In the late 19th century, Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, invented basketball. He wanted to create a game that could be played indoors during the winter months. Naismith wrote down 13 basic rules and hung a peach basket at each end of the gymnasium as goals.
NAISMITH’S 13 RULES:
The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (but never with the fist).
A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which they catch it; allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop.
The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
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.
A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violations of Rules 3 and 4 and such as described in Rule 5.
If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul).
A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there (without falling), 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.
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 a 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 that side.
The umpire shall be the 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.
The referee shall be the 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.
The time shall be two fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes’ rest between.
The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner.
The game was initially played with a soccer ball, and the objective was to throw the ball into the opposing team’s peach basket. The first official game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891, at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
As basketball gained popularity, modifications were made to the game. In 1906, metal hoops with nets replaced the peach baskets. The game evolved further with the introduction of dribbling, passing, and the three-second rule.
In 1936, basketball became an Olympic sport. The first professional basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBL), was formed in 1937. It later merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1949 to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Over the years, basketball continued to evolve with the introduction of the shot clock in 1954, the three-point line in 1979, and the introduction of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996.
Today, basketball is one of the most popular sports globally, with millions of players and fans worldwide. The game has undergone numerous changes and adaptations since Naismith’s invention, but its fundamental principles of teamwork, skill, and sportsmanship remain at its core.
