Born on November 6
James Naismith's Birthday
A teacher, two peach baskets, a game.
Next: November 6, 2026
Where it comes from
James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, was born near Almonte, Ontario, in Canada on 6 November 1861. In the winter of 1891 he was teaching physical education at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, and was asked to devise an indoor game for the cold months.
How it's celebrated
There is no organised day, but it is a good excuse for a game of your own. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield carries his name, and his original thirteen rules are on display at the University of Kansas, where he founded the basketball programme in 1898 and taught for the rest of his life.
Did you know
Naismith modelled the arcing shot on 'duck on a rock', a game from his Canadian childhood.
Read the full story of James Naismith's Birthday
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Scorpio · October 23 – November 21 · Water sign
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