Patton and Naismith
Thomas Patton grew up in Danville, Quebec, less than five hours from Naismith in Almonte Ontario. Because of their close proximity, they often took the train together traveling to and from school, including their first arrival September 2, 1890. A series of postcards and letters sent to J.T. Bowne, a faculty member at training school, details when Patton and Naismith would need to be picked up.
Through their time together in school, in travels, and on the football team, grew a mutual admiration and respect. Playing together on "Stagg's Eleven", or the "Stubby Christians" as they were also known, they were part of a formidable team coached by the sport's most brilliant tactician, Amos Alonzo Stagg. With Naismith playing the center position, and Patton next to him as a right guard on the offensive line with him, they worked well together to put up strong fights with Harvard, Yale, and many of the best schools in the country.
This admiration can be seen in their picture together (seen to the left), in their later years. In an interview at this anniversary, Patton says that the creation of basketball was "an indication of the careful work for which he was known". In the article Patton wrote that same year, he describes the effort and initiative Naismith took as "earnest, as he usually did such challenges." It is fitting then, that when Naismith finished writing the original 13 rules, he went to Patton first and asked him to serve as a captain in the game.