History of Basketball

The history of basketball dates back to December 21, 1891, when Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, developed the game to keep his students physically active indoors during the winter months. Naismith created 13 basic rules and hung a peach basket at each end of the gymnasium as goals. The objective was to throw a ball into the opposing team's basket, and the game quickly gained popularity.
By 1893, basketball spread to other YMCA branches and colleges, with the first official game taking place in Springfield. In 1893, the first women's basketball game was played at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.
In the early 1900s, the sport continued to grow in popularity, leading to the formation of the first professional league, the National Basketball League, in 1898, although it lasted only six seasons. The sport's development led to the establishment of new organizations and leagues, with the National Basketball Association (NBA) being founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) before merging with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949.
Over the decades, basketball evolved with changes in rules and strategies, the introduction of the three-point line in the 1970s, and the significant influence of star players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird in the 1980s and 1990s, which helped propel the NBA to global popularity.
Today, basketball is played and watched globally, with various leagues and tournaments, including the NBA, NCAA, and international competitions like the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics. The sport continues to evolve, with advancements in training and analytics and the increasing presence of women's basketball.
Naismith's Original 13 Rules of Basketball 
1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands. 
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist). 
3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop. 
4. The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it. 
5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed. 
6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3,4, and such as described in Rule 5. 
7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the mean time making a foul). 
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal. 
9. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that side. 
10. The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have power to disqualify men according to Rule 5. 
11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee. 
12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes' rest between. 
13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is made.