Basketball, women's
Origins
Introduced in 1901, basketball became the first competitive team sport to be played by women at Mount Allison against an outside team
James Naismith, from Almonte, Ontario, and a graduate of McGill University, introduced the game of basketball to his students at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1891. Naismith's game was not as rough as other indoor team sports, and did not involve body contact. Unlike hockey, it was also a more mobile game, requiring a minimal amount of equipment. Basketball allowed for competitive exercise during the winter months, and could also be played outdoors during the warmer months. In 1892, basketball was brought to YMCA gymnasiums in Montreal and St. Stephen, New Brunswick by members of Naismith's original class.
The first reference to basketball at Mount Allison occurred in the November 1901 edition of The Argosy. The article stated that Beethoven Hall, a large room within the Conservatory of Music, which doubled as the women's gymnasium, was being used for women's basketball "at all recreation hours." Due in part to the minimal equipment needed to play the game, the sport was instantly popular, and was played only by women at Mount Allison until 1909. Within a month, there was already a match between the University women and students of the Ladies' College. By January 1904, the Ladies' College formed first and second basketball teams, consisting of six players each, and the women were ready to compete against outside teams.
Mount Allison [Ladies' College?] basketball team, 1902
Mount Allison Ladies' College basketball team, 1903-04
Mount Allison Ladies' College basketball team, 1903-04
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