TRIVIA #2

Herewith is the second part of our trivia series on basketball from the book “Basketball’s Most Wanted”, written by Floyd Conner.

• TRENTON MASONIC HALL

“The first professional basketball game, a contest in which players were paid, may have taken place in 1893 at the Fox Opera House in Herkimer, New York. The first documented professional game was played in 1896 at a Masonic hall in Trenton, New Jersey. Players received $15 each.”

• MINNESOTA STATE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

“On February 9, 1895, the Minnesota State School of Agriculture defeated Hamline College of Minnesota 9-3 in the first intercollegiate basketball game. As with Naismith’s first game, there were nine players to a side.”

• YALE

“The first five-on-five basketball game was played on January 16, 1896. Chicago University, coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg defeated the Iowa City YMCA 15-12. In March 1897, Yale defeated Penn 32-10 in the first intercollegiate five-on-five basketball game.”

• TRINITY LEAGUE

“The first formalized college basketball league was formed in 1900. The Trinity League consisted of three Connecticut schools: Yale, Trinity College and Wesleyan. Shortly thereafter, other basketball leagues were formed throughout New England.”

• OSSIE SCHECHTMAN

“New York guard Ossie Schechtman owns the distinction of being the first player to score a field goal in a National Basketball Association game. The first game of the Basketball Association of America, which later became the NBA, was played between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies on November 1, 1946. Schechtman made a lay-up in the opening moments of the game to earn his place in professional basketball history. Schechtman played only one season in the league, averaging eight points per game. He finished the season with 162 field goals and a shooting percentage of only 27 percent.”

Watch out for the third part of this series, which will tackle trivia on the rules of the game.