How was a basketball made
Here's the history of basketball—from peach baskets in Springfield to global phenomenon
James Naismith, a Canadian American physical educator and innovator, invented the game of basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891 to keep his students active during the winter. The game was an immediate success and the original American sport spread instantly to other colleges and YMCAs. Naismith is pictured here with his wife Maude Evelyn Sherman Naismith.
Photograph via Agefotostock / Alamy Stock Photo
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The nets used by athletes to dunk the ball and score points in the beloved game of basketball evolved from peaches, or rather the baskets used to collect peaches.
That’s what a young athletic director ultimately used on a cold day back in 1891 for a new game he created to keep his students engaged.
James Naismith was a 31-year old graduate student teaching physical education at the International YMCA Training School, now known as Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts when students were forced to stay indoors for days due to a New England storm.![]()
The usual winter athletic activities were marching, calisthenics, and apparatus work but they weren’t nearly as thrilling as football or lacrosse which were played during the warmer seasons.
James Naismith, the creator of basketball, stands with the 1899 University of Kansas basketball team.
Photography via Florida Historical 1A / Alamy Stock Photo
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Naismith wanted to create a game that would be simple to understand but complex enough to be interesting. The game had to be playable indoors, and it had to accommodate several players at once. The game also needed to provide plenty of exercise for the students, yet without the physicality of football, soccer, or rugby since those would threaten more severe injuries if played in a confined space. (See 100 years of football in pictures.)
Naismith approached the school janitor, hoping he could find two square boxes to use for goals.
When the janitor came back from his search, he had two peach baskets instead. Naismith nailed the peach baskets to the lower rail of the gymnasium balcony, one on each side. The height of that lower balcony rail happened to be 10 feet. The students would play on teams to try to get the ball into their team’s basket. A person was stationed at each end of the balcony to retrieve the ball from the basket and put it back into play.
The first game ever played between students was a complete brawl.
Two boys stand on the first basketball court in the gymnasium of the School for Christian Workers, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1900s.
Photograph via. Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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“The boys began tackling, kicking and punching in the crunches, they ended up in a free for all in the middle of the gym floor before I could pull them apart,” Naismith said during a January 1939 radio program on WOR in New York City called We the People, his only known recording.
“One boy was knocked out. Several of them had black eyes and one had a dislocated shoulder.” Naismith said. “After that first match, I was afraid they'd kill each other, but they kept nagging me to let them play again so I made up some more rules.”
The humble beginnings of the only professional sport to originate in the United States laid the foundation for today’s multi-billion-dollar business. The current National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness college basketball tournament includes the best 68 of more than 1,000 college teams, stadiums that seat tens of thousands of spectators and lucrative television contracts.
Details of the original 1891 copy of the rules of "Basket Ball" are presented at Sotheby's auction house December 3, 2010 in New York City. The two-page document sold for $4.3 million.
Photograph by Chris Hondros, Getty Images
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Original rules of the game
Naismith didn’t create all of the rules at once, but continued to modify them into what are now known as the original 13 rules.
Some are still part of the modern game today. Naismith’s original rules of the game sold at auction in 2010 for $4.3 million.
In the original rules: The ball could be thrown in any direction with one or both hands, never a fist. A player could not run with the ball but had to throw it from the spot where it was caught. Players were not allowed to push, trip or strike their opponents. The first infringement was considered a foul. A second foul would disqualify a player until the next goal was made. But if there was evidence that a player intended to injure an opponent, the player would be disqualified for the whole game.
Umpires served as judges for the game, made note of fouls and had the power to disqualify players. They decided when the ball was in bounds, to which side it belonged, and managed the time. Umpires decided when a goal had been made and kept track of the goals.
If a team made three consecutive fouls, the opposing team would be allowed a goal.
A goal was made when the ball was thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stayed there.
If the ball rested on the edges, and the opponent moved the basket, it would count as a goal. When the ball went out of bounds, it was thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. The person throwing the ball was allowed five seconds; if he held it longer, the ball would go to the opponent. In case of a dispute, an umpire would throw the ball straight into the field. If any side persisted in delaying the game, the umpire would call a foul on that side.
The length of a game was two 15-minute halves, with five minutes' rest between. The team making the most goals within the allotted time was declared the winner. If a game was tied, it could be continued until another goal was made.
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Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Left: University of Kansas women's basketball team members Marcella Morewitz, left, and Grace Endicott get expert coaching from Dr.
James Naismith, a member of the university's faculty and inventor of basketball, in 1926.
Photograph by George Rinhart, Corbis/Getty Images
Right: Olivia Nelson-Ododa (#20) of the University of Connecticut Huskies goes up for a basket against Digna Strautmane (#45) of the Syracuse Orange during the second round of the 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome on March 23, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. UCONN won the game and advanced to the Sweet 16. The Huskies have won more NCAA championships than any other women's basketball team in the nation. They cut down the nets, an honor for the winning team, in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016.
