In late winter of 1938, or perhaps early spring, darkness was enveloping Europe. Conflict was escalating in East Asia. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had recently been released nationwide within the United States. The people needed something to hope on.
They got it.
Amidst the terrors of the time, and Snow White’s unrelated validation of the potential of animation in cinema, a basketball tournament arose—a basketball tournament that for more than 80 years to come, perhaps even hundreds of years to come, would continue to shine faith into the most fearful, and/or animated, corners of the globe.
Yes, in late winter of 1938, or perhaps early spring, the first NIT was played.
Since then, of course, the NIT has fathered many an additional tournament of which we can all be proud. The CBI. The CIT. The short-lived Vegas 16. The Women’s NIT. The Preseason NIT. The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (just kidding that’s the same tournament as the CIT).
It has also, of course, fathered a tournament of which no one should be proud. But we won’t talk about that tournament. All fathers get one free miss. I was that miss for my dad. That’s why I’m an NIT blogger.
This is all a long way of saying that the NIT is college basketball’s dad. So make sure to wish it a happy Father’s Day today.
