In going through some old stuff recently, I found this information about James Naismith and how he invented basketball. He was also a student at the Martha’s Vineyard Summer Institute. Mr. Naismith put the first game of basketball in play at Springfield College. Did the summer school on the Vineyard inspire him to finally invent the game of basketball? Could it have been the lovely salt air or watching the seagulls scoring with their shells from the air without any interference? (Mr.