The Story of the 1904 Fort Shaw Indian Girls, Basketball's First World Champions. In 1903, over 300 Indian children from across America lived at the Fort Shaw Indian Boarding School in a remote, isolated valley in Montana. Among the children were a handful of teenage girls, many who had only lived in tepees. They quickly learned to play basketball and resoundingly crushed all opponents, including men's and women's university teams. In less than one year after first seeing a basketball, they were crowned the first world champions of basketball at St. Louis' 1904 World's Fair. Millions saw them and some gained a deeper understanding and love for Indians and yet still far too many people of the United States did not. The 1904 World’s Fair used this unique opportunity to display the Fort Shaw Indian Girls Basketball team. They were not forced to go to the fair…they went for their own reasons. But at the fair, they were viewed less as human beings in their own right than as exotic specimens. Yes, they were aware of being on display and chose to fully participate. They loved the game and they knew that their families would be proud of them…For when they returned to Montana 5 1/2 months later, they carried the title of 1904 world champion basketball players.
In their basketball uniforms…
In their “traditional” dress
In respect of The People…

