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Basketball: I Love This Game!
by Shiera Cerfio
http://www.hibasketball.com
Of all games created the United States, basketball is the
one that has made a name for itself across the globe. The
game is played by ten players, five from each time, who
score points by shooting the ball through baskets on both
sides of the court.
It was the Canadian cleric, educator and physicist James
Naismith who invented basketball in December of 1891.
Working as an instructor at the Young Men's Christian
Association in Springfield, Massachussets he introduced the
game as a pastime for the students to play during the tough
New England's winters. To begin with, the game included nine
players and wooden baskets, which were soon replaced by
wicker baskets. Every time a point was scored they brought
in a ladder to take the ball out of the basket. Then came
the modern bottomless net. He couldn't have dreamed of the
kind of success the game would achieve leave alone the world
competitions to come.
The first game of basketball, played by all men players took
place at the College's Gym on January 20th of 1892, and soon
after in 1893 the women played the first basketball game. By
1897 the game became exceedingly popular all over the world
after the current formation of five players per team was
regulated. The first professional league, the National
Basketball League, was founded in 1898 and it was recognized
as an Olympic sport during the Olympics in St. Louis,
Missouri in 1904. Later on its Olympic status was recognized
in the College Olympic Games of Bolonia in 1933.
The Harlem Globetrotters founded in 1927 are probably the
most famous team in the world. They have performed across
the five continents and are considered the most important
ambassadors of the game. Their spectacular shows have been
widely acclaimed for more than 70 years now. The most
important professional league, the National Basketball
Association (NBA), was created in 1949 as a result of the
fusion of two existing professional leagues: the National
Basketball League (created in 1937) and the Basketball
Association of America created in 1946. This prestigious
competition is very popular throughout the world, and
millions of spectators watch the electric playoff matches
every year. In the 1960's great players like Wilt
Chamberlain played in the NBA and set a record, not beaten
till date, in the NBA for scoring 100 points in a game when
he was playing with the Philadelphia Warriors not heard of
any more.
Though the NBA playoffs have been dotted with stars over the
years, the greatest and the most popular face of basketball
is Michael Jordan. He is that global face synonymous with
the game and has contributed immensely to basketball's fan
following and popularity. Today, basketball is played in
most countries of the world and its popularity can be gauged
from the 125 national federations that abet this sport and
encourage athletes to embrace basketball.
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