Basketball

The game of basketball as we know it now has changed over the ages. Many of the rules that are used now did not exist when the game was first created. In light of the big college tournament going on right now, called March Madness, we will learn about the creation of this sport.

In the late 1800s, more than 100 years ago, a PE coach, named James Naismith, invented the game of basketball to keep his gym students in shape during the winter. James Naismith placed a peach basket on the wall of the gym. The goal of the game was to throw a ball into the basket. Each time the ball was thrown into the basket, the janitor had to climb a ladder and take the ball out of the basket. After playing a couple of times, the bottom of the basket was cut out so that people did not have to climb up and take the ball out each time someone scored. The first game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 11, 1892. 

The YMCA and soldiers in WW1 spread basketball across the US and the world. Much of the spreading of the sport can be attributed to these two things. Soldiers from America brought basketball to their stations during the war. YMCA instructors who travelled across the country and world brought the ideas of basketball with them.

Many of the rules are similar to the ones played with today. But there are some differences that show the changing of this great American pastime. In the original game, each team had nine players each and could only move the ball up the court through passing-dribbling was not allowed. Now, each team has five players, and each person can dribble the ball up the court.

Questions:
1. What was used as the first basketball hoop?
2. How many players did each team have in the original invention of the game?
3. Who created the game of basketball?
4. In what state was the first basketball game played?
5. In what month is the college basketball tournament?