Basketball is a multi-million dollar sport. There are professional basketball players, college players, and high school teams. Not to mention the fans are very supportive. Yet some people don’t know it’s history. Below you’ll find its history and it’s the founder. 

Where/how it(s) was made/played 

Basketball is a game played with a team of five team players on a court usually indoors but could also be played outdoors. Both teams try and make a score by tossing a ball around a rectangle court and into the opposites teams net, a basket. Basketball was invented by James Naismith about December 1, 1891, at the “International Young Men’s Christian Association” a training school that is now a college. Naismith was the instructor of their physical education class. 

The first game.

The very first game of basketball was played in 1891. Naismith used two peach baskets for what is now called a hoop (basket)! Those two very baskets gave the sport its name! All of his students were enthusiastic about this brand new game for them to play. After lots of running and shooting William R. Chase made a mid-court shot the only score in that historic contest. The word spread fast of this newly invented game. Many associations wrote Naismith a copy of the rules and sent them to him to get his approval of the rules they have copied and written new rules themselves. The rules were finally published on January 15th, 1892 for everyone to see and later on play.

When it’s played. 

Basketball is only competitively played during the winter- while it is played in many other places on a 12-month basis at playgrounds, church halls, family driveways, and many more places. There are many high schools, youth groups, gyms, churches, that have basketball programs for kids younger than high school age. While high schools and some middle schools have there owned basketball teams for girls and boys for them to join. Jay Archer of Scranton, Pennsylvania introduced “biddy” basketball in 1950 for young boys and girls under the age of 12, the court and equipment being adjusted for there own ages and skills.

How it changed.

In the early years of basketball teams, the number of players on a team varied according to the number of a class and the size of the rectangular court. In 1894 the teams began to play with five on the side when the playing area is a little less than 1,800 square feet. That number rose to seven when the gymnasium measured from 1,800 to 3,600 square feet which is 334.5 square feet total. Then up to nine players when the court exceeded that! In 1895 the number for the players on the court was set up to five, and it has stayed the same ever since – as you can see when you watch or play the game.  

When it was introduced. 

Since Naismith and his five players were Canadians it only would make sense that Canada was the first country to play basketball out of the U.S seeing as his team was from Canada. Basketball was introduced to France later on in 1893. Soon after it was introduced to England in 1894! Then Australia,  not long after China had begun to play and then India- therefore it was introduced to Japan in 1900. Now ever since basketball has been a huge part of the competitive sports area! Seeing that as we have 30 basketball teams throughout the NBA! Also seeing as we play competitively every winter!

Seeing that you know about Basketball’s history and founder, you’ll go see a game? Maybe you’ll even be cheering on the original team.