Basketball was invented by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts. The year was 1891, and as the story goes, Naismith was asked to come up with an indoor game that offered fewer injuries than classic American gridiron football. He came up with a 9-on-9 game that involved shooting a ball into a peach basket.
Under those first rules, a single point was scored for a made basket. The first game would have a final score of 1-0. Naismith himself would become a college coach for the game, joining the University of Kansas in 1898. He would amass a win/loss record of 55-60.
HOW BASKETBALL WAS ABLE TO STORM THE WORLD
Basketball was introduced to the rest of the world due to efforts from the US Army and the YMCA. In 1893, the first international basketball match was organized. Members took the game to India, Japan, Persia, and China as well. The first recorded basketball game between two college teams was organized. The University of Minnesota A&M faced Hamline University under 9-on-9 rules, winning the game 9-3.
The rules that Naismith included with his game.
- The basketball had to be held between the hands, without the arms or body holding it.
- Players could not strike, push, hold, trip, or shoulder their opponent. If they did, this would be considered a foul. Two fouls would disqualify a player until the next basket was made without substitution. An attempt to injure an opponent would disqualify that player for the whole game.
- Striking at the ball with a fist would be considered a foul.
- A goal was scored only if the ball stayed in the basket. If it bounced out, the goal was not counted.
- And many more.
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