| Dr. James Naismith is known world-wide | | | | „« No shouldering, holding, pushing, |
| as the inventor of basketball. He was | | | | striking or tripping in any way of an |
| born in 1861 in Ramsay township, near | | | | opponent is permitted. The first |
| Almonte, Ontario, Canada. The concept of | | | | infringement of this rule by any person |
| basketball was born out of his early | | | | shall count as a foul; the second shall |
| school days when he played a simple game | | | | disqualify him until the next goal is |
| known as duck-on-a-rock outside his | | | | scored. |
| schoolhouse. The game involved | | | | „« If either side make three |
| attempting to knock a "duck" off the top | | | | consecutive fouls it shall count as a |
| of a large rock by tossing another rock | | | | goal for the opponents (consecutive in |
| at it. This is the beginning of a brief | | | | these rules means without the opponents |
| history of basketball as we know it. | | | | in the meantime making a foul of their |
| Naismith served as at the YMCA Training | | | | own). |
| School in Springfield, Massachusetts, | | | | „« A goal is scored when the ball is |
| USA in 1891, and this is where the sport | | | | thrown from the ground into the basket |
| of basketball was born. Naismith was | | | | and stays there. If the ball rests on |
| faced with the challenge of finding a | | | | the edge of the basket and the opponents |
| sport that was suitable for play inside | | | | move the basket, it shall also count as |
| during the winter for the students. | | | | a goal. |
| Naismith wanted to create a game of | | | | „« When the ball goes out of bounds, |
| skill that could be played indoors in a | | | | it shall be thrown into the field and |
| relatively small space. The very first | | | | played by the first person touching it. |
| game of basketball was played with a | | | | „« The umpire shall be judge and have |
| soccer ball and two peach baskets used | | | | the power to disqualify or foul players |
| as goals. The history of basketball | | | | as required. |
| started right here. | | | | „« The referee shall be the judge of |
| James Naismith devised a set rules for | | | | the ball and decide when it is in play |
| these early games as follows: | | | | in bounds, to which side it belongs, and |
| „« The ball may be thrown in any | | | | shall keep the time. |
| direction with one or both hands. | | | | „« The time shall be two 15-minute |
| „« A player cannot run with the ball, | | | | halves with five minutes' rest between. |
| but instead the player must throw it | | | | „« The side scoring the most goals in |
| from the spot on which he catches it. | | | | that time shall be declared the winners. |
| „« The ball must be held in or | | | | Today basketball has grown to become one |
| between the hands, not any other body | | | | of the world's most popular sports, all |
| parts. | | | | thanks to Dr Naismith. |