William H. Ball Alumni Class Representative Papers
Collection Scope and Contents
The materials in the William H. Ball Class Representative Papers include reports, correspondence, a photograph, and various alumni documents. The materials center around Mr. Ball’s activities as a Springfield College alumni class representative for the Class of 1891, of which he was a member, between 1935 to 1942. Most of the collection is made up of correspondence from members of the Class of 1891 and 1892 and alumni representatives. Of greatest importance are 2 letters from Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of Basketball, and 4 letters from Amos Alonzo Stagg, the “Grand Old Man of Football.” They were both classmates of Mr. Ball. Other materials include some newsletters for the Class of 1891 and 1892, a bunch of reports for various alumni funds, some meeting minutes to the Alumni committee and the Office of the Board of Trustees.
Dates
- Creation: ca. 1930-1942
Creator
- Ball, William Henry (Collector, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Conditions Governing Use
Rights status not fully evaluated.
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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 1891After 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.
Extent
.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Metadata Rights Declarations
Abstract
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, he worked at a number of different YMCAs including Yonkers, New York, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Springfield, Mass. YMCA and the Detroit YMCA. 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 to teach from 1927 until his retirement in 1930. William Henry Ball died December 17, 1955.
The materials center on Mr. Ball’s activities as a Springfield College alumni class representative for the Class of 1891. Most of the collection is made up of correspondence from members of the Class of 1891 and 1892 and alumni representatives. Of greatest importance are 2 letters from Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of Basketball, and 4 letters from Amos Alonzo Stagg, the “Grand Old Man of Football.” Other materials include some newsletters for the Class of 1891 and 1892, a bunch of reports for various alumni funds, some meeting minutes to the Alumni committee and the Office of the Board of Trustees.
Arrangement
There was very little original arrangement within folders. Materials were arranged for ease of use by processor, except for the letters from Dr. James Naismith and Amos Alonzo Stagg that were kept in the folders they were originally donated in.
Digitized Materials
Browse digitized materials from this collection. This collection is partially digitized.
Digital Objects
Subject
- Naismith, James, 1861-1939 (Person)
- Stagg, Amos Alonzo, 1862-1965 (Person)
- School for Christian Workers (Organization)
- International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (Springfield, Mass.) (Organization)
- Title
- William H. Ball Alumni Class Representative Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey Monseau
- Date
- 2016-09
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2022-11: Transferring information from the original Word document to ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the Springfield College Archives and Special Collections Repository
Springfield College
Judd Gymnasia
263 Alden Street
Springfield Massachusetts 01109 U.S.A. US
413-748-3309
jmonseau@springfieldcollege.edu