From Peach Baskets to NBA Stadiums: The History of Basketball

Basketball – a sport involving two teams with the simple goal of putting a ball in the basket. As many of the rules have changed over time, this concept has remained the same.

The formulation of the beloved sport occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the winter of 1891. James Naismith, a physical education teacher at the International YMCA Training School, now known as Springfield College, wanted to curate a game playable indoors and include many players. It had to encourage significant movement yet lack physicality to prevent injury inside.

The first basketball court, featuring a peach basket net as the basketball goal. (Photo by James Naismith/Retrieved from ICollector)

Naismith asked the school janitor to provide boxes for goals, however, the janitor returned with two peach baskets instead. He worked with what he had – nailing the baskets to the 10 feet high rails on the gymnasium balcony.

The goal of the game was set explained simply: You and your team compete against another to get the ball in their net. This basic instruction laid the framework, but without structure it led to an intense match.

The gym housing the original basketball court at the International YMCA Training School, now called Springfield College (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

A brawl erupted that halted the first ever basketball match. Naismith said in a 1939 on the We the People WOR radio program that, “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… One boy was knocked out. Several of them had black eyes and one had a dislocated shoulder.”

This may have swayed someone to halt play indefinitely, and nearly did for Naismith. However, the players, “kept nagging (Naismith) to let them play again, so I made up some more rules.”

Those rules vaguely resemble the game of basketball we have today. However, the game had been brought to life, and basketball found its beginnings.

Dr. James Naismith with his first basketball team in 1891. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Played in the YMCA gymnasium at the Springfield school, the first publicly viewed game of basketball was played on March 12th, 1892. It was instructors versus students. The approximately 200 spectators were met with a novel sport and exciting gameplay.

Published in the Springfield Republican newspaper, the writer states that while teachers, “performed wonders of agility and strength,” the students, “had the advantage in science.”

An excerpt for the Springfield Republican, reporting on the first public basketball game. (Retrieved from Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers)

Press on the game spread the popularity quick and far. A college magazine printed the original rules and sent them to YMCAs across the United States. Colleges with large international student bodies also allowed the sport to travel worldwide.

High schools began implementing the game into their usual sport rotation. By 1905, basketball was officially recognized as a winter sport.

Highschool Basketball team Mingus players Devin Rodriguez #23 and Jaron Bauers #10 forces Northwest Christian player #10 to turnover on December 7th, 2019. (Photo by James Kelly)

According to the NCAA, the first intercollegiate basketball game most likely in 1893, but which teams played first is widely disputed. Two separate school newspapers recorded collegiate basketball games that year.

Less than a year following the creation of the sport in 1892, instructor Senda Berenson at Smith College introduced the game to female athletes. The first women’s intercollegiate game was recorded  in 1896, between Stanford University and University of California at Berkeley.

In December of 1926, Dr. James Naismith instructs basketball to two Kansas University students Marcella Morewitz (left) and Grace Endicott (right). (Photo by George Rinhart/Getty Images)

The International Olympic Committee discovered the game and was played as a demonstration event at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis. However, it was not until 1936 at the Berlin Games that the sport was a medal event for men. At the Montreal games in 1976, basketball became a medal event for women.

In 2014, Kyrie Irving as starting point guard for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup. (David Ramos/Getty Images)

Rapidly spreading throughout the country, leagues began to congregate to accommodate the growing fanbase. The National Basketball League (NBL) was the first of these professional leagues, forming in 1898. Six teams in the northeast competed, but it dissolved after five years.

The NBL made a comeback in 1937 because of new ownership funding the league: Firestone, General Electric, and Goodyear. It was comprised of 13 teams.

In collegiate basketball, the NCAA was popular. Their first tournament was held at Northwestern University in 1939. Of the eight teams competing, the University of Oregon became the first collegiate national champion, defeating Ohio State University.

The University of Oregon’s current basketball stadium, the Matthew Knight Arena. A seemingly intense game brews below. (Retrieved from Eugene Cascades and Coast)

A competing professional basketball league arose in 1946, called the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Their marketing strategies were more effective than the NBL, and soon absorbed It. In 1949, they merged becoming the NBA.

The early years of the NBA were dominated by teams from the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States. However, the league began to expand in the 1960s, with franchises popping up in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. This expansion led to the development of new stars, including Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell.

Bill Russel shortly after signing a contract with the Boston Celtics, December 19th, 1956.(Retrieved from AP Photo)

Arrival of some of the greatest players in the history marked the 1970s. Players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, and Oscar Robertson changed the game with their unique skills and dominant performances.

The decade also saw the creation of the American Basketball Association (ABA), which provided a rival to the NBA. However, the ABA ultimately merged with the NBA in 1976.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar playing on the Milwaukee Bucks. Abdul-Jabbar lead the team to win the 1971 NBA championship. (Retrieved from AP Photo)

Some of the most iconic players in the history of the NBA came in the 1980s, some of which being: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. These players brought a new level of excitement to the game and helped to popularize the sport.

The decade also saw the arrival of international players, including Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, and Manu Ginobili, who have had a significant impact on the game.

Michael Jordan (23) of the Chicago Bulls dunks over Jeff Malone (24) of the Washington Bullets. 1990 at the Capital Center in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jerry Wachter/NBAE via Getty Images)

In the 1990s and 2000s, the NBA continued to grow in popularity, with new stars like Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan leading the way. The league also saw the arrival of the first female head coach, Becky Hammon, who took over the San Antonio Spurs in 2019.

Kobe Bryant (8) and Shaquille O’Neal (34) talk during the 4th quarter of game one of the NBA Western Conference between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples Center on April 22, 2001. (Photo by Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)

Today, the game of basketball is played at all levels, from youth leagues to the professional ranks, and is enjoyed by millions of people around the world.

The sport continues to evolve, with changes in rules, equipment, and playing style. However, the basic principles of the game, as set out by Dr. James Naismith, remain the same. The game continues to be an international source of enjoyment, excitement, and inspiration for people of all ages and backgrounds.