9781422288009 Players & the Game Around the World

Make Connections At the 1936 Olympics, FIBA decided to name James Naismith as its Honorary President.

BASKETBALL TAKES A STAND AT THE OLYMPICS In the United States that year, the Blackbirds of Long Island University had just had a fantastic season with 33 straight wins and an average victory margin of 23 points. Most Americans were sure that the Blackbirds would be the team representing America at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.

In the early years of basketball, Native Americans were already playing the game. This girls’ team played for a school in South Dakota.

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How Basketball Spread Around the World