Andrew Pace
The original rules of basketball were written by James Naismith in 1891 and were sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2010 for $3.8 million. The rules were typed on two pages that laid out 13 rules for the game. The pages were slightly faded and soiled and had been expected to sell for about $2 million. The proceeds from the auction went to the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity that works with children in the United States and the Caribbean.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Auction price | $3.8 million |
| Year of auction | 2010 |
| Auction house | Sotheby's |
| Auction location | Manhattan, New York |
| Auctioneer | Selby Kiffer |
| Auctioneer's position | Senior specialist in American history documents at Sotheby's |
| Auctioneer's comment | "Basketball is a pure invention... It's really the genesis, the birth certificate of one of the world's most popular sports." |
| Auction buyer | David and Suzanne Booth |
| Buyer's comment | "They're incredibly important and should be at KU. Naismith invented basketball and was there for 40 years. And Coach Phog Allen was one of the key figures in making it so popular." |
| Buyer's intention | To bring the rules to the University of Kansas |
| Document details | Two pages, 10-by-8 inches each |
| Document condition | Slightly faded, soiled, and bearing tape marks |
| Document content | 13 original rules of basketball, headed "Basket Ball" and written in Naismith's hand |
| Document author | James Naismith |
| Document author's position | Physical education instructor at the Christian association |
| Document date | December 21, 1891 |
| Document preservation | Housed at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield from 1968 to 1995 |
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What You'll Learn
James Naismith wrote the original 13 rules in 1891
Basketball is a sport invented by James Naismith, who wrote the original 13 rules of the game in 1891. These rules were sold at an auction in 2010 for $3.8 million, with some sources claiming the price was over $4 million. The rules were typed on two pages, measuring 10 by 8 inches, and were headed "Basket Ball" in Naismith's handwriting. They were sold by the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity that works with children in the United States and the Caribbean islands.
Naismith wrote these rules while working as a physical education instructor at a YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts. His boss had tasked him with creating a new indoor activity for his gym class, and Naismith wrote down the rules on the eve of a two-week deadline. The rules were then typed up by his secretary and pinned on a bulletin board outside the gym.
The original 13 rules included instructions such as the ball may be thrown or batted in any direction with one or both hands, but not with a fist. Players were not allowed to run with the ball and had to throw it from the spot where they caught it. The rules also specified that harming an opponent would not be tolerated. Naismith's rules laid the foundation for a sport that has since become incredibly popular worldwide, with a significant impact on fashion and culture.
The buyers of the original rules, David and Suzanne Booth, intended to bring them to the University of Kansas, where Naismith was the first basketball coach. The University of Kansas has a rich tradition of basketball excellence, and the rules are now displayed at the DeBruce Center, where visitors can view them and learn about the history of the sport.
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The rules were typed up and mounted on a board
The original rules of basketball were written by James Naismith in 1891. He penned the 13 rules on December 21, 1891, for the YMCA training school in Springfield. His supervisor had given him a two-week deadline to create a new indoor activity for his gym class, and he wrote the rules on the last day. He typed out the rules and gave them to his secretary, who typed them up on two pages. Naismith then pinned the pages on a bulletin board outside the gym. The pages were headed "Basket Ball" and measured 10 by 8 inches each. They were slightly faded and soiled and had tape marks from Naismith's attempts at preservation.
Naismith's original basketball rules were auctioned off by his grandson, Ian Naismith, in 2010. They were sold at Sotheby's in Manhattan, New York, for $3.8 million, with the final price including a buyer's premium. The auction also included other significant items such as a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and Custer's flag. The basketball rules were purchased by David and Suzanne Booth, who intended to bring them to the University of Kansas, where Naismith had been the first basketball coach. The rules were later donated to the university, where they are now displayed at the DeBruce Center.
The proceeds from the auction went to the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity founded by Ian Naismith in 1994. The foundation works with children in the United States and the Caribbean and promotes sportsmanship and provides services to underprivileged children worldwide. Some of the auction proceeds were also dedicated to breast cancer research in memory of Ian Naismith's late wife, Renee.
The original rules of basketball are a significant piece of sports history and have been described as the "birth certificate" of one of the world's most popular sports. They were created to foster a game that could be played within the confines of a small gymnasium, without tackling or hitting the ball with a clenched fist. Many of these original rules still influence the spirit of the game today, showcasing their enduring impact on the sport's development and global popularity.
