Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
"American University Basket Ball Team, 1926." View full size. National Photo Company. Scanned from a ginormous, windowpane-size 8x10 glass plate negative.
This looks like a big prom picture but with a basketball and knee pads
They may not have needed many more players. It was a different game. Basketball has since become a contact sport, it may not be as severe as football or hockey but people get hurt. They probably needed an extra couple of players, not as replacements, but in case someone didn't show up. In those days there was a jump ball after each basket, so the pace was a lot slower.
It was a simpler time when a group of men in knee pads could line up behind each other, place their hands on each other's hips, and fearlessly pose for a collegiate photo. Hazing be damned, I'd like to seen a freshman try this today.
Who comes off the bench if someone gets hurt?
They should be doing some Rockette moves!
Knee pads? For Basketball? Hehe. I also love the way they are standing, reminds me of a choo choo game of toddlers. And the basketball dirt imprints on the wall behind them are awesome.
This is totally how basketball teams pose nowadays, I guess this is where the trend began.
I bet they never knew the influence they'd have on 14 year old girls in fancy dresses, though.
What is that, some condemned gymnasium? What a mess!
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5