Photograph by Carmen Mandato, Getty Images
First public gamesThe first public game of basketball was played in a YMCA gymnasium and was recorded by the Springfield Republican on March 12th, 1892.
The instructors played against the students. Around 200 spectators attended to discover this new sport they had never heard of or seen before. In the story published by the Republican, the teachers were credited with “agility” but the student’s “science” is what led them to defeat the teachers 5-1.
Within weeks the sport’s popularity grew rapidly. Students attending other schools introduced the game at their own YMCAs. The original rules were printed in a college magazine, which was mailed to YMCAs across the country. With the colleges’ well-represented international student body the sport also was introduced to many foreign nations. High schools began to introduce the new game, and by 1905, basketball was officially recognized as a permanent winter sport.
The first intercollegiate basketball game between two schools is disputed, according to the NCAA. In 1893, two school newspaper articles were published chronicling separate recordings of collegiate basketball games facing an opposing college team.
In 1892, less than a year after Naismith created the sport, Smith College gymnastics instructor Senda Berenson, introduced the game to women’s athletics. The first recorded intercollegiate game between women took place between Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley in 1896.
With the sport’s growth in popularity, it gained notice from the International Olympic Committee and was introduced at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis as a demonstration event. It wasn’t until 1936 that basketball was recognized as a medal event. Women’s basketball wasn’t included as an Olympic medal event until the 1976 Montreal games. (Wheelchair basketball in Cambodia changed these women's lives.)
Jim Baechtold (10) of the New York Knickerbockers and Bob Brannum (18) of the Boston Celtics try to get a rebound in the first quarter of a March 16, 1954 NBA playoff game at the Boston Garden. Others in the picture are Celtics Chuck Cooper (11) center, and Bob Cousy (14) left.
In 1950, Cooper was the first Black basketball player drafted by an NBA team.
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As the sport continued its rapid spread, professional leagues began to form across the United States. Basketball fans cheered on their new hometown teams. The first professional league was the National Basketball League (NBL) formed in 1898, comprised of six teams in the northeast. The league only lasted about five years. After it dissolved in 1904, the league would be reintroduced 33 years later in 1937 with an entirely new support system, with Goodyear, Firestone, and General Electric corporations as the league owners, and 13 teams.
While professional sports leagues gained nationwide attention, college basketball was also a major fixture. The first NCAA tournament, which included eight teams, was held in 1939 at Northwestern University. The first collegiate basketball national champion was the University of Oregon. The team defeated Ohio State University.
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Left: Villagers watch a basketball game at Yangping Village in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, China on July 12, 2020.
Photograph by Shi Yunping, VCG / Getty Images
Right: Oklahoma City Thunder player Steven Adams (12) rebounds in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on April 21, 2019.
Photograph by Greg Nelson, Sports Illustrated / Getty Images
Like most of the United States in the early to mid 1900s, basketball was segregated. The sport wouldn’t be integrated until 1950 when Chuck Cooper was drafted by the Boston Celtics. Prior to Cooper being drafted there were groups of black teams across the country, commonly known as “the black fives”, which referred to the five starting players on a basketball team.
All-black teams were often referred to as colored quints or Negro cagers. The teams flourished in New York City, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, and in other cities with substantial African American populations. They were amateur, semi-professional, and professional.
Of the more than 1,000 collegiate basketball teams across all divisions of the NCAA, 68 teams play in the annual March Madness tournament. The best college teams from each conference around the country compete for a place in the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and, ultimately, the national championship. Though basketball might not be played the same way as it was when Naismith invented it—peach baskets have been replaced with nets, metal hoops and plexiglass blackboards—its evolution proves that the game has transcended a century.
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Where Basketball was Invented: The History of Basketball
Where Basketball Originated
It was the winter of 1891-1892.
Inside a gymnasium at Springfield College (then known as the International YMCA Training School), located in Springfield, Mass., was a group of restless college students. The young men had to be there; they were required to participate in indoor activities to burn off the energy that had been building up since their football season ended. The gymnasium class offered them activities such as marching, calisthenics, and apparatus work, but these were pale substitutes for the more exciting games of football and lacrosse they played in warmer seasons.
James Naismith, The Person Who Invented Basketball
The instructor of this class was James Naismith, a 31-year-old graduate student. After graduating from Presbyterian College in Montreal with a theology degree, Naismith embraced his love of athletics and headed to Springfield to study physical education—at that time, a relatively new and unknown academic discipline—under Luther Halsey Gulick, superintendent of physical education at the College and today renowned as the father of physical education and recreation in the United States.
