T206 Wagner in Canada

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Huysmans

That is funny... especially considering if there was no Canada, there would likely be no hockey, basketball OR football for our American friends... at least in their current context... ONLY baseball.

You're welcome

Ok, Hockey I get, but Basketball and Football?

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by steve B

Ok, Hockey I get, but Basketball and Football?

Well, James Naismith was Canadian.


Steve

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by Steve D

Well, James Naismith was Canadian.


Steve

Yes, but he had to come to the United States to 'invent' the game as the Canadians could only understand a netted stick with a ball (the official national game) or a stick with a puck. Bouncing a ball was foreign to them.

Not really knocking Canada, both sides of my family landed there 350-380 years ago and I believe I am probably distantly related to Rob Blake. His middle name, being his mother's maiden name, is my last name.

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Yes, but he had to come to the United States to 'invent' the game as the Canadians could only understand a netted stick with a ball (the official national game) or a stick with a puck. Bouncing a ball was foreign to them.

Not really knocking Canada, both sides of my family landed there 350-380 years ago and I believe I am probably distantly related to Rob Blake. His middle name, being his mother's maiden name, is my last name.

If Canadians "could only understand a netted stick with a ball or a stick with a puck", how did a Canadian singlehandedly invent the game of basketball?? Being on American soil suddenly altered his ability and inventiveness?

The whole "Canadians could only understand" also disagrees with the fact that baseball was played in eastern Canada before most of the western US, with teams in Ontario (London) beating American clubs in the International Association in the 1870s including Pittsburgh. Additionally, cricket in Canada - like in the US - was also the most popular game during the formative years of the nation before the advent of the modern big four sports.

You're not "knocking" Canada, but you're completely ignorant about it.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Yes, but he had to come to the United States to 'invent' the game as the Canadians could only understand a netted stick with a ball (the official national game) or a stick with a puck. Bouncing a ball was foreign to them.



Not really knocking Canada, both sides of my family landed there 350-380 years ago and I believe I am probably distantly related to Rob Blake. His middle name, being his mother's maiden name, is my last name.

My maternal grandmother was born in Chicago. Her grandfather was born in the middle of nowhere Ontario(?). I couldn't believe I found him on a Canadian census.

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[steve B]

Originally Posted by Steve D

Well, James Naismith was Canadian.


Steve

I didn't know that. Good to learn something new.

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by steve B

Ok, Hockey I get, but Basketball and Football?

It's simple... no Canadian James Naismith, no basketball.

Regarding football, the early game played by US colleges resembled European association football (soccer) which included it's rules, with only Harvard adopting the ability to carry the ball instead of just kicking it, something only seen in rugby during the era.

Harvard famously played a two-game series against Montreal's McGill in 1874, with this the very first games of what would become modern football (the first game was played under the Harvard "Boston rules", the second one was played under McGill rules, and is the first rugby-style football game played in the United States). The Canadians also used a more oblong-shaped ball akin to a modern football, while Harvard still used basically a round "soccer" ball.

Additional important aspects were taken from the Canadian game....

"Harvard quickly took a liking to the rugby game, and its use of the try which, until that time, was not used in American football. The try would later evolve into the score known as the touchdown"

So again, without Canada, there would likely be no Hockey, basketball OR "American" football as we know them.