For the re-enactment, the teams were entirely comprised of Smith intercollegiate athletes, including nine members of the current basketball team. According to the Smith College website, the players re-enacted the events of the game by following a script that was based upon information from the Smith College archives, including a surprising shoulder injury to one of the players.
The audience was able to witness the changes that have occurred in the game since the nineteenth century. The rules that were used in 1893 are dramatically different from the women's basketball rules used today. In the first Smith basketball game, players were not allowed to steal the ball from one another because, according to the Smith College website, it was "a practice ruled illegal in 1893 because it was unladylike." Furthermore, players were only allowed to dribble the ball once before being required to pass it. Players were also required to stay in certain zones on the court in order to limit running and exertion.
Perhaps the most striking visible difference was the players attire-instead of wearing uniforms, they wore the bloomers and long-sleeved blouses typical of yesteryear women's sports. "And men, who were not allowed to view those early players in their risque game attire, are encouraged to attend today's games as spectators," according to the Smith College website. A hip-hop dance team also performed as part of the day's festivities.
This event was part of Northampton's 350th anniversary in honor of which a number of events of historical significance will be celebrated throughout the year. The event was also part of Smith College's Fitness February, a month-long series of events leading up to opening of their new fitness center.