James Naismith, Head, 2nd Year

“Preparations are being made at the university for basket ball this year. Although all of the team has not yet been selected, practice has begun and the men are getting in good shape.”  Source: Nov. 6, 1899 Lawrence Journal.

“The boys are slightly handicapped now, as the old rink burned last year, but they are making the best of the matter and getting practice in the gymnasium and out of doors.  The Varsity basket ball section will rent the YMCA hall downtown, as soon as it is completed, which will be shortly after the Christmas vacation.  After the middle of January the Varsity will have some good games here, probably with the Topeka or Kansas City YMCA.  There is also a probable state league composed of KU, Baker, Ottawa, Washburn, the College of Emporia and the State Normal.  Besides the out of town games there will be the usual inter-class games and the faculty-class games.  These games bring out the material and keep up the spirit.”  

Source: December 9, Lawrence Journal.

“Dr. James Naismith was known to downplay the competitive importance of basketball. However, in just his second season as KU's head coach, Naismith wanted his boys to play the best. He attempted to schedule road games with early powers Yale and Chicago.  There is no evidence that these games materialized, however.”  Source: A Century of Kansas Basketball

”Friday evening at the YMCA rooms down town, the basket ball season was opened in Lawrence by a good game between the Varsity team and the (Haskell) Indians.  The game was a good one considering that the men have had only slight training.  It was unusually free from rough play, was snappy and exciting throughout, and interested the spectators.  Avery did the sensational work for the Varsity.  Two of his goals were extraordinary and deserved the applause they received.  The Owens boys are improving and will soon be in their old form, while shipman and Vandruff are already playing well.  Yahn, as usual was everywhere.”  Source:  Lawrence Journal, January 27, 1900.

“Russell and Vandruff were left at St. Joe while talking to some fair ones.  By fast running they caught the train at the next station.  Fred Owens, in search of excitement, strayed forward to the smoker, while enroute.  The car was switched to a train bound for Chicago.  When he discovered the mishap, he ran so fast to catch the Kansas City train that he faded the blue stripes on his foot ball cap.  Shipman had such a stiff neck Saturday night, from looking at Omaha’s high buildings, that he could not throw a goal.  Baumgartner, at an Omaha hotel, ordered a pleasant smile for desert and was ordered out of the house for flirting with the waitress, but by the assistance of Russell was enabled to fix matters up satisfactorily with both waitress and landlord.  After being shown through Nebraska’s beautiful gymnasium, a handsome structure as large as Spooner library fitted with every appliance for the development of physical manhood, the boys were asked how it compared with ours.  Someone aptly replied: “We have none.  All we have at Ku is a bath and a hole in the basement of Snow Hall where we have the privilege of storing our apparatus.’”  Source:  Lawrence Journal. March 5, 1900. 

“The Varsity basket ball five met a defeat at Lincoln last week but won a game at Omaha.  The team is all right and if it had a good gymnasium in which to work it could show us as strong a team as any.  Basket ball can never be what it ought to be at Kansas university until this much needed gymnasium is built.”

Source:  Lawrence Journal, March 10, 1900.

Haskell

W

14-5

Jan. 20

at Lawrence

Haskell

W

13-7

Feb. 2

at Lawrence

Topeka YMCA

L

14-28

Feb. 9

at Topeka, Kan.

Kansas City YMCA

L

8-18

Feb. 16

at Kansas City, Mo.

Nebraska

L

8-48

Mar. 2

at Lincoln, Neb.

Omaha YMCA

W

12-10

Mar. 3

at Omaha, Neb.

Kansas City YMCA

L

15-21

Mar. 6

at Lawrence