:: Basketball History, James Naismith

James Naismith Born: Died: Height: Weight: November 6, 1861 in Almonte, Ontario, Canada November 28, 1939 5-foot-10 180 pounds

History of Basketball

The inventor of the sport was called Dr. James Naismith. He was given orders from Dr. Luther Gulick (Head of Physical Eduction at the Christians Workers School) to create an indoor game that would serve as an "Athletic Distraction", within 14 days. It was much needed since the expected class was known to be very rowdy during the long New England Winters. Dr. Naismith was pressed to provide a solution that was not easily to come by. He faced multiple hurdles to achieve this result. His first intention was to bring outdoor games, indoors (ex. Soccer and lacrosse). However these games proved to be far to physical and cruel. Right before the 14 day deadline Dr. Naismith remembered a game he played during childhood that needed different physical cababilities such as agility and accuracy.

With the use of an ordinary soccer ball, Dr. Naismith had assembled a class of 18 young men, appointed captains of two 9 player teams, and introduced these players to the game of "Basket Ball" (Yes, it used to be two seperate words). Dr. Naismith, outlined 13 original rules, and dispatched the schools janitor to find 2 boxes to be fastened to the balcony railing at opposite sides of the gym, where the baskets would serve as goals. The school janitor, however, only found two half-bushel peach baskets, and the game was played with these.

The game of Basket Ball grew quickly among the nation. Naismith's biggest thrill of founding the game of basketball came when he was sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to witness basketball become an Olympic sport at the 1936 Games held in Berlin. With this Naismith became famous for creating a tremendous popular sport called basketball. His genius idea had never brought him fame or fortune during his lifetime, but he received enormous recognition following his passing in 1939. For his historic invention, Naismith's name adorns the world's only Basketball Hall of Fame, a tribute that forever makes James Naismith synonymous with basketball.

• 1896: Professional basketball began at a YMCA in Trenton, New Jersey.
• Early 1900s: Basketball was played at about 90 colleges-most of them located in the East and Midwest.
• 1914: More than 360 colleges offered basketball, and the sport had spread heavily into the Midwestern states.
• 1915: Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (AAU), the NCAA, and the YMCA formed a committee to standardize rules.
• 1937: The first national collegiate tournament was held in Kansas City, Missouri.