A Brief History of Basketball ……
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Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, almost on par with the NFL. But basketball has something the NFL doesn't. While the NFL is only for the United States, basketball is a sport that is played all over the world. It is a popular sport where people watch games, bet on basketball, and even participate in fan activities such as fantasy basketball. No matter how much we love basketball and how much it brightens our lives, we rarely know the origins of the sport and where it came from. Today, we are going to take you on a journey to understand the history of basketball and how it became what it is today.
The Origins of Basketball.
Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith because it was less likely to cause injuries than football. He was a 31-year-old graduate student when he invented the sport and kept his players indoors in the winter. The game quickly established itself and enjoyed great popularity well into the 20th century, first in the United States and then spreading to other parts of the world.
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| James Naismith Founder of BasketBall |
The game initially established itself in colleges, but was soon followed by the professional game known today as the NBL. The NBA was then founded in 1946 and grew into a multi-billion dollar enterprise by the end of the 20th century, which resulted in the NBA becoming an important part of American culture.
The invention of basketball. The game of basketball was invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891 to keep athletes healthy during the cold season. Naismith was previously a physical education instructor at the YMCA International Training School (now Springfield College).
At the request of his superiors, he was tasked with developing an indoor sport that would allow athletes to stay in shape in cold weather. Originally consisting of a basket of peaches and a soccer-like ball, he created 13 rules for the game and began teaching the basics to his 18 students, splitting them into two teams of nine. The object of his invention was to throw a basketball into a fruit basket attached to the railing on the underside of a gym balcony. After each point, the game had to be stopped so that a janitor could get the ball with a ladder. After a while, they finally removed the bottom of the fruit basket because it was impractical to have to retrieve the ball after each point.
Original rules;
The game had 13 original rules created by Naismith. The ball could be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
The ball could also be hit in any direction with one or both hands.
The players were not allowed to run with the ball and had to throw it from the place where they caught it. But there was a loophole if the player ran at high speed while catching.
The ball had to be held by the hands or arms and they could not use their body to hold it. It is not permitted to put an opponent on one's shoulders, carry, push, trip or hit him. The first violation of this rule is considered a foul, the second violation disqualifies the player until the next goal or if it is clear that there was no intention to harm. .
A foul is hitting the ball with the fist.
If either team commits three consecutive fouls, it counts as a goal for the opponent.
A goal is scored when the ball is thrown or contested from the ground and falls into the basket and stays there. If the ball is on the edge and the opponent moves the basket, it also counts as a goal.
If the ball goes out of bounds, it is thrown into the field and the first person to touch it must play it. The thrower has 5 seconds to throw it. If he holds it longer, it is given to the opponent.
The umpire is the people's referee, he records fouls and notifies the head umpire if three consecutive fouls are made.
The umpire evaluates the ball and decides when it is in play, when it is in the field of play, and which side it belongs to. In addition, the time and division when a goal is scored are recorded and kept on record.
The playing time is 15 minutes, with a 5-minute break in between.
The team that scores the most goals within the above time is the winner. In case of a draw, play can continue until the next goal is scored.
Founding of FIBA. In the first few decades, the sport grew but had no real international organization. It took several petitions from basketball fans to get basketball accepted as an Olympic sport in 1904.
But that all changed in 1932 when FIBA was founded. FIBA's commitment to the international game led to the sport being recognized as an Olympic sport in 1936, which the US national team subsequently won.
Inventor Naismith lived long enough to see the sport he invented recognized as an Olympic sport 45 years after its invention. How basketball took the world by storm.
Basketball was introduced to the world thanks to the US Army and the YMCA. And in 1893, the first ever international basketball game was organized, with YMCA members playing in India, Persia, China, and Japan.
By 1900, most major universities had teams, in 1905 official collegiate rules for basketball were established, and in 1909, the NCAA adopted the game for its coolness. The first ever NCAA DI tournament was held in 1939.
If you reading this article, check out these links for more information.
https://www.adamssblog.com/2024/08/team-handball-game-rules-facts.html
https://www.adamssblog.com/2024/08/volleyball-olympics-games-history-rules.html
