Basketball Was Invented in 1891

Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a physical education instructor at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was looking for a vigorous indoor game to keep his students active and in shape during the cold winter months. After rejecting several ideas as too rough or not suited for walled-in gymnasiums, Naismith created basketball.

With a soccer ball, two peach baskets nailed 10 feet high at each end of the gym, and nine players on each team, Naismith set up the first game of basketball. He wrote a set of 13 original rules, and on December 21, 1891, he had his students play the first game against each other.

The hoop/basket in modern-day basketball is made of a glass backboard encased in a wire basket. It is attached to a ceiling mounted pole that rests on the floor at each side of the court. A net hangs from the ceiling over the hoop, and players can score points by shooting and making field goals into the net, either through one of the two rounded arcs encircling the basket (two-pointers) or directly through the hoop (three-pointers).

Today, basketball is the most popular sport in the United States and around the world. It is played in many schools, colleges and professional leagues. It is a highly competitive and fast-paced sport that requires good hand-eye coordination, athleticism and strategic thinking. The 68 best teams from the NCAA Division I men’s conference compete in March Madness every year for a shot at winning the national championship.