History of Basketball

Invention of the game

James Naismith developed 13 rules for the new game. He divided his class of 18 into 2 teams of 9 players each (which today would be the equivalent of 3 guards, 3 centers, and 3 forwards) and set about to teach them the basics of his new game of Basketball.The object of the game was to throw the soccer ball, 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. Later, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.The first public basketball games were in Springfield, MA, on December 21, 1891.

The First 13 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. 3. A player can't 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 a 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, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player 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 allowed. 6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3, 4, and such as described in Rule 5. 7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents 8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, 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 court of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the referee 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 that side. 10. The referee,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 power to disqualify men according to Rule 5. 11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball 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 baskets in that time shall be declared the winner.

The first basketball game

On December 21, 1891, James Naismith defined a new game using five base ideas and thirteen rules.[1] 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. Frank Mahan, one of his students, wasnt so happy. He just said: "Huh. Another new game".However, Naismith was the inventor of the new game. Someone proposed to call it Naismith Game, but he suggested "We have a ball and a basket: why dont we call it basket ball"?[3] The eighteen players were: John J. 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 10.[4] The goal was scored by Chase.[5]There were other differences between Naismiths first idea and the game played today. The peach baskets were closed, and balls had to be retrieved manually, until a small hole was put in the bottom of the peach basket to poke the ball out using a stick. Only in 1906 were metal hoops, nets and back boards introduced. Moreover, earlier the soccer ball was replaced by a Spalding ball, similar to the one used today.

The Fundamental Skills of Basketball

In basketball, there are 6 different fundamental skill areas that players should concentrate on in training. Dribbling Dribbling the basketball is done to move the ball around only when a passing isn't a better option and a lane isn't available. Both new and experienced players make the mistake of dribbling the ball when it isn't needed. Ask any collage or professional basketball coach - they will all tell you the same thing. Dribbling should be done when the player (you) have some purpose to forfill. Dribbling while looking for an offensive option is a good way to lose the ball. When you are looking for that option, take the ball in a firm grip and put your body between you and the defender. Regardless of how good you are at dribbling, the defense will always have a greater chance for a steal if you are dribbling the ball instead of gripping it in both hands. Passing Passing is the number 1 option for moving the ball around the court on offense. Passing is quicker than dribbling and so it is a deadly offensive tool for reaching that open man so they can have the shot. Good passes are the hallmark of good teams because most offensive plays are set up by good passes. Shooting Shooting is probably the most practiced skill for new and experienced players. Yet so many people still practice it wrong. In practice all drills should be done at game speed and done as you would under pressure. Players are usually too lazy to do this and instead of practicing the sweet jump shot that they are constantly doing in the game they lazy-it-down to a hop-shot. Instead of jumping to give power they use their arms for the power and the legs give the rest. Practicing the wrong way to shoot is something that players do all the time yet they do not understand why they miss all their jump shots during the game... Rebounding Rebounding can come in two forms - offensive and defensive. Lots of newer player look at rebounding and immediately think that it is a big mans area. Yet

this is not so. Rebounding is more than just being big. It even surpasses just jumping ability. To be good at rebounding you need skill and dedication. Skill is mainly the ability to position yourself and read the shots - something that comes quickly with practice. Dedication is probably the most important factor in rebounding. The person who gets the ball is the one with the most hunger for the ball and who is willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Offense Offense is a fundamental which encompasses all aspects of the offensive court. Shooting has already been covered (and is covered more in the basketball website listed below). Yet moving off the ball to give offensive options to the player with the ball is another thing that is essential for good offense. Supporting your team mates with screens and being able to locate the best offensive option and get the ball to them are also essential things on offense. These skills are often overlooked. Defense The best defensive teams in the NBA are often the ones that make it into the playoffs. This is seen year after year so a simple conclusion can be made here - defense is key to victory. Defense is not only about getting the steal or block but also about intimidation of the opponents.

Ball

The most important piece of equipment used in basketball is the ball itself. They are usually made out of leather, rubber or they are synthetic.

Hoop

The ball gets shot into a circular hoop. This hoop is called a rim, which is made out of steel and has a diameter of 18 inches.

Net

The net gets attached to the rim by little hooks. Nets are made out of nylon and in some cases polyester.

Backboard

The backboard is above the rim, and it is what the rim gets attached to. The ball gets banked off of it as well. Some materials backboards are made out of are glass, graphite and fiberglass.

Backstops

The backstop holds the backboard in place. They are either mounted to a wall, are free standing or are suspended from a ceiling.

Player Equipment

Players also use some personal equipment. Some examples include towels, mouthpieces, knee and elbow pads, and in some cases, they use eye or nose protection.