January 20, 2017
First Basketball Game Played

On this date January 20, 1892 the first basketball game was played – a game developed in December of 1891 when Dr. James Naismith’s physical education could not go outside for their activities. Here is how the website “onthisdayinsports.blogspot” described it:

“At the time Naismith was the head of physical education department at the International Young Men’s Christian Training School in Springfield Massachusetts. He started jotting down rules for this game that could be played indoors. It was a basketball constitution of sorts that marked the birth of a sport. It was a set of thirteen rules. Naismith’s foundation provided the framework needed to build a sport that millions upon millions of kids, as well as, men and women alike still enjoy today.” (onthisdayinsports.blogspot, January 20, 2014)

I want to share with you the first three of the “Thirteen Rules” Naismith wrote down on that fateful day in Massachusetts:

1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist.)
3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop. (hooptactics.com, Heritage of the Game)

A lot of people see sports as a “kind” of religion – or at least they treat it as such. It always amazes me to see how fanatical people get – how much time, money and effort they put into watching, following and supporting a sports team. Please understand, this reverend may be cranky once in a while, but he is not a complete stick in the mud. I do have my sports teams that I follow – but I do not paint my face, watch every game, or spend all my money on following that team. What breaks the heart of this cranky reverend the amount of money that is spent on the salaries of professional athletes and the cost of tickets, sports wear and concessions if you attend a game. With the number of people who go to bed hungry in this country, who do not have enough money for their basic needs, and the inadequate distribution of wealth and goods throughout the entire world, the fact that so much money is wasted for the entertainment of American’s is just appalling. Sports are great for the exercise factor, for the lessons our youth can learn from playing team sports, and the discipline an athlete can develop to become better at their craft. But when so many people are suffering because we spend our money on frivolous activities, then we need to take a closer look at our own behavior – and how we use the resources with which G-d has blessed us as Americans and as Christians. So, thank you Mr. Naismith for giving us a great sport that teaches so many positive lessons that can be used for life, but if we could spend less money on our entertainment and more money on helping those in need, well this cranky pastor thinks that would be a slam dunk.

Pastor Dave