BASKET BALL

In 1891 at the International YMCA training school in Massachusetts an instructor named James A Naismith was asked by his head to devise an indoor game especially for the winter.

What Naismith came up with was a game sprinkled with little bits from various outdoor sports,including soccer and field hockey.

A soccer ball,a couple of peach baskets and 18 players starred in the new game which we all know today as basketball.

Naismith also developed 13 rules for the new game.

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.

3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowances to be made for a man who catches the ball when running if he tries to stop.

4. The ball must be held by 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 come 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 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 as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime 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 no 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 touching it. He has a right to hold it unmolested for five seconds. 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 the 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 fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes rest between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In the case of a draw the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is made

JAMES A NAISMITH

6TH November 1851 in Almonte,Ontario,Canada

1891 Invented basketball and develops the original 13 rules of the game.

1936 Introduces Basketball to the Berlin Olympics

28th November 1939 dies in Lawrence,Kansas,USA

In 1959 James A. Naismith was enshrined as a contributer in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame in Springfield Massachusetts,USA.

have fun.....jimmy