History of Basketball

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“Basketball” Invention of the game James Naismith was a Canadian American physical education instructor at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. In December 1891 , the director of the school, Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick, asked Naismith to find a physical activity to occupy a "class of incorrigibles." Naismith may have other motivations as well. Naismith wanted to create a game of skill for the students instead of one that relied solely on strength. He needed a game that could be played indoors in a relatively small space. And he wanted to keep his football players in shape off-season. As a kid Naismith played a game called duck on a rock. He took account of the game he played as a kid and made it into what we now call basketball. With the help of his wife he devised a game suitable for a gymnasium. Naismith obtained two peach baskets and a soccer ball, and developed 13 rules for the new game. He divided his class of 18 into 2 teams of 9 players each (the team today would be the equivalent of 3 guards, 3 centers, and 3 forwards) and set about to teach them the basics of his new game of Basketball. The object of the game was to throw the soccer ball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. Later, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first public basketball game was in Springfield, MA, on December 21, 1891. The First 13 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 (never with the fist). 3. A player can run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed. 4.

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