AAU players from the McPherson Refiners, KS, and the Universals, CA, formed a basketball team that won Olympic gold in Berlin in 1936. The United States team beat Canada, 19-8, in the championship game played outdoors in pouring rain on a muddy tennis court surface. Dr. James Naismith was there to present the medal.
Rich Hughes tells the story in his book Netting Out Basketball 1936.
Now often referred to as the Hitler Olympics, the 1936 games were the first time that basketball was recognized as an Olympic sport. It was the year that Jesse Owens raced to gold.
In 1936, fast breaking offenses, dunking the ball, and full court zone pressure were important new techniques that radically changed the game. Post-season college tournaments were invented as well–necessary in order to identify recruits to play for the U.S. Olympic team. Tryouts for the Olympic team took place in Madison Square Garden. Five college teams, two AAU teams (the McPherson Refiners and the Universals), and a YMCA team from Pennsylvania participated.
