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Invention of Basketball
James Naismith created basketball to train football players in the winter and provide an athletic distraction for rowdy students. -
Invention of TV
Philo Farnsworth demonstrated his invention of the first working all-electronic television system in San Francisco, CA. -
World War II
The start of the war is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland; Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. -
First Basketball game televised
The first game to be televised was a match between Fordham and the University of Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden. -
Basketball taught to officers
Officers in training were taught basketball to provide a sense of unity and comfort in their stressful situtations. -
Cold War
The tensions and disagreements over communism and democracy between the Soviet Union and the United States. -
First Black NBA player
Chuck Cooper was the first black man to be drafted and play in the NBA -
Minimum Wage increase
The national minimum wage increase 60 cents between 1960 to 1968. -
Fight for higher salaries
NBA players start demanding a raise in their salaries to adjust to the better economy. -
Women in College Basketball
More women were allowed to play college basketball increasing in the 1970s. -
Title IX
Law put in place that said no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This Liberated women. -
Olympic Gold medal game
The tension in this game between the USSR and the US teams was heightened by the Cold War. The US lost in a controversial last second play. -
Aids outbreak
The number of HIV and AIDs cases increased in this area and brought a new fear to American society -
NBA Drug Act
The NBA Drug Act was put in place to deal with the rampant use of cocaine by players. -
Increase in drugs in America
The U.S. experienced a nationwide increase in use of illegal drugs -
Magic Johnson leaves basketball
He had contracted HIV and the fear of death forced him into early retirement. -
L.A. Race Riots
The riots started after a trial jury acquitted four Los Angeles Police Department officers of assault and use of excessive force. -
L.A. Basketball changes
After the riots in L.A. the amount of professional basketball players to come from that area has decreased drastically. -
The Great Recession
It was a major global recession characterised by various systemic imbalances, and was sparked by the outbreak of the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis and financial crisis. -
NBA revenue drops
Lowering attendance and fewer sales causes the NBA to bring in less money.