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Show S Wednesday, March 29,2006 Take Note: The Softball team takes on the University of Utah Wednesday at 2 p.m. here in Logan. 797-1761 sports@statesman.usu.edu som Story by Bryan Hinton • Assistant Sports Editor A look at how the basketball program started at Utah State The Early Days S ome might find it shocking that at one point in its basketball career, Utah State lost to the Deaf and Blind School. Storm: A History of Utah State Athletics," the first basketball club on campus wasn't what anyone had expected. "Oddly enough, this venture, when FINAL contrasted with the directives of the Utah Agricultural College 19 Athletic Committee: 'The encouragement of a spirit in favor of hardy, Deaf and Blind School 22 manly sport,' the first basketball team was comprised entirely of women," The year was 1905, only the second season in which Utah State (known as Schraegle's thesis stated. UAC at the time) had a men's basketThe venue was also nothing like ball team. anything seen today. The first intercol And in all reality, the loss wasn't Iegiate basketball game in USU histothat bad. The Deaf and Blind School ry was played in a gymnasium on the fielded a pretty solid team for the third floor of Old Main - a women's times. The sport was invented only 14 game between the Aggies years earlier. and the now-defunct Brigham Young College, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadiana school located where born physician and minister, came up with the game in Springfield, Mass., in Logan High School is now. 1891 to give young men something to do during the cold New England winMen's basketball ters, according to Wikipedia.com. started in 1904 with its The sport spread throughout the first game also coming rest of the country via YMCAs over the against BYC. It was a next decade, although the organization 35-4 trouncing by the soon discouraged the game because Aggies' cross-town rival. the rough play and rowdy crowds With the locker rooms contradicted the YMCA's primary mis- located in the basement sion, also according to Wikipedia. of Old Main, employThe game didn't arrive at USU until 1902. However, according to a mas• BASKETBALL ter's thesis by William Schraegle in 1985 titled "Weathering the Constant see page 10 1902-The first basketball club is formed at USU and is comprised entirely of women. 1904-The men's basketball team plays its first game. ABOVE: The Utah State Basketball team started playing in the third floor of Old Main (left) before moving to the Smart Gymnasium (top) which was located where the new student housing is being built. From 1938-69 the Aggies played in the Fieldhouse (bottom). BELOW: The 1904 men's basketball team photo. This was the first men's basketball team at USU. Photos Courtesy of USU Special Collections and Archive* and Michael Sharp 1938-The George Nelson Fieldhouse is built. 1912-The Thomas Smart Gymnasium is built. 1914-USU joins the Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference. 1970-The Dee Glen Smith Spectrum is completed. |