History of Basketball

Court and Equipment

• A basketball court has a flat, hard surface with dimensions of 28m in length and 15m in width.
• The court has lines drawn in white, 5 cm in width, and clearly visible.
• A no-charge semi-circle is drawn underneath the basket with a radius of 1.25m.

Game Essentials

• The game is played with a round ball and hands.
• A player cannot run with the ball.
• Any player can take up any position on the playing court at any time.
• There shall be no physical contact between players.
• The goal (basket) shall be placed vertically above the floor of the court.

Dr. James Naismith's Original 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.
• A player cannot run with the ball.

History of Basketball

• The first game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891, at the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• The gym was incredibly small, measuring 50 feet x 35 feet.
• The first publicly played game of basketball between students and teachers was on March 2, 1892, at Springfield College.
• The ball was replaced with an official ball in 1894.
• The first women's match took place on March 22, 1893, in Northampton, with no men allowed to watch.
• FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was founded on June 18, 1932.

Dr. James Naismith

• Dr. James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• He created the game to focus on skill rather than strength.
• He was a Canadian physical education instructor and coach of the school football team.
• He was tasked with creating an interesting indoor game to occupy students during the winter months.

Test your knowledge about the historical origins and early rules of basketball, including the first game played in 1891 at the YMA training school. Learn about the small gym size and the principles behind Naismith's 13th rule.