 |
The Strange But True History of Basketball
by Carlos Lintons
http://www.fsubasketball.com
It would seem that Basketball has been with us forever.
Yet it was only in 1881 that Dr. James Naismith created the
game that now is one of the most popular games in the United
States. What you may not also realise is that Naismith was
actually born in Canada, and some wonder if the sport would
be so popular in the US had he not been living in
Massachusetts at the time he invented it.
Naismith worked at the University of McGill in Montreal for
several years as the athletics director before heading to
Massachusetts to the YMCA Training School. It was here that
Naismith was looking for a game that students would be able
to play inside during the winter months. The first game of
basketball was played with a soccer ball and two peach
baskets. A broom stick was used to push the ball back out of
the basket initially, but holes were cut in the bottom of
the basket to resemble the familiar hoop and net we see on
television and in gymnasiums today.
The YMCA promoted basketball worldwide and many people in a
variety of countries play it as a hobby or a profession
today. No other country has embraced it as widely as North
America.
The game of Basketball continued to gain popularity and it
was showcased in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. And today the
National Basketball League is one of the most popular sports
events. Prior to the formation of NBA the controlling body
for the game of basketball in America was the Basketball
Association of America. Today the NBA players boast some of
the highest salaries in the professional sports.
The first paid basketball players can be traced back to 1896
on November 7. This was the date of a game between the
Trenton Basketball Team and the Brooklyn YMCA. Basketball
eventually broke away from the YMCA and moved into the
National Basketball League.
Since then players such as Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain,
and Shaquille O'Neal have made headlines not only in
basketball, but in movies, tabloids, and even music.
Basketball players also offer great role models for many
inner city kids, where basketball is a popular and
encouraged past time.
The NBA Finals are one of the most popular televised sports
events in the United States. Everyone loves to cheer on
their favorite teams and players. Michael Jordan, or Air
Jordan as he was known, brought about much of the popularity
in NBA merchandise. Everyone wanted Air Jordan jerseys,
shirts, hats, shorts, and of course the ever popular shoes.
Today the NBA is a multi-million dollar association that
makes money off of ticket sales, televised games, and
merchandise. Many children are kept out of trouble by
playing basketball not only in school teams, but with their
friends as well. Basketball seems to keep growing in
popularity, and the trend doesn't show any signs of slowing
down. James Naismith probably had no idea the mega-success
his simple game with a ball and two peach baskets would
become.
Submit An Article
|
|  |
