The Strange But True History Of Basketball

Dr. James Naismith. Probably the name means nothing to you. Perhaps it would have meant even less had this Canadian not found himself a home in the Unites States. For it was this man, way back in 1881, that invented the game of basketball. Indeed, many people wonder if the sport would be so popular in the US had he not been living in Massachusetts at the time he invented it.

Before he went to work at the YMCA Training School in Massachusetts, Naismith was the athletics director at the University of McGill in Montreal. It all started because he was trying to find a game for students to play inside during the cold winters. A soccer ball and two peach baskets were used to play the first game. At first a broomstick was used to push the ball out of the basket. Later they cut holes in the bottoms of the baskets, which is how the hoop and net we're used to eventually developed.

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 basket ball players to have been paid can be traced back to 7th November, 1896 for the game played between the Trenton Basketball Team and the Brooklyn YMCA. Eventually Basketball 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 matches are very popular and are the most watched matches both live and on television. Everybody likes watching and cheering for their favorite basketball teams and star players. Players like Micael Jordan, Magic Johnson enjoyed tremendous popularity and brought a surge of demand for NBA merchandise. Everyone wanted merchandise like jerseys, shirts, hats, shorts with their stars logo on it.

Today basket ball is one of the most popular games in the US and the NBA is a multi-million dollar association that earns revenue from ticket sales, televised games, and of course the equally popular merchandise. It is perhaps the favorite pass time and extra curricular activity with many children. Dr James Naismith must never have thought that his simple game with a ball and two peach baskets would become such a mega success.