The history of basketball starts with a peach basket and a soccer ball. From an early stab at indoor, winter recreation, basketball has been fine tuned to become the international sport we know today.

Peach Baskets and Soccer Balls
Dr. James Naismith, an educator, physician, and minister, is responsible for the history of basketball. He developed the game when he served as an instructor at the Y.M.C.A. Training School in Springfield Massachusetts, in 1891. Naismith’s supervisor believed that students needed a form of indoor activity during the winter months. Naismith combined elements of football, soccer and hockey to develop the sport that would become known as basketball. He attached wooden peach baskets to the walls or balconies as goals. The ball needed to be retrieved from the basket after each successful shot. Often, spectators would interfere with shots. Thus, the backboard was introduced in 1906.

Players passed a soccer ball down the floor. The first basketball was brown. The orange basketball associated with today’s game was introduced in the 1950s.

Originally, dribbling was not part of the game. Players passed the ball to one another. Occasionally, a bounce pass would occur. Dribbling wasn’t popular due to the shape of the game ball. Once the round ball came into existence, dribbling became an integral part of the rules.

The first official basketball game was played on January 20, 1892, at Springfield’s Y.M.C.A. Each team consisted of nine players. By 1898, five players comprised a team.

College Teams and Professional Leagues
The game’s popularity soared, and soon, schools across the U.S. and Canada adopted its use as a form of physical activity. During World War II, U.S. armed forces played pick-up games that drew crowds of locals, introducing the game to an international crowd.

Although many colleges in the U.S. formed teams during the late 1890s, interest grew when college teams met in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Once established as a major college sport, interest in the game extended to the professional ranks.

The National Basketball League formed in 1898. Its purpose: prevent player exploitation and promote a safe game. This organization lasted a mere five years. Other leagues shot up, but in 1949, a newer version of the NBL joined the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA – National Basketball Association.

Sweet, Elite Playoffs
The history of basketball's March madness originated in Illinois as a high school boy’s basketball tourney. Sellout crowds at the University of Illinois campus watched the ‘sweet sixteen’ work their way through the tournament bracket. In 1939, the NCAA held its first national championship game. Then, only the elite eight teams were invited to participate. In 1951, the field widened to allow a 16-team bracket. Now, March Madness is one of the most-watched sporting events.
Since basketball’s inception, the game has evolved from a means of physical exercise to a fast-paced contest of skill.