BASKETBALL

HISTORY AND BASIC SKILLS

HISTORY
The history of basketball began with its
invention in 1891 in Springfield,
Massachusetts by Canadian physical
education instructor James Naismith.

He invented the game of basketball at

age 30 in 1891 and became the first
coach and athletic director of Kansas
Jayhawks.
HISTORY

Basketball was made as a less injury-prone sport than football and

created the indoor sport to keep athletes indoors during the winters.
Upon the request of his boss, Naismith was tasked to create an indoor
sports game to help athletes keep in shape in cold weather.

It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. He published 13

rules for the new game. He divided his class of eighteen into two
teams of nine players each and set about to teach them the basics of
his new game.

The objective of the game was to throw the basketball 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. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit
baskets were removed.
HISTORY

The first public basketball game was played in Springfield,

Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.

On December 21, 1891, James Naismith published rules for a new

game using five basic ideas and thirteen rules. That day, he asked
his class to play a match in the Armory Street court: 9 versus 9,
using a soccer ball and two peach baskets.

The game basketball was proposed to be called Naismith game but

was named basketball by Frank Mahan.
HISTORY

The eighteen players were John G. Thompson, Eugene S. Libby, Edwin P. Ruggles,
William R. Chase, T. Duncan Patton, Frank Mahan, Finlay G. MacDonald, William H.
Davis and Lyman Archibald, who defeated George Weller, Wilbert Carey, Ernest
Hildner, Raymond Kaighn, Genzabaro Ishikawa, Benjamin S. French, Franklin Barnes,
George Day and Henry Gelan 1–0. The goal was scored by Chase.

Only in 1906 were metal hoops, nets and backboards introduced. Moreover, earlier
the soccer ball was replaced by a Spalding ball, similar to the one used today.

The game became established fairly quickly and grew very popular as the 20th century
progressed, first in America and then in other parts of the world. After basketball
became established in American colleges, the professional game followed.

The American National Basketball Association (NBA), established in 1946, grew to a

multibillion-dollar enterprise by the end of the century, and basketball became an
integral part of American culture.
NAISMITH'S ORIGINAL RULES
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.
3. A player cannot 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 good speed.
4. A player cannot 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 good speed.
5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or striking in any way the
person of an opponent shall be allowed. The first infringement of this
rule by any person shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify
him until the next goal is made, or if there was evident intent to
injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute.
6. A foul is striking the ball with the fist, violation of rules 3 and 4, and
such as described in rule 5.
7. A foul is striking the ball with the fist, violation of rules 3 and 4, and
such as described in rule 5.
NAISMITH'S ORIGINAL RULES
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from grounds into the basket and
stays there. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponent moves the basket it shall count
as a goal.

9. When the ball goes out of bounds it shall be thrown into the field and played by the
person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field.
The "thrower-in" is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer it shall go to the opponent. If
any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on them.

10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls, and notify the
referee when three consecutive fouls have been made.

11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in-
bounds, and to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal
has been made and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually
performed by a referee.

12. The time shall be fifteen-minute halves, with five-minute rests between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In the case of
a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is
made.
PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES, TEAMS, AND
ORGANIZATIONS
The first professional league was founded in 1898. Six teams took part in the
National Basketball League, and the first champions were the Trenton Nationals,
followed by the New York Wanderers, the Bristol Pile Drivers and the Camden
Electrics. The league was abandoned in 1904. Then, many small championships
were organized, but most of them were not as important as some teams who
played for money against challengers.

The Original Celtics, for instance, are considered the "fathers of basketball" and
were presented as "World’s Basketball Champions"; the players had to sign a
contract to play with them, and Jim Furey organized matches as a circus, moving
daily from town to town. The Celtics became the strongest team, and their
successes lasted from 1922 until 1928, when the team disbanded due to
ownership problems.
PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES, TEAMS, AND
ORGANIZATIONS
The Original Celtics are sometimes incorrectly thought of as forebears of the
current Boston Celtics of the NBA; in reality, they share only a name, as today's
Celtics were not founded until 1946, nearly two decades after the demise of the
Original Celtics.

In 1922, the first all-African American professional team was founded: the Rens
(also known as New York Renaissance or Harlem Renaissance). The Rens were the
Original Celtics’ usual opponent, and for their matches a ticket cost $1. They took
part in some official championships and won the first World Professional
Basketball Tournament in 1939. The team disbanded in 1949. In the 1920s and
1930s, Eastern Basket Ball League (founded in 1909), Metropolitan Basketball
League (founded in 1921) and American Basketball League (founded in 1925)
were the most important leagues.
FIRST INTERNATIONAL GAMES

After its arrival in Europe, basketball developed very quickly. In 1909 the first
international match was held in Saint Petersburg: Mayak Saint Petersburg beat a
YMCA American team.

The first great European event was held in 1919 in Joinville-le-Pont, near Paris,
during the Inter-Allied Games. United States, led by future Hall of Fame player
Max Friedman, won against Italy and France, and then Italy beat France.

Basketball soon became popular among French and Italians. The Italian team had
a white shirt with the House of Savoy shield and the players were: Arrigo and
Marco Muggiani, Baccarini, Giuseppe Sessa, Palestra, Pecollo and Bagnoli.
BASIC SKILLS
Dribbling
This skill will allow you to move up and down the court, maneuver past defenders
and execute plays.
Shooting
In order to score points in basketball, you need to shoot the ball into the hoop. This
requires the ability to properly hold and throw the ball into the air toward the basket
while avoiding defenders.
Running
Running back and forth as the game quickly transitions between offense and
defense. When you have the ball, running will help you to avoid defenders and get to
the basket quicker.
Passing
Basketball is a team sport that involves finding a teammate who is open for a shot.
The ability to pass the ball to this player can make the difference between scoring
and not scoring.
Jumping
Jumping is involved in offense during the jump ball in the beginning, while taking
shots and sometimes while trying to catch a pass.