History of Basketball

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History of Basketball

“According anywhere from Australia to the United States and everywhere in between the game of basketball is played.” (Faurschou, “History of basketball”). The game is played anywhere where you can get a ball and something to throw the ball through. “G.L Pierce patented basketball on June 25, 1929.” (Bellis, “Basketball-James Naismith”). Basketball became an official Olympic sport in the 1936 game.

“Both the Aztecs and the Mayans had a version of the game of basketball. The Mayans played the first basketball game around 500 years ago, although their ball was a human skull of a conquered foe!” (Faurschou, “History of basketball”). Aspects of the games included today’s basketball, American football, and soccer.

The game of basketball originated with thirteen rules in 1891 by James Naismith. James combined elements from different sports to make basketball, which include soccer, lacrosse, and a game he played as a kid called duck on a rock. “Duck on a rock was a game in which a person would throw rocks at a target that was on the top of a boulder.” (Laughead Jr. History of basketball”).

“ The first game was played on January 20th 1892 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The game was invented for the YMCA during the winter months. The game was first played with 9 people on each team.” (Faurschou, “History of basketball”).

“In 1896 enough colleges had formed teams to form the first competition. The game was played with only 5 members on each team. ” (McNamee, “A Brief History of Basketball”). Two years after this the first professional league was formed.

“Additions of nets to the rim was made to speed up the game before the addition the ref would have to clime up a ladder and get the ball. Anoth...

... middle of paper ...

... best scoring game (100) and the highest field goal percentage (.727). Wilt is also the only player in the NBA to average more then 48 minutes in a season 48.5 due to overtime games.

Basketball today remains very close to James Naismith’s original game. Who knew that a simple idea like throwing a ball through a hoop would become so popular?

Work Cited

http://nbahoopsonline.com/Articles/History1.html

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blbasketball.htm

http://nbahoopsonline.com/Articles/2008-09/Mesoamericanball.html

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2013/04/history-basketball-time-final/

http://www.remembertheaba.com/

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nba-is-born

http://www.kansasheritage.org/people/naismith.html

http://www.remembertheaba.com/

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