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