The History of Basketball

Dr. James Naismith is the inventor of the game of basketball. He was born in 1861 in Ontario, Canada.

During his school days, Naismith had played a simple child's game known as duck-on-a-rock in the schoolyard. Duck-on-a-Rock involved knocking a "duck" off the top of a large rock by tossing another rock at it.

Naismith attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he became the athletic director.

In 1891, he went on to the YMCA Training School for Christian Workers, in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, and this is where the basketball sport was born.

Here Naismith needed to find a sport that could be played inside during the cold Massachusetts winter, in a relatively small space. Hence, the modern 'basketball court'.

Naismith envisioned a game of skill for the students, instead of one that relied only on strength. The first basketball game was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets used as goals.

In 1898, Naismith joined the University of Kansas faculty, taught physical education and became the chaplain.

More Accomplishments of James Naismith

In addition to all of his accomplishments thus far, including the creation of the sport of basketball, James Naismith graduated as a medical doctor, specializing in sports physiology. Sports physiology is what we call sports science today.

He also went on to become a Presbyterian minister. He was very interested in philosophy and living a healthy lifestyle, both physically and morally.

The YMCA movement introduced the sport of basketball to many countries in the world, starting as early as 1893.

Basketball was introduced at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Naismith was flown to Berlin to watch the games.

He died in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1939.

The Thirteen Rules of Basketball

James Naismith devised thirteen 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, but never with the fist.

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 running at good speed.

4. The ball must be held in or between the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it.

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping in any way of an opponent.

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 substitution shall be allowed.

6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violations of Rules 3 and 4 and such as described in Rule 5.

7. If either side make three consecutive fouls it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul).

8. Goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the ground into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal.

If the ball rests on the edge and the opponents move 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 first person touching it.

In case of 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 judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made.

He shall have the power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.

11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and decide when it is in play in bounds, 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 two 15-minute halves with five minutes' rest between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winners.

More Historical Facts About Basketball

1892 - Senda Berenson adapts the rules for women and introduces the game at Smith College

1892 - First inter-institutional (extramural) contest between the University of California and Miss Head's School

1893 - Clara Gregory Baer introduced basket ball to girls at Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans

1895 - First publicly played basketball game in the South (demonstration game at the Southern Athletic Club in New Orleans by Sophie Newcomb College students)

1895 - Clara Gregory Baer publishes first basket ball rules for women, called "Basquette"

1896 - First intercollegiate game played between Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley

1899 - Formation of first Women's Basket Ball Rules Committee

1901 - First official publication of Basket Ball for Women (three court game) by Spalding Athletic Library with Senda Berenson as editor

1903 - Halves shortened from 20 minutes to 15 minutes

1905 - Executive Committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee) formed under auspices of the American Physical Education Association (APEA)

1905 - Six to nine players on a team, 11 officials

1906 - Five to nine players on a side

1908 - Placing one hand on a ball held by an opponent is a foul

1908 - Double teaming a shooter is a foul

1910 - Dribbling is outlawed

1913 - Officiating first appeared in guides

1913 - Single dribble returns, but ball must bounce knee high

1916 - No coaching is allowed from the sidelines during game (except halftime) No timeouts, no substitutions

1918 - Basket with open bottom instead of closed basket with pull chain becomes official

1918 - Bounce pass legalized

1918 - Substitutes may be used, but they cannot re-enter the game

1922 - There must be at least six players on a side, maximum of nine

1923 - Formation of the Women's Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation (NAAF)

1925 - Goals scored by one-hand overhand throw, two-hand underhand throw, shot-put throw, and throw with back to the basket count as one point

1926 - Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sponsors first-ever national women's basketball championship, using men's rules

1927 - Players must wear numbers on the back of their jerseys

1928 - Formation of first national women's officiating board: Women's National Officials Rating Committee

1929 - First AAU All-America team selected

1931 - Techniques for officiating included in rulebook

1931 - Babe Didrikson leads Golden Cyclones to AAU national title

1932 - All field goals count as two points

1932 - Guarding on all planes permitted

1934 - Tulsa Business College won the first of three consecutive AAU national titles

1936 - Formation of the All American Red Heads

1938 - Three-court game changed to two-court game with six players per team (three guards and three forwards)

1951 - Hanes Hosiery wins the first of three consecutive AAU national titles

1953 -"Overtime" period established-- following one overtime, games are decided by "sudden death"

1953 - USA wins gold in first World Championships

1955 - USA women's basketball team played in first Pan American Games basketball competition and won the gold medal

1956 - Ball can be tied with two hands around ball held by opponent

1956 - Three seconds in the lane is a violation

1962 - Each team is permitted two players to roam the court

1962 - Player allowed to "snatch" the ball from another player

1962 - Nashville Business College wins first of eight consecutive AAU National Championships

1965 - Joint Committee AAU/DGWS Rules established

1966 - Continuous unlimited dribble becomes official rule

1969 - First National Invitational Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament held at West Chester State College in Pennsylvania

1971 - Five-player, full-court game and 30-second clock become official

1975 - First Kodak All-America Team

1976 - Women's basketball makes its Olympic debut

1977 - Lusia Harris is awarded the first Broderick Cup as the most outstanding athlete in the AIAW

1978 - Formation of Women's Professional Basketball League (eight teams)

1978 - Carol Blazejowski named as inaugural recipient of Wade Trophy

1981 - Women's Basketball Coaches Association formed

1982 - First NCAA National Championship held

1984 - USA captures its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles

1984 - West VIrginia's Georgeann Wells registers the first dunk in women's collegiate basketball

1986 - Nancy Lieberman becomes the first woman to play in a men's professional basketball league when she joins the USBL's Springfield Fame

1987 - Three-point field goals introduced to collegiate basketball

1988 - USA wins gold medal at the Seoul Olympics

1991 - The Liberty Basketball Association is launched, folds after one exhibition game

1992 - USA finishes with bronze medal at Barcelona Olympics

1996 - USA recaptures the gold medal at the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta

1996 - American Basketball League tips off its first season

1997 - Inaugural WNBA season

1999 - Grand opening and induction of the Inaugural Class of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

2000 - Houston Comets win fourth consecutive WNBA title

2000 - USA captures the gold medal at the Olympics in Sydney as Teresa Edwards competes in her fifth Olympics

2001 - Jackie Stiles establishes a new NCAA Division I scoring record,