James Naismith is the Canadian made famous by inventing the game of basketball.
But another James Naismith, a large cow named after the man who invented the sport, belongs to owner Stephen Overbury, a Naismith enthusiast. Now, Overbury says James the cow needs medical help, and his owner is using personal Naismith memorabilia to try to help his beloved bovine.
Overbury owns the Otter Creek Animal Sanctuary and Shelter in Smiths Falls, where James the cow enjoys life at the shelter with his girlfriend Elsie.
According to Overbury, James is approximately seven feet long, and has grown too large for a specific piece of equipment necessary to maintain cow’s hooves.
“The foot chutes in Canada aren’t big enough to contain James, I’ve just learned,” Overbury said. “And in order to get one, I’m going to have to spend over $100,000, wait nine months and order it from Spain or America.”
The sanctuary owns a collection of Naismith’s personal papers and documents, and has decided to sell the items to raise money for a foot chute and medical supplies to help the large cow.
“James Naismith is arguably one of our most famous Canadians ever, having invented the second-most-widely watched and played sport in the world — basketball.”
Based on offers Overbury says he’s received, the memorabilia is worth at least seven figures.
“We got a letter that basically was from the largest basketball collectibles house in the world, and they valued it at about a million dollars Canadian if broken up,” Overbury said. “But I never wanted to break it up.”
Cows aren’t the only animals at the sanctuary. In fact, more than 150 animals will benefit from the proceeds of the memorabilia sales.
Although he would prefer not to have to sell off the collection, Overbury says the animal’s quality of life is more important.
“We do a lot of palliative care; we don’t put animals down,” Overbury said. “We celebrate their life, we make it pain free for them should they require medications.”
The sale will be held at the organization’s website.
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