How basketball took the world by storm
By: Pokpong, Year 13
In the winter of 1891-1892, a small group of college students from Springfield College were required to participate in indoor activities. The teacher of this class was James Naismith, a 31-year-old graduate student who loved sports. He got his theology degree from Presbyterian College in Montreal before heading to Springfield to study physical education. At that time, physical education was a newer academic discipline, and the superintendent of physical education at the college was Luther Halsey Gulick. Today, we know him as the father of physical education in the United States. James Naismith: The Person Who Invented Basketball.
Naismith was a graduate student, and he had to teach a class. He looked at his class and thought of something that happened in 1891 when Gulick taught a course on the psychology of play. Gulick had challenged his class to invent a new indoor game that was fun, easy to learn, and could be played in the winter and by artificial light, but no one had taken up the challenge. As the fall sports season was ending, Naismith felt motivated to create a game to make gym class less boring for his students. Two teachers tried but failed. Naismith said that the problem wasn't with the students, but with the system they were using. He thought that they needed to do something fun and playful to get his students motivated and exciting something that would appeal to their love of playing.
During the faculty meeting, Gulick put the problem in Naismith's hands and said, "Naismith, I want you to take that class and see what you can do with it." Naismith's task was to design a game that was easy to pick up but also challenging, playable both indoors and outdoors, and suitable for many players at once. The game should be able to provide players with plenty of exercise without the risk of getting hurt. Naismith took on this challenge and started working on it.
This new game was created by combining elements from American and English rugby, lacrosse, soccer, and a game called duck on a rock. To make it work, a goal was created that required the ball to be tossed, rather than thrown, since the goal could not be rushed or slammed through. The game's creator, Naismith, played duck on a rock with his friends in Bennie's Corners, Ontario.
James Naismith invented basketball and used two peach baskets as goals, which he nailed to the gymnasium balcony's lower rail. Players would retrieve the ball and put it back into play. The baskets were later modified to allow the ball to fall through. Naismith created basketball's 13 original rules, appointed a referee, and divided the game into two 15-minute halves separated by a five-minute break. He formed teams with three centers, three forwards, and three guards.
Students introduced the game at their own YMCAs, and the rules were printed in a college magazine and sent to YMCAs across the country. Thanks to the College's international student body, basketball spread to many foreign nations. High schools and colleges also began to introduce the new game. By 1905, it was officially recognized as a permanent winter sport.
Although the rules have been changed over time, the game of "basketball" has remained largely the same since Naismith's original list of "Thirteen Rules" was posted on a bulletin board at Springfield College. Basketball is an important part of our global culture and represents unity and collaboration. It will inspire future generations of players and fans alike. Basketball is a well-liked sport worldwide: It's the second most popular team game globally after soccer. It has simple rules and is accessible for all ages and skill levels promoting teamwork, sportsmanship, and healthy competition for those who play it.
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