History of Basketball Essay

Basketball has become a nationwide played sport ; there are multiple leagues in basketball now and today. Basketball originated in Springfield Massachusetts by a Canadian physician at Ymca professional which is now and todays Springfield College! This sport has been noted as the most played sport in the world. James Naismith created a worldwide sport that is now in schools and recreation centers. It was the YMCA that had a major role in spreading basketball throughout the United States and Canada, and throughout the world. In 1893, Mel Ride out arranged the first European match in Paris, in Montmartre! James Naismith published 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 held in Springfield, MA, on December 21, 1891! They got the name basket ball from the fact that they had a ball and a basket. In the beginning they were going to name it â€Å"Naismith game†. The way the game was set up back then was they had to shoot the ball into the basket, the basket had no hole in it unlike the ones we use today. They would have to retrieve the ball manually; during the time of them fetching the ball out the basket each team had a break. Today we have ‘Timeouts† this is where the team devises a game plan to win the game! In 1906 was when they developed metal hoops with nets and backboards which made the game more easier. Instead of them using a soccer ball they upgraded to a spalding ball, these are the balls that are still used to this day! Basketball was spreading throughout the United States ,Canada , and the world ! The YMCA had a lot to do with why basketball became a well known trend. The First World War broke out in 1914, and the U. S. Army started fighting in Europe in 1917. During World War 1, American Expeditionary Force brought basketball wherever they went. Together with the troops, there were hundreds of physical education teachers, who knew basketball quite well, and even James Naismith spent two years with YMCA in France, in that period. Not only did they bring basketball with them, but even the â€Å"modern† basketball, that is the game as it was played in the United States at that time. People in France were very intrigued by the sport that James Nasmith brought to the YMCA out there. There were others even traveling to places such as China, India, Japan, and Persia spreading the new game around the globe. The men that traveled to these countries are : , Bob Gailey , Duncan Patton, Genzabaro Ishikawa , C. Haree ! They had every element they needed to take the new sport basketball to the top! James Naismith made sure that he had proper funding for the sport, the right supporters, and of course the right minds working on creating the individual leagues. The first professional league started in 1898 it was 6 teams in this league the first champions of this league were the Trenton Nationals. Shortly after the Trenton Nationals won the championships other teams followed in their footsteps. They abandoned this league in 1904, their were little championship games that people would play for money. The Celtics were proclaimed the original â€Å"Fathers of basketball† and were also posed as the world basketball champions! In order to even play with this team and Jim Furey you had to sign a contract. The success of this team lasted from 1922-1928 reason why was , because the team was disbanded due to ownership issues. The Original Celtics are sometimes incorrectly thought of as forebears of the current Boston Celtics of the NBA; in reality, they share only a name, as today’s Celtics were not founded until 1946, nearly two decades after the demise of the Original Celtics. In 1922, the first all-African American professional team was founded: the Rens (also known as New York Renaissance or Harlem Renaissance). The Original Celtics opponents were The Rens to get into a game only cost a $1 for a Ticket. The team took part in the World professional basketball tournament and took the 1st place trophy in 1939. The team had also disbanded like the Celtics exactly 10 years after they won the tournament ! In the 1920s and 1930s, Eastern Basketball League founded in 1909 , Metropolitan Basketball League founded in 1921 and American Basketball league founded in 1925 were the most important leagues. The most hard playing games were played at colleges. The first organized game was played between Geneva College and The New Brighton YMCA on April 8th ,1893 in Beaver Falls , Pennsylvania Geneva college had a flawless victory that day they won 3-0. Geneva College named themselves â€Å"The Birthplace of College basketball†! In February 1895,Minnesota State School of Agriculture, and Hamline University played the first intercollegiate match (won 9–3 by Minnesota). In that period, the Amateur Athletic Union took over the organization of collegiate activity. In 1905, Yale University was disqualified, and some other universities created the Intercollegiate Athletic Association , which became Nation Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1910. The NCAA created the first united states championship in 1939 which brought in the playoffs at the end of each conference! On June 6th 1946 a league was started in New York city the league was known as the Basketball association of America. The league received a new name in 1949 the National Basketball Association (NBA). They changed the name ,because they merged with their rival league the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA has become Americas most favorite association they have the most significant players ,salaries, popularity , talent, and last but not least level of competition. The Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn and the St. Christopher Club of New York City was established as the first fully organized independent all-black basketball teams in 1906 these teams were amateur! In 1907, the amateur, all-black Olympian Athletic League was formed in New York City consisting of the Smart Set Athletic Club, St.  