--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were 18 in the class. I selected…" description: "\"There were 18 in the class. I selected two captains and had them choose sides. I placed the men on the floor. There were three forwards, three centers ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/james-naismith-33040_ball-game_there-were-18-in-the-class-i-selected-tw_2541654.png" --- # There were 18 in the class. I selected two captains and… ![“There were 18 in the class. I selected two captains and had them choose sides. I placed the men on the floor. There were three forwards, three centers and three backs on each team. I chose two of the center men to jump, then threw the ball between them. It was the start of the first basketball…” quote by James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/james-naismith-33040_ball-game_there-were-18-in-the-class-i-selected-tw_2541654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/james-naismith-33040_ball-game_there-were-18-in-the-class-i-selected-tw_2541654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/james-naismith-33040_ball-game_there-were-18-in-the-class-i-selected-tw_2541654.png) > “There were 18 in the class. I selected two captains and had them choose sides. I placed the men on the floor. There were three forwards, three centers and three backs on each team. I chose two of the center men to jump, then threw the ball between them. It was the start of the first basketball game and the finish of trouble with that class.” [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Organizing a simple game with clear roles and a ball resolved class conflicts and introduced a new sport. **In simple terms:** A structured game can unite and entertain. Key Takeaway Use clear rules to channel energy positively. Themes sports conflict resolution teamwork Mood enthusiastic inspirational Type educational motivational When to use this quote - physical education - recreation - team building Key Concepts game design social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can games foster cooperation? - What makes a sport enduring? A Different Perspective Rules may need adaptation for fairness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ball game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ball-game/) [Basketball game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-game/) [Class Selected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-selected-1439885/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Placed Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/placed-men-1439886/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Start Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-basketball-1439883/) [Team Chose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team-chose-1439884/) ## Related quotes > [You might be a redneck if... your high school basketball game got rained out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-your-high-school-basketball-game-got-rained/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [I met Snoop through church when we was, like, 13 or 14. 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I can play basketball in China. 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It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play 'Drop the Handkerchief.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/the-invention-of-basketball-was-not-an-accident-it-was-developed-to/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [The greatest team that ever stepped out onto the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/the-greatest-team-that-ever-stepped-out-onto-the-floor/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [In case of dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/in-case-of-dispute-the-umpire-shall-throw-it-straight-into-the-field/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [The invention of basketball was not an accident. It was developed to meet a need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/the-invention-of-basketball-was-not-an-accident-it-was-developed-to-2/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Basketball is a pure invention,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/basketball-is-a-pure-invention/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/basketball-really-had-its-origin-in-indiana-which-remains-the-center/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [I want to leave the world a better place for me having been here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/i-want-to-leave-the-world-a-better-place-for-me-having-been-here/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Its a different world. I live in that world, but sometimes I dont understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/its-a-different-world-i-live-in-that-world-but-sometimes-i-dont/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Normally we have a high and a low. This is something so unusual that I dont think we know what the upper end might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/normally-we-have-a-high-and-a-low-this-is-something-so-unusual-that-i/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Be strong in body, clean in mind, lofty in ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/be-strong-in-body-clean-in-mind-lofty-in-ideals/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [I am sure that no man can derive more pleasure from money or power than I do from seeing a pair of basketball goals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/i-am-sure-that-no-man-can-derive-more-pleasure-from-money-or-power/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [Games have been called the lab for the development of moral attributes, but they will not, of themselves, accomplish this purpose. They must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/games-have-been-called-the-lab-for-the-development-of-moral/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) [Explore all 15 James Naismith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) ## More Ball game quotes > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [Sometimes a minute is really the difference between success and failure. 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That's all I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/i-m-about-winning-football-games-and-playing-hard-that-s-all-i-care/) [Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/) > [I don't like going to football games. I like watching them on television. When you go to a game, it's hard to focus. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-don-t-like-going-to-football-games-i-like-watching-them-on/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Kids are pretty resilient. You don't have to be at every volleyball game. We can't guilt ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/kids-are-pretty-resilient-you-don-t-have-to-be-at-every-volleyball/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [You might be a redneck if... your high school basketball game got rained out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-your-high-school-basketball-game-got-rained/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [My folks, I don't think my mom or my dad ever missed a little league game or a football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/my-folks-i-don-t-think-my-mom-or-my-dad-ever-missed-a-little-league/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [“That's all I need," I say. "Well...I need the lamp. And the astray. And the remote control. And the paddleball game. And you, Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/that-s-all-i-need-i-say-well-i-need-the-lamp-and-the-astray-and-the/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [You know this baseball game of ours comes up from the youth - that means the boys. And after you've been a boy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-this-baseball-game-of-ours-comes-up-from-the-youth-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-manage-a-project-without-project-management-is-like-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We'll do anything it takes to win a basketball game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/we-ll-do-anything-it-takes-to-win-a-basketball-game/) [Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/) > [When I am working it is up early and coffee and 15 hours of being on the set. 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