As Naismith, a second-year graduate student who had been named to the teaching faculty, looked at his class, his mind flashed to the summer session of 1891, when Gulick introduced a new course in the psychology of play. In class discussions, Gulick had stressed the need for a new indoor game, one “that would be interesting, easy to learn, and easy to play in the winter and by artificial light.” No one in the class had followed up on Gulick’s challenge to invent such a game. But now, faced with the end of the fall sports season and students dreading the mandatory and dull required gymnasium work, Naismith had a new motivation.
Two instructors had already tried and failed to devise activities that would interest the young men. The faculty had met to discuss what was becoming a persistent problem with the class’s unbridled energy and disinterest in required work.
During the meeting, Naismith later wrote that he had expressed his opinion that “the trouble is not with the men, but with the system that we are using.
” He felt that the kind of work needed to motivate and inspire the young men he faced “should be of a recreative nature, something that would appeal to their play instincts.”
Before the end of the faculty meeting, Gulick placed the problem squarely in Naismith’s lap.
“Naismith,” he said. “I want you to take that class and see what you can do with it.”
So Naismith went to work. His charge was to create a game that was easy to assimilate, yet complex enough to be interesting. It had to be playable indoors or on any kind of ground, and by a large number of players all at once. It should provide plenty of exercise, yet without the roughness of football, soccer, or rugby since those would threaten bruises and broken bones if played in a confined space.
Much time and thought went into this new creation. It became an adaptation of many games of its time, including American rugby (passing), English rugby (the jump ball), lacrosse (use of a goal), soccer (the shape and size of the ball), and something called duck on a rock, a game Naismith had played with his childhood friends in Bennie’s Corners, Ontario.
Duck on a rock used a ball and a goal that could not be rushed. The goal could not be slammed through, thus necessitating “a goal with a horizontal opening high enough so that the ball would have to be tossed into it, rather than being thrown.”
Naismith approached the school janitor, hoping he could find two, 18-inch square boxes to use as goals. The janitor came back with two peach baskets instead. Naismith then nailed them to the lower rail of the gymnasium balcony, one at each end. The height of that lower balcony rail happened to be ten feet. A man was stationed at each end of the balcony to pick the ball from the basket and put it back into play. It wasn’t until a few years later that the bottoms of those peach baskets were cut to let the ball fall loose.
Naismith then drew up the 13 original rules, which described, among other facets, the method of moving the ball and what constituted a foul. A referee was appointed. The game would be divided into two, 15-minute halves with a five-minute resting period in between.
Naismith’s secretary typed up the rules and tacked them on the bulletin board. A short time later, the gym class met, and the teams were chosen with three centers, three forwards, and three guards per side. Two of the centers met at mid-court, Naismith tossed the ball, and the game of “basket ball” was born.
The history of basketballs
What balls are played now and how did it happen?
What balls are played now and how did it happen?
YOU THINK WHY WE DO NOT PLAY A FOOTBALL OR A VOLLEYBALL? WHICH BALL DID IT ALL START WITH?
In 1891, James Naismith invented basketball. Then the game was very different from ours. For example, there was a bottom in the baskets and every time after a hit, the ball had to be taken out. Then they also played football ...
B 1891 James Naismith invented basketball. Then the game was very different from ours. For example, there was a bottom in the baskets and every time after a hit, the ball had to be taken out.
Then they also played football...
Anyone who has ever tried to play basketball with a football knows that this is not the best thing to do. It is inconvenient to handle it in gears and lead. Therefore, 3 years after the first game, the first basketball was invented.
This ball was made of leather strips with a rubber bladder inside and was sewn up with threads on the outside.
By 1929, it was improved: the laces were hidden, and the shape itself was changed for a better and more predictable rebound.
In 1937 the lacing disappeared from basketballs, and in 1942 the balls were already similar to ours, they were no longer sewn and they kept their shape better.
Perhaps this had a strong influence on the development of the game, because even in the 50s dribbling was very far from ours. Most of the players then skillfully dribbled with only one hand and very rarely used transfers.
Until the late 1990s, leather was the main material used for balls in professional leagues, but since then it has been increasingly replaced by synthetic materials.
In 2020 there are already balls for every taste and color: plain, multi-colored, small, large, rubber, leather, weighted, recycled plastic and other modern materials.
What balls are currently played:
Mini basketball (under 13s) uses a size 5 ball with a diameter of approximately 70 centimeters and a weight of around 0.48 kg.
Women's basketball uses size 6, diameter 73 cm, weight 0.55 kg.
In men's basketball - size 7, with a diameter of 77 cm and a weight of 0.61 kg.
There is also an exception - 3x3 basketball, where they play with a special ball, which is like a size 6 in diameter, but weighs like a size 7. This was done on purpose so that it would be less affected by the wind outside.
