Sold! Naismith and Field House artifacts
Jayhawk aficionados took home a piece of Naismith history in a series of two Dallas auctions in December that attracted collectors nationwide. Among the items sold by members of the Naismith family, an account of the first basketball game reportedly went for $71,700. Raising $700,000, the auction sold a wide variety of items that granddaughter Hellen Carpenter found last spring in boxes in a basement. Naismith's effects will appear at the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan and as far north as Canada where Toronto Raptors owners bought Naismith's whistle as well as other artifacts.
One of the more prominent finds was Naismith's copy of the original rules of basketball, which fetched $53,000. The prized whistle that he used while coaching at KU sold for $13,000, and his passport from 1936 when he traveled to the Olympic games in Berlin brought in $20,000.
For those KU enthusiasts who missed the Dallas event, Kansas Athletics is also offering one-of-a kind pieces from the Field House. Online auctions started in December and included treasures like the 1988 NCAA Championship banner straight from the Field House rafters. It sold for $4,000. Also up for grabs was a basketball rim, which brought in $400.
Auctions will continue at the Kansas Athletics Web site, http://www.kuathletics.com. Click on Kansas Online Auctions to get in on the bidding. Currently on the auction block is a men's basketball signed by the 2003-'04 men's basketball team, including Keith Langford, Wayne Simien and Aaron Miles.
