#JamesNaismith January 14

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For January 2024 several of us will be participating in the “30-Day 6 Degrees of Separation Coach4aday Challenge”-today we learn about the inventor of the game of basketball JAMES NAISMITH and my grandson Forrest James Kenney.

From the age of ten until I turned forty-five, basketball consumed my daily life. Whether shooting hoops in the driveway or coaching at the NCAA Division I level, nearly every day for 35 years revolved around the sport. Basketball, invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 at the Springfield (MA) YMCA, became an integral part of my journey. In 1898, Naismith was appointed chapel director and physical education teacher at the University of Kansas, swiftly leading to the establishment of a basketball team, with Naismith assuming the role of its inaugural coach.

Ironically in the 126-year history of Kansas Basketball they have only had 8 coaches. All have winning career records except Naismith.

Photo below of Dr. James Naismith holding a basketball and peach basket.

Rules of the Challenge

Many people have heard of this concept. The notion of six degrees of separation grew out of work conducted by the social psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960s. It then became a 1993 film named appropriately “Six Degrees of Separation.”

Organizing a six degrees of separation challenge involves creating a chain of people, each connected to the next by a mutual acquaintance. The goal is to demonstrate that any two people in the world can be connected through a chain of six or fewer personal connections.

How to Participate

Here is how to participate:

1. Identify the First and Last Person in the Chain.
2. Go thru the connections with a brief explanation.
3. Do this daily for 30 Days posting on social media with the hashtag #Coach4adayChallenge

Day 14-Dr James Naismith-Forrest James Kenney

1. Dr James Naismith invented the game of basketball and coached at University of Kansas from 1898 to 1907 he was succeeded by Phog Allen.
2. Forrest “Phog” Allen was the basketball coach at his alma mater University of Kansas for 39 years during two different stints. From 1907-1909 and from 1919-1956. During his time he coached many fabulous players and future coaches. Some of his former players that were Hall of Fame Coaches include Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, and Ralph Miller. Phog Allen also recruited Wilt Chamberlain to play at Kansas. One other player he coached was Bill Sapp.
3. Bill Sapp was born in 1925 in Augusta KS and his full name was Ora William Sapp. He played at Kansas after he served in WW II from 1946-1949. After graduation from Kansas he held a recreation director job in Maryland until he arrived in Lumberton NC in 1955 as Recreation Director. As Director he mentored thousands of children including Knocky Thorndyke.
4. Knocky Thorndyke was maybe 9-10 years old when Bill Sapp arrived in Lumberton NC. He would go on to become a teacher/coach in Robeson County for 30 years at both Littlefield and Lumberton HS. In retirement he became a very successful golfer in the region. I have the opportunity to play a lot of rounds of golf with him early each morning. Knocky has two sons and one of them Chip had a daughter with his wife Katie. Knocky’s granddaughter name is Greer Thorndyke.
5. Greer Thorndyke is a first-grade teacher and is engaged to my youngest son James “Mack” Kenney. Together they have a son named Forrest James Kenney.
6. Forrest James Kenney was born on 5-23-2023 and his name just coincidentally links him to James Naismith and Forrest “Phog” Allen and the game of basketball.

(L-R) Greer Thorndyke-Forrest Kenney-Mack Kenney