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The Invention of Basketball
Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at a YMCA in Springfield, MA invented the game of basketball to keep his students active during the cold winter months of Massachusetts. The game was played with a peach basket that was nailed to the wall 10 feet off the ground and a soccer ball. Dribbling was not originally allowed in the game. -
The First Official Game
The first official basketball game was played at a YMCA in Albany, New York with 9 players. The final score of the game was 1-0. -
The First College Basketball Game is Played
The first college basketball game is played between Ham;ine University and the School of Agriculture. The School of Agriculture won 9-3. -
The First Pro Basketball League is Established
The National Basketball League was established to organize players and establish official rules. -
The Invention of the Modern Hoop
Peach baskets were used until 1901, when the modern hoop was invented with a metal rim, a cloth net, and a wooden backboard. -
The NBA is Formed
The BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). -
The Implementation of the Modern Basketball
It was not until the late 1950's when Tony Hinkle invented the more visable orange-rubber basketball that is used today. -
Dribbling Becomes Part of the Game
Once the manufacturing of basketballs became universal, the technique of dribbling was implemented as the basketballs were more consistently shaped. -
The ABA-NBA Merger
An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. This created the NBA we know today.
