Mayer: Doc Naismith’s device no tall tale

By Staff     Mar 16, 2007

Gentle James Naismith invented basketball, set up the original rules, “tutored” Kansas to a 55-60 record and mentored Phog Allen as the father of modern coaching. The low-key Naismith was a medical doctor, had a divinity degree and long served as a moral compass on the Kansas University campus.

Do you know he also tried to stretch people, though he couldn’t even dream how tall some players would become? He died in 1939.

The headline in the April 6, 1907, Lawrence Daily World reads: “Is Working on Shorties/Dr. Naismith has machine to make people taller.” W.C. Simons, the icon who fostered this newspaper, was editor-owner of the World, which carried the following article:

“‘Since the little men of the university want to grow tall, we are conducting a series of experiments which tend to solve the problem as to whether a man can be made to grow tall or not,’ said Dr. James Naismith in a Daily World interview about his new stretching machine.

“The doctor has a device in his office by which he stretches his patients, and is at present working on these ‘shorts.’ Nothing has yet been definitely learned from the experiments.

“‘The theory of my experiments,’ continued the doctor, ‘is one which has been advanced by physicians for the last four years, that the body is more or less elastic and that by a correct stretching system it can be made to lengthen. It is claimed that by stretching the body 30 minutes a day for six months it will lengthen two inches. Not only the lower limbs and spinal column can be stretched, but also the neck, and arms may be made (longer) in proportion with the rest of the body. I am conducting the experiments to see if the claims of firms manufacturing stretching machines are justifiable. The result is immaterial to me.’

“‘From the age of 5 months to a year is the best time to administer the treatment,’ said the doctor in answer to a question. ‘Children with crooked limbs can be cured easily when young by taking proper care of them. Stretching at an early age will stimulate growth.’

“The doctor related an experiment he tried. Only one member of a family was stretched and that one grew much more rapidly than any of the others. Dr. Naismith thinks that five minutes of stretching in the evening may cause a child to grow as much as resting overnight. The danger, he fears, is that the patient may grow too fast and there is no way of stopping it.

“Naismith added: ‘Many investigators imagine they are proving the theory when they get a person one-half to an inch taller … (but) someone may get this much taller by getting straightened. That is because there is much height taken up in the curve of the back.’

“The experiment will be continued until the end of the school year (1906-07). Dr. Naismith says he is willing to stretch anyone who desires it.”

Call Paul Harvey and tell him that this is “the rest of the story.” Yet you know it never worked because wily Phog Allen would have refined it to a fare-thee-well since he and Gentle Jim were close friends. Besides, Doc solved the height bit by landing 6-foot-9 Clyde Lovellette. Trouble was, Hank Iba got 7-0 Bob Kurland.

¢Bonanza? CBS is paying the NCAA $545 million a year for March Madness. Commencing with the ’03 tourney, CBS Sports began an 11-year agreement for a minimum of $6 billion (that’s a “b”). Included are television rights (over-the-air, cable, satellite, digital and home video), marketing, game programs, radio, Internet, fan festivals and licensing (excluding concessionaire agreements). KU and Indiana each took home $750 from the ’40 Final Four.

Hey, Jim and Phog – lookee what you created!

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