Christopher Club, Marathon Athletic Club, Alpha Physical Culture Club, and the Jersey City Colored YMCA. The first inter-city basketball game between two black teams was played in 1907 when the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn traveled to Washington, DC to play the Crescent Athletic Club. In 1908 Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn, a member of the Olympian Athletic League, was named the first Colored Basketball World’s Champion. In 1910, Howard Universities first varsity basketball team began. In 1922, the Commonwealth Five, the first all-black Professional team was founded. The New York Renaissance was founded in 1923. In 1939, the all-black New York Renaissance beat the all-white Oshkosh All-Stars in the World Pro Basketball Tournament. The all-white National Basketball League began to Racially integrate in 1942 with 10 black players joining two teams, the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and the Chicago Studebakers. The NBA integrated in the 1950–51 season, with three black players each achieving a separate milestone in that process. In the draft held immediately prior to that season, Chuck Cooper became the first black player drafted by an NBA team. Shortly after the draft, Nat Clifton became the first black player to sign an NBA contract. Finally, Earl Lloyd became the first black player to appear in an NBA game, as his team started its season before either Cooper’s or Clifton’s. The American Basketball Association (ABA) was founded as an alternative to the NBA in 1967 at a time when the NBA was experiencing a lot of popularity. The ABA offered an alternative ethos and game style as well as some changes in the rules. Julius Erving was the leading player in the league, and helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim. The league emphasized excitement and liveliness, be it in the color of the ball (red, white and blue), the manner of play, wild promotions, or the three point jump shot. National recognition and earnings were low, leading the league to look for a way out of its problems. Merger with the more established and very successful NBA was seen as a solution. The ABA was folded into the NBA in the summer of 1976, its four most successful franchises the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs being incorporated into the older league. The aggressive, loose style of play and the three-point shot were taken up by the NBA. The game basket ball started branching out and becoming the most played sport in the country. Once college teams started forming there ball teams , schools all over the country in high schools, middle schools, and even elementary schools had teams or was hosting tournaments! Once basketball came to Europe it was branched out very quickly. The very first international game was played in 1909 at Saint Petersburg. The Mayak Saint Petersburg team managed to beat a YMCA American team. United States, led by future Hall of Fame player Max Friedmen won against Italy and France, and then Italy beat France. Basketball soon became popular among French and Italians. International basketball was growing ,and games were just popping up everywhere. They even developed an international league on June 18, 1932 this was the final piece to a big puzzle. Having teams all over the world compete in a world Basketball tournament there’s even people who trade to international teams from the USA and vice versa. Even the Olympics pick best players from American teams to come out and play against teams from every country for the Gold Medal! The first Olympic basketball title was one by Team USA. Canada was runner-up; the games were played on an outdoor clay court. The first World Championship was held in Argentina in 1950! There was even a female basketball league that was orchestrated . A lady name Senda Berenson read about Dr. Naismith’s new game, and with modified rules, introduces the game to the students at Smith College. The first women’s game was held between the University of California, Berkeley and Miss Head’s School. Clara Gregory Baer was the one to write the first book full of rules for women’s basketball. Senda Berenson publishes the first issue of Basketball Guide for Women, which she would edit and update for eighteen years. These rules, with minor modifications, would remain in use until the 1960s. In 1899 women started developing the same taste for the sport as the men did. Woman’s basketball wasn’t as major as men’s basketball the first international game they played was in Victoria, Australia. The baskets that they were using were paper bags! That same year Stanford abolishes intercollegiate competition of women which cause them to form their own independent club. In 1904 Stanford rescinds the prohibition against intercollegiate competition of women. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women’s professional basketball league in the United States . It currently is composed of twelve team the league was founded on April 24, 1996, as the women’s counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA). League play started in 1997; the regular season is currently played from June to September with the Finals in October. Basketball has been the sport that at least every person in this world has at least tried. Its one of the most commonly known sport. The history behind basket ball shows how far this sport has come. Basketball went from peach baskets, to metal hoops, and backboards with spalding balls. Basketball has come from being a little sport played for money or for fun to having different types of leagues. James Naismith helped bring the world together with just a ball and a hoop with 18 players.