| It was the year 1891, on a cold December day, that | | | | baskets! Now the ball could fall through and play could |
| basketball came into existence. This immensely | | | | continue without the long pause. Eventually, the |
| popular game was invented by James Naismith, a | | | | peach baskets were replaced altogether with |
| physical education teacher at a YMCA in Springfield, | | | | backboards and a metal hoop. |
| Massachusetts. He created this game for his | | | | Basketball now began spreading. It started being |
| students. | | | | played in high schools and colleges. Various rules and |
| His pupils loved to play soccer and football, but with | | | | limits were created for the game so that teams |
| winter coming it just wasn't feasible to play any | | | | would not be too big, since at one point a university |
| outdoor sports. Since he wanted all of them to stay | | | | sent over 100 students out to play at once! With |
| in good health and continue to get the exercise they | | | | organized play and teams, basketball really took off |
| needed, he came up with an indoor game that would | | | | as a serious sport. |
| keep them moving. His idea led him to hang two | | | | In 1949, basketball went pro with the creation of the |
| peach baskets from balconies at opposite sides of | | | | National Basketball Association (NBA). Although it only |
| the gym and grab a soccer ball. With that, basketball | | | | had eight teams to start, this association has grown |
| was born! | | | | to include thirty teams and millions of fans. For a brief |
| Nine players were put on each team, since the total | | | | period there was also the American Basketball |
| class size was eighteen students. Once the soccer | | | | Association (ABA). Created in 1967, the ABA folded |
| ball hit the gymnasium floor, the game began. The ball | | | | after less than nine years due to financial problems. |
| was bounced and passed between all the players until | | | | So, as you can see, the popular sport of basketball |
| one student got the soccer ball into one of the | | | | had a very humble beginning. James Naismith, now |
| peach baskets. This was the first three points ever | | | | dubbed the "Father of Basketball", simply created a |
| made in a basketball game! | | | | game that his students could play out of the cold. |
| Now, this original game did not come without its | | | | Nowadays basketball is one of the most widely |
| problems. The most serious was the fact that | | | | played ball game drawing in a broad range of |
| someone had to climb a ladder every time a basket | | | | audience and players. |
| was made to retrieve the ball. This was an easy | | | | Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this |
| problem to solve once they thought about it for a | | | | article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, |
| bit: they cut holes in the bottom of the peach | | | | ALL links must remain intact and active. |