -- just 3 years after he invented basketball at that very school! One of the very few, if any, surviving documents from the YMCA School, not to mention one bearing the basketball Edison's signature -- and a fine one at that. The 12 x 15" document, approved by the Department for Training Phyiscal Directors" on June 20, 1894 is signed by Naismith as one of the school's "General Iinstructors" at the lower left in strong and clear black ink, "Jas. Naismith." Superb example of this profoundly important signature grades a solid 9/10. Document itself is in EX condition with moderate surface discoloration. Lending even greater value, if that's possible, is that this was a pivotal time in Naismith's life. Having come to America from his native Canada in 1890 to teach at the school, he was told to invent new gymnasium games. Naismith's indoor version of rugby, "duck on the rock" and soccer, with peach baskets as overhead goals -- the idea of the school janitor -- 10 feet above the floor (only because the lower rail of the balcony came down that far) quickly caught fire. By '95, he'd drawn up 13 rules of the game (12 of which are still extant) and the first college game was played, with woven wire having replaced the peach baskets and basketballs replacing leather soccer balls. But Naismith would leave Springfield that year to teach at the Denver YMCA School. In '98 he'd move on to Kansas University. This diploma, then, is one of the last (and only) Naismith pieces of memorabilia from his days at the Springfield YMCA School. Diploma is etched with the school's name across the top and with the graduate's name in the center. The school's red "Spirit/Mind/Body" motto is at the middle center between the signatures of the other insctructors and officers. Beautifully framed to 18 x 21 1/2". Comes with 2 LOAs.
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