Amos Alonzo Stagg
Inducted:
1959
Stats
Born
August 16, 1862
West Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Died:
March 17, 1965
Stockton, California, U.S.
Position:
Contributor
College:
University of Chicago
Amos Alonzo Stagg was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959 as a contributor. Best known as a legendary football coach, Stagg also played an important role in basketball's early development. He learned the game from James Naismith at the Springfield YMCA and played in the first public basketball game there, scoring his team's only basket in a 5–1 loss. In 1892, less than a year after basketball was invented, Stagg introduced the game at the University of Chicago.
He helped popularize five-man basketball and coached Chicago in the first college game played with five players on each side in 1896. Stagg also organized the University of Chicago National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament in 1917, helping improve and standardize high school basketball rules. His work helped basketball move from its early YMCA roots into organized college and school competition.
Stagg's Awards and Honors
- College Football Hall of Fame (1951)
- 7× Big Ten football champion
- First public basketball game participant
- First college five-man basketball game coach
- Organized the University of Chicago National Interscholastic Basketball
- Tournament
NBA Position
As Coach
Chicago (1920–1921)
NBA Stats
Primary sports:
Football, basketball and baseball
Basketball role:
Pioneer of five-man basketball
Seasons Coached:
1 (1920–1921)
Wins:
14
Losses:
6
Winning Percentage:
.700