SUMAYA, JOSE ENRICO M.

BMLS 2-2

TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF BASKETBALL

1891
Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor at YMCA International Training School (now
known as Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. was tasked to create an indoor sports
game to help athletes keep in shape in cold weather. He used two peach baskets and a soccer
stile ball. The peach baskets were nailed to railings of the gymnasium balcony. After a while, the
bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.
- Dr. Naismith published the rules for his knew game in December 21, 1891. There were 13 rules
and named it basketball.
- The First true basketball game as we know it was on January 20th, 1892 in Springfield,
Massachusetts.
- The game of basketball as it is known today was created to condition young athletes during cold
months.
1892
- In January 1, 1892, Gymnastics instructor Senda Berenson Abbott adapts James Naismith's
basketball rules for women and introduces the game at Smith College. First inter-institutional
contest between the University of California and Miss Head's School.
- This gave women the chance to play the game.
- The first public basketball game was played in Springfield Massachusetts. It was played on March
11th 1892.
- This gave rise to public awareness about the upcoming game which currently has garnered fans
from around the globe.
1893
- In 1893, YMCA’s Mel Rideout arranged the first European match in Paris, in Montmartre. At the
same time, Bob Gailey went to Tientsin, China, Duncan Patton to India, Genzabaro Ishikawa
to Japan, and C. Hareek to Persia.
- The game spread throughout the United States, Canada, and the world.
1894
- In 1894 the first basketball was marketed. It was laced, measured close to 32 inches (81 cm), or
about 4 inches (10 cm) larger than the soccer ball, in circumference, and weighed less than 20
ounces (567 grams).
- The release of basketballs in the public, gave people the chance to play the game at their home
and gave the first standards for the ball.
1896
- The First known Professional basketball game is played in Trenton, New Jersey in November 7,
1896.
- The game was played at the Trenton Masonic temple, and an admission fee was charged for
admittance into the game. Each player got $15 dollars except Fred Cooper who got $16 dollars,
 and became the first highest paid player. Trenton defeated Brooklyn 15-1 to win the first ever
professional basketball game.
- Aside from being a competitive sport, this event marked the start of the basketball as a business.
1898
- By 1898, professional leagues were forming, as were collegiate leagues. Six teams took part in the
first professional basketball league. The league kept the sport going.
1900
- Major colleges were fielding for a basketball team which gave students the chance to actively
participate in the game and start a career.
- The 5-5 game was the standard for playing. Players used to be removed permanently from the
game if they were substituted
1904
- The first professional league was disbanded but between then and World War I, small
championships were created and some teams played for money against challengers. This includes
the original Celtics basketball team which played matches as circus, moving from town to town.
- Petitions were made by basketball supporters to have basketball included as an Olympic
demonstration sport.
- The all-black basketball teams (Black Fives) were also established in 1904.
1905
- Formal collegiate rules were introduced for basketball and made the game popular for student-
athletes.
1906
- Metal hoops, nets, and backboards were included in the rules of the game which took the level of
competition on a higher level.
1907
- In 1907, the amateur, all-black Olympian Athletic League was formed in New York City consisting
of the Smart Set Athletic Club, St. Christopher Club, Marathon Athletic Club, Alpha Physical
Culture Club, and the Jersey City Colored YMCA. The first inter-city basketball game between two
black teams was played in 1907 when the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn traveled to
Washington, DC to play the Crescent Athletic Club. The team was known as the “Grave Digger”.
- This made the game famous among African-Americans.
1909
- The American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) took over of the game for colleges
and made collegiate programs, regulations, and tournaments.
- The first international match was held in St. Petersburg.
- The Eastern Net Basketball League was founded.
1916
- Several rules were made which included allowing a player to shoot a ball after dribbling. This took
the level of competition at a higher level.
1921
- Re-entry by substation was allowed in the game which gave players more play-time and resting
time. This also paved the way for developing strategies.
- The Metropolitan Basketball League was founded.
1922
- In 1922, the first all-African American professional team was founded: the Rens (also known as
New York Renaissance or Harlem Renaissance). The Rens were the original Celtics’ usual
opponent. This also gave the sport a liking for African-Americans.
1925
- The American Basketball League was founded.
1932
- The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was formed. The federation paved the way for
updating the game and helped the sport to become an Olympic sport.
1936
- The game became an official Olympic sport in 1936. This gave an opportunity for international
players around the world to play the game against other countries.
1937
- The National Basketball League was founded.
- The predecessor of this league was the Midwest Basketball Conference (MBC) in 1935. It changed
its name in 1937 in an attempt to attract a larger audience. The league was created by three
corporations: General Electric, Firestone and Goodyear. It was primarily made up of Great Lakes
area small-market and corporate teams.
1939
- The first NCAA Basketball DI Tournament was held, marking the start of yearly tournaments
among colleges and universities in America.
- The First World Professional Basketball Tournament was also held in 1939, and the winner was
generally acknowledged as the World Champions of basketball. The Rens won the first
tournament.
1940
 - The first basketball game is televised, from Madison Square Garden; Fordham vs the University of
Pittsburgh. It was over NBC's experimental station in New York, W2XBS. The game, in which
Pittsburgh beat Fordham 50-37.This marked the start of the sport’s media exposure.
1945
- Herman Sayger, a high-school basketball phenom cum coach in the midwest, came up with the
idea of a three-point shot in a scoring system that rewarded distance of the shot being made. The
three- point line, as well as other rule changes, were tested in a game between Columbia and
Fordham on February 07, 1945
1946
- The Basketball league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946 as the  Basketball
Association of America (BAA).
1948
- By 1948–49, when the laceless molded ball was made official, the size had been set at 30 inches
(76 cm).
1949
- The BAA merged with its rival NBL, forming the National Basketball Association in 1949.  As of the
early 21st century, the NBA is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in
terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition.
1967
- As an alternative to NBA, The American Basketball Association (ABA) was founded at a time when
the NBA was experiencing a lot of popularity. The ABA offered an alternative ethos and game style
as well as some changes in the rules.
1976
- The ABA merged with NBA in the summer of 1976, with its four most successful franchises (the
New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs) being incorporated into
the older league.
Reference/s:
Pruter, Robert. "Basketball". Encyclopedia of Chicago. 
Amazon. (2019, December 17). A Brief History of Basketball – How & When The Game Was Invented &
More. Retrieved from Baller's Guide: https://www.ballersguide.net/basketball-for-beginners/history-of-
basketball/