Dr. James Naismith, who was a Canadian physical instructor and a teacher at YMCA training school in Massachusetts, invented the game of basketball. Invented in the year 1891, basketball was then known as ‘Basket Ball’.
The Invention
Dr. James Naismith was given the task of inventing a new indoor game to keep a class of incurable boys occupied during the cold wintery days. To intrigue his students, the teacher asked his janitor to get him a soccer ball and two boxes, but since boxes were unavailable, peach baskets were used instead. The peach baskets were then nailed to the gym balcony. He then split his class of 18 into two groups of 9 each. He then made the 13 rules for the game.
Object of the Game
The object of the game was to throw the ball into the peach basket. Each team that threw the ball into the basket scored a point. Initially the game had to be paused frequently and the janitor was called for, who with the help of a ladder retrieved the ball and the game resumed.
