Basketball has always been my favorite sport! Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1839. The objective was to throw the basketball into fruit baskets strapped to the railing of the gym balcony. As you can see the game of basketball has changed tons over the years and continues to grow.
Naismith was the physical education teacher at McGill University and at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He divided his class of eighteen into two groups of nine. He invented the game for people at the YMCA during the winter. The YMCA played a major role in spreading basketball throughout the United States, Canada and the whole world. The World War broke out in 1914. The American Expeditionary Force brought basketball wherever they went. Within the troops, there were hundreds of physical education teachers, who knew basketball quite well. James Naismith spent two years with YMCA in France. In that period he brought “modern” basketball, which is the version we play in the United States today.
The first formal rules were devised in 1892. The players dribbled a soccer ball up and down a court of unknown dimensions. Points were earned by landing the ball in a peach basket. Someone suggested that it would be called the “Naismith game” but then he said “well it’s played with a basket and a ball so why don’t we call it basketball?” For a while the game was played with peach baskets in which the bottoms were closed and the balls were retrieved by hand. Later, the bottoms of the baskets were removed. Metal hoops, nets and back boards were introduced in 1906. Later the soccer ball that was used was replaced by a Spalding ball, similar to the ones we use today. The first game of basketball was played in Springfield, MA, on March 11, 1892.
The first professional league was founded in 1898. Six teams took part in the national basketball league, but the league was soon abandoned in 1904. The original Celtics were known as the “fathers of basketball” and were presented as the world basketball champions. The Celtics fame lasted 1922-1928. The most early basketball activity was seen in early American colleges. In 1905 the Intercollegiate Athletic Association was created but soon changed to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1910. The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946. African Americans were introduced to the game in 1906, which was when the independent all-black teams were founded. The all-white National Basketball League began to racially integrate in 1942.
Basketball has changed greatly over the years. They have allowed African Americans to play, have made improvements to the game, and have got the world in be involved in this wonderful sport. I think that’s why people are so involved and in love the sport, it is fun, easy to learn. Basketball is also very important to the United States too, it has become quite the tradition. With people gathering for the championships I think it is safe to say basketball is one of America’s favorite sports. I think basketball will continue to grow for years to come.