​James Naismith ( 1861-1939 ) invented the sport of basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891. He had two siblings, Annie and Robby.  Their grandmother cared for them grandmother passed away, they lived with their uncle. James played football, rugby, lacrosse, and gymnastics. Before he invented basketball, he attended a school called McGill University in 1883. Three years after he invented basketball, he got married. He married a girl named Maude Sherman. They had 5 children. After his wife died in 1937, he married Florence Kencade. He married her six months before his death.