| If you are a basket ball fanatic, you would be | | | | which appeared in Illinois Interscholastic, an IHSA |
| familiar with "March Madness" as it is popularly | | | | magazine. Henry Porter was an Assistant |
| called. In a nutshell, it refers to basket ball | | | | Executive Secretary of the Illinois High School |
| competitions between scores of teams that | | | | Association at that time. Newspapermen caught |
| usually takes place during the month of March. It | | | | onto it immediately and used it often in their |
| is also sometimes known as Big Dance. | | | | newspapers. This finally crystallized as a popular |
| When these competitions get underway, basket | | | | event name during the Golden Era of 1940s and |
| ball fever grips players and sports lovers alike. | | | | 1950s. |
| This championship is conducted by NCAA or the | | | | In 1973, the IHSA began to use the term officially |
| National Collegiate Athletic Association. In fact, the | | | | through its programs and merchandising. Around |
| phrase is a registered trademark by NCAA. The | | | | 1977, an official history of the boys basket ball |
| tournament is based on single elimination principle | | | | championship was written by Jim Enright and |
| and is normally help each spring and is | | | | appeared as "March Madness: The Story of High |
| characterized by the thump of basket balls and | | | | School Basketball in Illinois". Another publication |
| the roaring of the crowds. Millions of fans watch | | | | "March Madness: The Official Video History of the |
| avidly with bated breaths as this event unfolds. | | | | IHSA Basketball Tournament" followed suit in |
| March Madness traces its origins to Illinois from | | | | 1989. Both book and video were marketed and |
| 1908 when it was a small affair sponsored by | | | | sold across the nation. Shortly thereafter, the |
| Illinois High School Association through invitations. | | | | IHSA trademarked the phrase as "America's |
| Various high school boys' basket ball teams | | | | Original March Madness." |
| participated in this annual tournament. From those | | | | At present, both NCAA and the IHSA jointly own |
| humble origins, the event grew to a statewide | | | | the registered trademark of March Madness. The |
| institution engulfing 900 schools in the competition | | | | term is now often connected with the NCAA |
| in the late 1930s. In fact, there were several | | | | popularized largely by Brent Musburger during |
| teams known as "sweet sixteen" that became | | | | annual broadcasts of the tournament. |
| popular attracting sellout crowds. | | | | Interestingly, in the 1960s, Intersport Inc., had |
| Interestingly, all this transpired before professional | | | | actually trademarked the term before IHSA and |
| teams gained a foot hold in the nation. Even more | | | | NCAA. However, both of them bought it back. |
| surprising is the fact, this was all before television | | | | "March Madness" is no longer confined to boys |
| and still gripped the average fan. Obviously, the | | | | basket ball tournament and has been extended to |
| basket ball fever had transformed itself into | | | | girl's basket ball championships too by NCAA. The |
| epidemic proportions! | | | | tournaments are regarded now as part of the |
| When did the term first appear on paper? Way | | | | national psyche that send millions of Americans |
| back in 1939, Henry V. Porter, impressed by this | | | | into a frenzy every year. |
| sports fever wrote an essay "March Madness" | | | | |