What is basketball? Invention and History of Basketball.

What Is Basketball?

We know there are many kinds of games in the world. Like other sports, basketball is an interesting game. Basketball is a team game, in which two teams oppose each other on a rectangular court. Each team plays 5 players on the court.

It is an international sport. Two teams compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through the defender’s elevated horizontal hoop and net (called a basket) and preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop.

Who Invented Basketball?

James Naismith, was a Canadian-American physical educationist, physician, Christian chaplain, sports instructor, and inventor. In December 1891, James Naismith invented the game of basketball. He was born on 6 November 1961 and died on 28 November 1939. Later his invented game spread worldwide. He was the first basketball coach in basketball history.

History of basketball

How the game of basketball was invented?

James Naismith was a physical education instructor at Springfield College (formerly YMCA International Training School) in Springfield, Massachusetts. His boss asked him to create a new indoor game that offered fewer injuries than classic American gridiron football.

With 13 rules he created the basketball games. At very first, James used a soccer-style ball and peach basket to play basketball. He hung two peach baskets ten feet above the ground.

Players History

Naismith’s class had 18 people. He started playing with two teams (nine on each side) and taught them the basics of his new game. In the year 1895, the first recorded history of collegiate basketball 9-on-9 game was played between The University of Minnesota A&M and  Hamline University. The first collegiate game was played in 1896 with 5 players on each team. The winning team was The University of Chicago 15-12 vs Iowa. 5-on-5 basketball has become the standard since 1900.

Naismith’s original rules

(Copy from Wikipedia)There were only thirteen rules of “basketball”:

1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands.
3. A player cannot run with the ball, the player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, with allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed.
4. The ball must be held in or between the hands, the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed. The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute.
6. A foul is striking the ball with the fist, a violation of rules 3 and 4, and such as described in rule 5.
7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for opponents.
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the ground into the basket and stays there. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponent moves the basket it shall count as a goal.
9. When the ball goes out of bounds it shall be thrown into the field and played by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The “thrower-in” is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on them.
10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls, and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made.
11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in-bounds, and to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.
12. The time shall be fifteen-minute halves, with five-minute rests between.
13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In the case of a draw, the game may, by agreement with the captains, be continued until another goal is made.