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They were sold at a Sotheby's auction in NYC
The original rules of basketball were sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York City in 2010. The auction set a new record for a piece of sports memorabilia, with the rules selling for $3.8 million, later reported as $4 million or more, and $4.3 million including the buyer's premium. The rules were purchased by David and Suzanne Booth, who intended to bring them to the University of Kansas, where Naismith was the first basketball coach.
The auction included other notable items, such as a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, which sold for $3.3 million, and Custer's flag, which sold for $1.9 million. The basketball rules were sold by the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity that works with children in the United States and the Caribbean.
The original rules of basketball were written by James Naismith in 1891 and consisted of 13 rules typed on two pages. Naismith invented the game for the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts, as a winter sport for boys. The rules were auctioned off by Naismith's grandson, Ian Naismith, who said there were no similar documents for any other sport, making the basketball rules unique even by auction standards.
The Sotheby's auction in NYC was a significant event, attracting media attention and setting a record for sports memorabilia. The sale of the original rules of basketball highlighted the historical and cultural impact of the sport and the importance of the document in the world of sports.
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The buyers were David and Suzanne Booth
The buyers of the original rules of basketball, David and Suzanne Booth, are a couple with strong ties to the University of Kansas. David, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, is an alumnus of the University of Kansas (KU), with a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree. The couple donated the original rules to the university, where the sport is immensely popular and holds a special place in its history. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, was KU's first basketball coach and spent the last four decades of his life in Kansas.
David Booth's motivation for purchasing the rules and bringing them to KU was that "they're incredibly important and should be at KU. Naismith invented basketball and was there for 40 years. And Coach Phog Allen was one of the key figures in making it so popular". The Booths were inspired to bid by lifelong Kansas basketball fan Josh Swade, who had lobbied for returning the rules to Kansas.
The Booths bought the rules at a celebrated public auction at Sotheby's in New York City for $3.8 million, a price higher than bids for a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and General George Custer's flag at Little Bighorn. The auction price set a new record for a piece of sports memorabilia. The rules were only two pages long, typed up in December 1891 on the very morning Naismith introduced basketball to the world. The pages were slightly faded and soiled, bearing tape marks from Naismith's attempts to preserve them.
The rules were sold by the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity founded by Naismith's grandson, Ian Naismith, to fund the foundation's work with children in the United States and the Caribbean. The foundation promotes sportsmanship and provides services to underprivileged children worldwide.
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The rules are now kept at the University of Kansas
James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, penned the 13 original rules of basketball on December 21, 1891, for the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts. The rules were typed on two pages and introduced on the same day. The document was sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York City in 2010 for $3.8 million to David and Suzanne Booth, who intended to bring them to the University of Kansas. The University of Kansas has a rich basketball tradition, and Naismith was the school's first basketball coach in 1898. Naismith spent the last four decades of his life in Kansas and is buried there.
The rules were displayed at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield from 1968 to 1995, after which Ian Naismith, the founder's grandson, reclaimed them due to a series of disputes with the Hall. The proceeds from the 2010 auction went to the Naismith International Basketball Foundation, a non-profit charity that works with children in the United States and the Caribbean.
The original rules of basketball are now kept at the University of Kansas, where they can be viewed by visitors at the DeBruce Center's Rules Gallery on the second level of the building. The rules are preserved in a secure case that lights up at the push of a button, revealing the document through electrochromic glass. The display also includes an audio recording of Dr. Naismith explaining how he invented the game of basketball.
The University of Kansas has a strong connection to the history of basketball, and the original rules of the sport are an important part of its heritage. The university takes pride in preserving this piece of sports history and making it accessible to the public. The rules' presence at the university adds to its basketball legacy and serves as a reminder of the sport's origins.
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Frequently asked questions
The original rules of basketball sold for $3.8 million in 2010.
James Naismith wrote the original 13 rules of basketball in 1891.
Naismith wrote the rules for a new indoor activity for his gym class at the YMCA training school in Springfield.
The auction took place at Sotheby's in Manhattan, New York City.
The rules were bought by David and Suzanne Booth.
