Ball, William Henry
Biographical Note
William Henry Ball had a long and distinguished career in the YMCA. A graduate of the International YMCA Training School, now Springfield College, in 1891, Mr. Ball began working with the YMCA in Yonkers, New York where he was the Assistant Secretary from 1887 to 1889. While a Springfield College student, Mr. Ball served as one of the editors of The Triangle, the magazine that announced the creation of Basketball and Volleyball, and was part of Springfield College’s first football team. This team was started by Amos Alonzo Stagg and was known as “Stagg’s Eleven” or the “Stubby Christians.” He was a peer and friend of Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, and Amos Alonzo Stagg, the “Grand Old Man of Football,” both of whom were graduates of the college in 1891. After completion of the program at Springfield, Ball took the position of Physical Director at YMCAs in Canada, including Montreal and Quebec, serving there until 1901. After returning to the United States in1902 he worked at a number of different YMCAs as a Physical Director; including Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Springfield, Mass. YMCA and in Detroit, Michigan. From 1911 until 1924, Ball served as Secretary to the YMCA International Committee in New York City. At the end of his career, Mr. Ball returned to his alma mater, Springfield College, where he taught hygiene, camp craft and administrative classes from 1927 until his retirement in 1930. Additionally, Mr. Ball served in 1916-1917 as a representative of the YMCA on the Joint Committee on Basketball Rules, wrote an article titled "The Spirit of the Game" for Spalding's 1917-1918 Official Basket Ball Guide, and worked as Class Alumni Representative for the Springfield College Class of 1891. William Henry Ball died December 17, 1955.