Nominees:   2022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001

2015 Nominee
Voted 3 out of 20

Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball

Written by John Coy and Joe Morse.
Published in 2013 by Carolrhoda Books.

Taking over a rowdy gym class right before winter vacation is not something James Naismith wants to do at all. The last two teachers of this class quit in frustration. The students—a bunch of energetic young men—are bored with all the regular games and activities. Naismith needs something new, exciting, and fast to keep the class happy—or someone’s going to get hurt. Saving this class is going to take a genius. Discover the true story of how Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at a school in Springfield, Massachusetts.

New York Journal of Books Review


7 thoughts on “Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball

  1. St. Jerome

    This book is awesome because it’s my favorite sport and I enjoy it while reading. and I didn’t know how basketball was invented. <3 <3 <3

  2. Agnes Davidson

    I thought this book was every insightful on how James Naismith invented basketball and all the trouble he had to invent an awesome sport and how every one love the game of basketball.

  3. Agnes Davidsons

    I thought this book was good because it tells you the story behind basketball. It’s always good to know new things. It’s short and sweet, I’ve always been interested in basketball , this told me even more stuff about basketball.

  4. Agnes Davidson

    It’s a really good book! because it shows me who invented basketball and what year it was made. My favourite part is when he got the basketball idea on his childhood, Duck on a Rock. I really like how basketball becomes more better, better and better so more people plays basketball. The things I didn’t know that a rowdy gym class invented basketball with James Naismith.

  5. Hillhurst School

    The book Hoop Genius is about a teacher (James Naismith) who took over a rowdy gym class. This class hated boring exercises and gymnastics that they were doing for so long. James Naismith needed something that was fun. One night he thought of a new sport, something that would be less rough but still fun. Eventually he thought of the new sport, basketball. What I learned from this book is that basketball was meant to be a less aggressive, and more structured sport while still having fun.
    I think that basketball was created to be a more structured and less aggressive sport. I think this because there are fouls if you walk with the ball or intentionally hurt someone etc. The consequence of these fouls were that you had to sit out. Not many people wanted to sit out because so they didn’t take fouls. I think James Naismith created fouls so nobody would get hurt. Thus proving basketball is more structured and less aggressive.
    I think that basketball is a more structured and less aggressive because there are more rules than some sports, but there are not too many so it is not fun. I would recommend this book to other readers because the specific language it uses describes the sports sense of order as well as its athletic appeal.

    Evan

  6. Hillhurst School

    The book Hoop Genius is about a teacher (James Naismith) who took over a rowdy gym class. This class hated boring exercises and gymnastics that they were doing for so long. James Naismith needed something that was fun. One night he thought of a new sport, something that would be less rough but still fun. Eventually he thought of the new sport, basketball. What I learned from this book is that basketball was meant to be a less aggressive, and more structured sport while still having fun.
    I think that basketball was created to be a more structured and less aggressive sport. I think this because there are fouls if you walk with the ball or intentionally hurt someone etc. The consequence of these fouls were that you had to sit out. Not many people wanted to sit out because so they didn’t take fouls. I think James Naismith created fouls so nobody would get hurt. Thus proving basketball is more structured and less aggressive.
    I think that basketball is a more structured and less aggressive because there are more rules than some sports, but there are not too many so it is not fun. I would recommend this book to other readers because the specific language it uses describes the sports sense of order as well as its athletic appeal.


Review This Book