1898–99 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States

American college basketball season July 2024 March 2026 1898 The 1898–99 collegiate men's basketball season in the United States began in December 1898, progressed through the regular season, and concluded in April 1899. Season headlines The 1898 edition of Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide — published in October 1898 — critiqued a proposal published in the April 1893 issue of Physical Education for the formation of three basketball leagues made up of YMCAs, colleges, and amateur athletic clubs to each compete for a "Trophy or Championship Emblem" conveying upon each winner a national championship, followed by a "triangular contest for the Supreme Championship" among the three national champions. The 1898 Spalding's Guide noted that the 1893 proposal was premature, "for it wasn't until 1895 that the athletic clubs gave the game its due recognition, and even up to the present time comparatively few colleges are interested in the game."Reach Robt. April 1893 II 2 Basket Ball as an In-door Game for Winter Amusement and Exercise 21–22 https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15370coll3/id/2034 Physical Education Springfield, Massachusetts The Triangle Publishing Co. Why wouldn't it be a good plan to organize a Basket Ball League and put up a Trophy or Championship Emblem to be contested for. It might be as well to have three Divisions, or Leagues, YMCA's, Colleges, and Athletic Clubs, including in the latter the regimental Athletic Clubs; and at the end of the season have a triangular contest for the Supreme Championship.Spalding's Official Basket Ball Guide (1898) 8 86 Gulick Luther Luther Gulick (physician) Browne T.J. American Sports Publishing Co. New York September 1898 21–74 https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.officialaaubaske05amat/?sp=27 History of Basket Ball Indeed, by March 1893, its future seemed so bright that a writer in 1893 Physical Education of that month suggested the formation of three national leagues of the Young Men's Christian Associations, colleges and athletic clubs respectively; games to be played for the national championship in each class, at the time a rather premature suggestion, for it wasn't until 1895 that the athletic clubs gave the game its due recognition, and even up to the present time comparatively few colleges are interested in the game. Yale claimed that it had won a mythical "basket ball championship of the United States" for the 1898–99 season.February 27, 1899 LXVII 49 5 Yale Team Victorious — Splendid Record for the Season https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-journal-courier-1899-yale-ba/178893105/ Journal and Courier New Haven, Connecticut In consequence of the number of important victories earned the team lays claim to the basket ball championship of the United States.March 1, 1899 Basketball News and Comment: Yale's Ridiculous Claim to the United States Championship. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-1899-yale-national-championshi/178647699/ The Times Trenton, New Jersey What Trenton, Millville, Twenty-third Street or the Mercer County Wheelmen could do to the Yale team would make them regard their championship talk as a wild dream caused by a disordered stomach. In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Yale as its top-ranked team for the 1898–99 season.ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game ESPN ESPN Books New York, NY 2009 526, 529–587 978-0-345-51392-2 Regular season During the season, college teams played against non-collegiate opponents such as athletic clubs, high schools, and Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) teams as well as against other colleges and universities. Western Conference The Western Conference (the future Big Ten Conference) was the only college basketball conference. It did not sponsor an official conference season or recognize a regular-season champion, and no intramural games between conference members took place during the 1898–99 season. In non-conference play, only Minnesota (5–4) won games.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/western/men/1899.html Sports Reference 1898-99 Men's Western Conference Season Summary July 17, 2024 Independents A total of 27 college teams played as major independents. Most played fewer than 10 games. Those that won 10 or more games were Bloomsburg (10–0), West Chester (11–1), Ohio State (12–4), and Temple (18–6).https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/independent/men/1899.html Sports Reference 1898-99 Men's Independent Season Summary July 16, 2024 References 2