Do you ever imagine how and when basketball was invented and became the most loveable sport worldwide? I have to turn some old pages of the past to understand the journey of this worldwide famous sport. If you look at the fact and figures of this sport then 450 million people are playing basketball around the globe as per the FIBA ( International Basketball Federation) provided figures.
The 100 countries around the globe have their own national basketball teams that contribute to this worldwide famous sport. The USA, Spain, Australia, Canada, Argentina, Lithuania, Russia, Spain, Brazil, Serbia, and the Philippines have the world’s best basketball teams. Let’s find out some surprising facts from the past regarding the invention of basketball.
Origination of Basketball, Invention of Basketball
Can you guess when the basketball was originally started? IF you don’t have any idea then I tell you that basketball was invented in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. December 1891 is the golden period of history when the sport of basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts. The original purpose of this invention was to condition young athletes so they can easily maintain their shape in the cold months.
YMCA International Training School also known as Springfield College in the current modern time was the invention place of the basketball. Springfield, Massachusetts. You will be surprised by knowing the fact that basketball hoop was not used on the court instead of that peach baskets were used at the YMCA International Training School. In the early time, the basketball team consisted of 9 players that play the game according to the 13 rules issued by the officials. The ball was initially thrown into fruit baskets to score points and then the janitor climb up the ladder to retrieve the ball. On March 11, 1892, the first public basketball match was held in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Genius Behind the Invention of Basketball
If you are a basketball lover then this question will definitely come into your time who is the mastermind behind the invention of basketball? Well, I hope you are familiar with the name of James Naismith. You can call James Naismith the father figure in the history of basketball. Who can imagine that a 31-year-old Canadian physical education instructor and a graduate student James Naismith bring revolution in the field of the sport with his invention of basketball in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The game became immensely popular in a short passage of time. Basketball was widely played In the USA by the mid of 20th century. Basketball becomes an integral part of American culture by the end of the century. The first game in history was played in December 1891, in which the game was played by the eighteen players divided by half into two teams. Basketball becomes so popular in 1892 at YMCA International Training School that the editor-in-chief Dennis Horkenbac of the Springfield college newspaper published this first game in his article under the name of “A New Game”.
The students of the campus start calling this game “Naismith Ball”, but Naismith doesn’t allow people to use this game. Most people don’t know about a fact that the first match of basketball was played with a soccer ball On December 21, 1891, in the Armory Street court under the newly published five basic ideas and thirteen rules by James Naismith.
The players of the first team were Eugene S. Libby,John G. Thompson, William R. Chase, Edwin P. Ruggles, Lyman Archibald , Frank Mahan, Finlay G. MacDonald, T. Duncan Patton, and William H. Davis who defeated the other team players George Weller, Wilbert Carey, George Day , Henry Gelan, Raymond Kaighn, Genzabaro Ishikawa, Benjamin S. French, Franklin Barnes, and Ernest Hildner.
Invention of Women Basketball / The Foremother of Women’s Basketball
How Women can’s left behind in any game? Women are equally taking part in different sports around the globe to show off their strength. The women’s basketball college competitions play a vital role in spreading the sport from the east to the west coast of the United States. The women’s basketball teams are adding their efforts and contribution to the basketball sport to make their country proud. If you are curious to know about the invention of basketball for women then you will find your answer in the below-mentioned details.
Have you ever heard about the name of Senda Berenson Abbott? The foremother of the basketball and she was also the first woman to introduce a basketball guide for women. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on July 1, 1985, due to her efforts to promote basketball among women. Senda Berenson was a physical educator who used to teach gymnastic exercises to students. Senda Berenson realizes that these gymnastic exercises did not bring a real change in women due to a lack of interest that’s the reason.
Senda Berenson start looking for alternative physical challenging exercises and that was the time when Senda Berenson stumbled across the new invention of a basketball game by the Naismith at the YMCA School. When was the first women’s basketball match played? Well, it is a disputed case because the first unofficial match was played on March 6, 1892, as per the letter of a student that she wrote to her mother about the new basketball game.
Women start playing basketball in the fall of 1892 but the official match was played on March 22, 1893, at Smith College. Senda Berenson and the first intercollegiate women’s basketball game were played between Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley teams. Berenson has used the newly invented basketball game as an experiment and alternative to the gymnastic exercises and she become successful in her new physically challenging sports experiment.
What Was Naismith’s Original Rules
Every sport has its own rules and regulations to be followed by the players. In the sport of basketball, this credit goes to James Naismith. The 13 rules of basketball written by Naismith followed in the first match of basketball at Armory Street court of YMCA School. In January 1939, Naismith tells about the first match played under the initial rules of basketball in a radio interview.
James Naismith’s said when the match started the players start tackling, kicking, shooting and punching which results in eye and shoulder injuries. Naismith brings changes in the rules to develop a clean sport and to avoid injuries. One of the major changes in the rules was to stop running with the ball to avoid tackling and slugging.
Common Questions and Answers
Was basketball invented by a black man?
The basketball was not invented by a black man as it is invented by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith at the YMCA School.
Who invented the basketball rules?
The 13 golden rules of basketball were introduced by Naismith in December 1891 at YMCA School Court.
When did basketball become an Olympic sport?
Basketball’s first Olympic basketball tournament was played in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In 1936 Berlin Olympics basketball become an official Olympic sport in which Dr. Naismith presented the medals to the top teams.
Which ball was used in the first match of Basketball?
You will be surprised by knowing the fact that the first basketball match was played with a soccer ball.
The first basketball game was played on which place?
Do you ever hear about the famous Armory Street court? Well it was the first place to play a basketball match.
Final Verdict:
Basketball is a worldwide famous sport in today’s modern time but do you ever think about how the journey of basketball started? That’s the reason I have mentioned all the important details about the invention of basketball. The credit goes to Dr. James Naismith and Senda Berenson Abbott to make this sport famous around the world.
You will be surprised to know some of the amazing facts about the history of basketball. The 18-player game was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets. We should pay our tribute to Dr. James Naismith and Senda Berenson Abbott for their countless efforts to bring revolution in the field of sports.