Fun Fact
Since 1970, the NBA has only been played with Spalding balls, but from the 2020-21 season, new Wilson balls will be played.
Playground collaborated with Wilson to make their own ball based on the Wilson Evolution.
This ball uses an advanced microfiber coating to help give the ball the best touch feel for all dribbling enthusiasts. Balls can be purchased exclusively at the Streetball store.
The Wilson x Playground ball is available exclusively from the Streetball store.
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Basketball - Gosstandart
Basketball is an inflated ball for playing basketball. The ball must be spherical and of the specified shade of orange with the traditional pattern of eight inlays and black stitching.
The mass of the ball (officially accepted size 7) is 567-650 g, the circumference is 750-780 mm. Smaller balls are also used: in men's team games, "size 7" balls are used, in women's team games - "size 6", in mini-basketball matches - "size 5".
History
The history of basketball began in 1891, when one of the leaders of the college of the Youth Christian Association from Springfield (USA, Massachusetts) instructed physical education teacher James Naismith to come up with a new game to entertain high school athletes in the winter. Naismith divided his class into two teams of 9 and hosted the first ever basketball game, which involved throwing a soccer ball into a basket from each side of the hall.
The first basketballs were made from stitched leather petals with a rubber bladder inside. A special fabric lining was used to level the surface of the ball. Molded basketballs appeared in 1942, the color was not yet rigidly standardized, so they played with red, white, and blue balls.
For a long time, leather was the main material for the manufacture of basketballs, but the advent of composite materials in the late 1990s revolutionized the production of balls that can withstand the most severe conditions of outdoor play.
All modern balls consist of an inflatable rubber bladder and an outer cover made of leather, rubber or synthetic material. The surface of the ball is almost always divided into "ribs", which are slightly recessed from the surface and have a contrasting hue. The traditional color scheme is an orange ball with black ribs, but others are also found. To improve contact with the player's hands, special small "pimples" are used on the surface of the ball.
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world today. It is played by people of all ages, starting from school, and this popularity is only growing every year.
Varieties
Depending on the location of the playground, there are three types of basketballs: Indoor - designed for the hall, Outdoor - used on the street, and Indoor / Outdoor - universal.
Marking is mandatory indicated on the surface of any ball.
Indoor indoor balls are made of genuine leather and synthetic materials, they have the best grip, but the least wear-resistant (they quickly become unusable on asphalt). Professional basketballs have a special microfiber composite coating that muffles impacts and improves contact with the hand.
Outdoor balls are made only from rubber or synthetic materials, they are very durable, withstand heavy loads on asphalt, and also have good grip on the surface.
Indoor/Outdoor all purpose balls are made from rubber or composite materials and can be used successfully on all surfaces. However, it is more correct to still have separate balls for the hall and the street.
Sizes
Basketballs are classified by size. The largest size (size 7) is officially accepted for men's team competition.
| Size | Circumference, mm | Weight, g |
| Size 7 | 750-780 | 567-650 |
| Size 6 | 720-740 | 500-540 |
| Size 5 | 690-710 | 470-500 |
| Size 3 | 560-580 | 300-330 |
According to various estimates, there are from 10 to 35 thousand dots (“pimples”) on a basketball.
Material
The material of the outer cover of a basketball directly affects its playing characteristics. The most common modern materials are rubber, natural leather, artificial leather and composite material.
Rubber balls are the cheapest. They wear out quickly, become slippery, after which they do not hold well in the hand. Their main purpose is to play on paved street playgrounds.
Genuine leather balls - a classic, but the most expensive option. They are used in professional tournaments. They can only be played in the hall on a special surface, otherwise they quickly deteriorate.
Artificial leather balls are considered all-rounders and can be played both indoors and outdoors. They last quite a long time, while being relatively inexpensive compared to other balls.
Balls made of composite materials are close in quality to products made of genuine leather, but at the same time they are noticeably stronger and withstand much greater loads.
Choice
When buying a ball in the store, please note that:
- must be inflated to the norm. The norm is when the ball can be pushed a little with your thumb - by 3-5 millimeters, no more. If the ball is under-inflated, then there is a risk that it goes down. If, on the contrary, it is pumped over, then the cord can be deformed from excessive pressure and then the ball will go bumps, the geometry of the ball will be disturbed. The exception is online stores. In them, balls are usually deflated before shipment, and this is normal practice.
- Rebound. A ball thrown from shoulder level (just from outstretched arm) must bounce to the waist. A smaller and larger rebound indicates that it is better not to take such a ball. The rebound must be strictly vertical, the ball moving to the side indicates a curvature of the shape and the presence of a hernia.
- The basketball must be perfectly round. Oval balls, balls with bumps on the surface are not a purchase item.
