Itwasthebitingwinterof1891whenJamesNaismith, aCanadian physicaleducationinstructorattheInternationalYMCATrainingSchool ofSpringfield, Masachusets, shooktheworldofsportwithhisinnovative thinkingandcreativity. AttherequestofDr. LutherH. Gulick, Naismith devisedasportwhichcompliedaltooobedientlywiththerulesoffair play, pacification, andnonaggresion. Thissport, earningitsnamefrom thefirsteverconspicuouspeachbasketsusedtoserveasgoalsatboth enendsoftheYMCAgymnasium, isnowglobalyrecognizedtobethesport ofbasketbal.
Shortlyafteritsinception, basketbalmadeanimpasionedappearanceontheNorthAmericanstage. ThesportssoftnatureandincreasinglypraisedstatusinducedaheightenedinterestamongAmericancolege athletesandoficials. Reportedly, springof1892sawthefirsteverpublicly heldbasketbalgameinSpringfield, Masachusets. However, itwasn’ t until1893thatAmericancolegesacrostheUnitedStatesendorsedthe progresivesport.
Withbasketbalgainingprominencethroughouttheglobe, theneed andinterestforestablishingaprofesionalbasketbalcommiteearose. AlthoughminorbasketballeaguesandasociationssuchastheNational BasketbalLeagueandtheBasketbalA sociationofAmericawereinitiatedfolowingtheriseofbasketbal, theirexistencewasshortlived. Itwasn’ t until1949thattheNationalBasketbalA sociationwasbirthed. Despite whatmaybethought, theNationalBasketbalA sociationhasitsroots titightlyenclosedinCanada. TheNBA, previouslyknownastheBasketbal A sociationofAmericauntillaterconjoinedwiththeNationalBasketbal League, helditsfirstgameinnoneotherthanthepopulouscityofToron-
AbovealAmericanathletesandcoleges, itwasNaismith’ sYMCA to. Today, thesportofbasketbalalongsidehockeydominatesCanadian team thatplayedthemostinfluentialroleinbroadeningthesportsaudienceandpopularity. Team playerssuchasBobGailey, DuncanPaton, culture.
GenzabaroIshikawa, andC. HareekdispersedaroundtheglobetocountriesincludingChina, India, Japan, andPersia. Itwasin1892thatCanadian’ swereintroducedtothesportthroughLymanArchibald, aformerstudentofNaismith’ swhofirstpopularizedthesportinthesmaltownofSt Stephen, New Brunswick. Subsequentlyfolowing itsintroduction to Canadians, theturnofthe19thcenturysawtheriseofbasketbalinCanadianschoolsandlocalamateurteams. The1920’ sgavebirth tothe EdmontonGrads, avictoriousasemblageofCanadianwomenwhosuccesfulyruledthebasketbalsceneforupto25years. Thislegendary Canadianteam notonlyprovedtheirindividualworth, butalsotheworth ofalwomenaroundtheglobethroughtheirrecordbreakingwinning streakof147gamesplayedagainstbothmenandwomenalike.
Historyof
BASKETBALL
“ Theinventionofbasketbalwasnotanaccident. Itwasdevelopedtomeetaneed.”~ Dr. JamesNaismith
ByHibaKhokhar
Itwasthebitingwinterof1891whenJamesNaismith, aCanadian physicaleducationinstructorattheInternationalYMCATrainingSchool ofSpringfield, Masachusets, shooktheworldofsportwithhisinnovative thinkingandcreativity. AttherequestofDr. LutherH. Gulick, Naismith devisedasportwhichcompliedaltooobedientlywiththerulesoffair play, pacification, andnonaggresion. Thissport, earningitsnamefrom thefirsteverconspicuouspeachbasketsusedtoserveasgoalsatboth enendsoftheYMCAgymnasium, isnowglobalyrecognizedtobethesport ofbasketbal.
Shortlyafteritsinception, basketbalmadeanimpasionedappearanceontheNorthAmericanstage. ThesportssoftnatureandincreasinglypraisedstatusinducedaheightenedinterestamongAmericancolege athletesandoficials. Reportedly, springof1892sawthefirsteverpublicly heldbasketbalgameinSpringfield, Masachusets. However, itwasn’ t until1893thatAmericancolegesacrostheUnitedStatesendorsedthe progresivesport.
Withbasketbalgainingprominencethroughouttheglobe, theneed andinterestforestablishingaprofesionalbasketbalcommiteearose. AlthoughminorbasketballeaguesandasociationssuchastheNational BasketbalLeagueandtheBasketbalA sociationofAmericawereinitiatedfolowingtheriseofbasketbal, theirexistencewasshortlived. Itwasn’ t until1949thattheNationalBasketbalA sociationwasbirthed. Despite whatmaybethought, theNationalBasketbalA sociationhasitsroots titightlyenclosedinCanada. TheNBA, previouslyknownastheBasketbal A sociationofAmericauntillaterconjoinedwiththeNationalBasketbal League, helditsfirstgameinnoneotherthanthepopulouscityofToron-
AbovealAmericanathletesandcoleges, itwasNaismith’ sYMCA to. Today, thesportofbasketbalalongsidehockeydominatesCanadian team thatplayedthemostinfluentialroleinbroadeningthesportsaudienceandpopularity. Team playerssuchasBobGailey, DuncanPaton, culture.
GenzabaroIshikawa, andC. HareekdispersedaroundtheglobetocountriesincludingChina, India, Japan, andPersia. Itwasin1892thatCanadian’ swereintroducedtothesportthroughLymanArchibald, aformerstudentofNaismith’ swhofirstpopularizedthesportinthesmaltownofSt Stephen, New Brunswick. Subsequentlyfolowing itsintroduction to Canadians, theturnofthe19thcenturysawtheriseofbasketbalinCanadianschoolsandlocalamateurteams. The1920’ sgavebirth tothe EdmontonGrads, avictoriousasemblageofCanadianwomenwhosuccesfulyruledthebasketbalsceneforupto25years. Thislegendary Canadianteam notonlyprovedtheirindividualworth, butalsotheworth ofalwomenaroundtheglobethroughtheirrecordbreakingwinning streakof147gamesplayedagainstbothmenandwomenalike.
2 HoopsMagazine2013