James Naismith, a Canadian-born educator, could not have known that a small game he invented while teaching at a Massachusetts YMCA school would go on to become the most popular indoor sport to ever be played. Naismith effectively invented basketball when he was asked to create a game that "didn't take much space". This fine print portrait was done by Ed Elbel, a fellow educator at the University of Kansas, and was printed in limited quantity in the 1930's. The pictured is autographed by Naismith in blue fountain pen and is in Near Mint condition. Measures 7 1/2"x9 3/4".