|
NAISMITH'S ORIGINAL GAME 
In 1891, basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith, Springfield, MA. He said the object of the game was to put the ball into the opponent’s goal and the team with the most goals in two 15-minute halves was the winner. Here’s a few of the more interesting rules:
|
|
|
| • |
A player cannot run with the ball; he must throw it from the spot he catches it.
|
 |
| • |
No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping or striking an opponent. The first infringement is a foul; the second disqualifies him until the opponents make a goal.
|
| • |
If a team has three consecutive fouls, it will count as a goal for the opponents.
|
| • |
A goal is scored when the ball is |
| |
thrown or batted into the basket and it stays there.
|
| • |
A jump ball is held to start a half and after each goal. |
THE BASIC EQUIPMENT WAS ... BASIC
Today, the definition of a goal is different; the ball can’t stay in the basket but, originally, the basket was indeed just that: a basket; specifically, a peach basket.
However, it proved troublesome to always retrieve the ball with a ladder after each goal (albeit a rare event), so in 1893 the “basket” became a metal rim, with a “net” made out of chicken wire. The "net" was still closed at the bottom, but with a long stick one could punch the ball back out. It wasn’t until 1913 that someone realized they didn’t need a bottom and it was cut open.
In 1921, backboards were built and placed 2 feet from the wall (primarily to eliminate spectator interference). Before this, the baskets were fastened onto the wall and players often climbed up wall padding to make a goal. In 1940, the backboard was moved out to 4 feet.
Originally, the "basketball" was a soccer ball, but in 1894 it became official: a brown rubber ball inflated to a circumference of 32 inches. In 1930, it was sized down to 31 inches, made from leather panels stitched over a rubber bladder. In 1938, it was 30 inches and the first molded basketballs appeared (eliminating laces).
THE PLAYS AND THE PLAYERS
As in 1891, today’s players can’t run with the ball, but at least they don’t need to throw it from the spot they caught it; they can dribble. Dribbling wasn’t part of the original game; dribbling was added in 1900. Even then, one was allowed just one dribble and he could not shoot
|
|
after dribbling. It was 1908 before today’s continuous dribbling and shooting movements were allowed.
Originally, Naismith had 9 players on each team, which was reduced to 7, and then to 5 in 1895. Naismith once said that there could be as many as 40 players on a team if the grounds were large enough. In fact, a game played at Cornell in 1892 had 50 players on each team.
There were no dimensions for the court and no markings on the floor. Courts were highly irregular in shape with obstructions such as pillars and stairways, but in 1903 the rules required that all boundary lines be straight.
With 18 or more players in the game, the lone referee often couldn’t tell who was responsible for a ball going out of bounds. If that happened, the referee simply threw the ball back into play and a wild scramble ensued.
A jump ball after every goal made the game quite slow, but that rule didn’t go away until 1938. Even then, Naismith objected to the change thinking it would put the team who had just scored at an unfair disadvantage.
THE FOULS AND THE FREE THROWS
The free throw was added in 1894 and gyms put the line at varying distances. Usually, it was at about 20 feet. In 1895, the free throw line was officially set at 15 feet and each team had a designated free-throw shooter.
That changed in 1923 when a rule required that the free throw attempt be made by the player who was fouled.
Originally, when a player committed his second foul he had to leave the game (without substitution). His team simply played short-handed until the opponents had scored. In 1909 that |
A 1913 Team Photo |
was changed when four fouls resulted in disqualification. Later, in 1944, disqualification was changed to five fouls.
The unlimited substitution of players was another rule change in 1944. Originally, if a player left the game, he could not reenter. In 1918, they had allowed a player to reenter once, and in 1935 a player could reenter twice.
THE ISSUE OF FREE SPEECH
There are many more changes that could be noted, but we’ll leave you with this one about coaching.
For 56 years, coaching was not allowed during a game, not even during the timeouts. It wasn’t until 1948 that the rules allowed a coach to speak with the players.
|
