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The Origin Basketball
Basketball is one of the most popular games in the world. In fact, it only comes a close second to soccer. From makeshift basketball courts in the streets of Puerto Rico or Lithuania to the monolithic Madison Square Garden of New York City, USA, this action-packed ball game has captured the hearts of die-hard fanatics around the globe and the fascination of the human psyche for more than a century. Whether as an average Joe that shoots some hoops at the neighborhood ring, an avid spectator of the Lakers, Bulls or Celtics, or as pro NBA athlete plucked through a lucrative yet competitive draft, everyone just wants a piece of the action when it comes to basketball. But what is the origin of basketball?
The origin of basketball traces back to Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. The world can all thank Dr. James Naismith for achieving what others before him failed to do-design a rigorous, fun yet challenging game that initially brought together young men who would otherwise have bided their time during the long winter months of 1891 cooped up indoors.
Knowing all too well the toll winter brings on the outdoor activities of the youth at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School, the ingenious Physical Education professor that hailed from Canada buckled down and started to define the very first set of rules of a game he first called 'Basket Ball.' He resourcefully made use of soccer ball and pitched a peach basket high up on a 3.05m (10 ft.) elevated track-the archetype to today's iconic basketball backboard and ring. With the bottom of the basket eventually hollowed, the first official basketball game in history kicked off in January 20, 1892 at a walled-in gymnasium of what is known today as the YMCA.
From the origin of basketball as an off-season indoor recreational exercise devised to keep young men agile during the harsh winters, to today's celebration of the eponymous ballgame through the FIBA World Championships at a global scale, basketball has gone a long way since its humble beginnings in a quaint New England town. So next time you play basketball, think about where it came from, what it's origins are and what history it has, you may even enjoy the sport more. Don't forget to warm up and stretch before playing as well!
Basketball is a fun, cool game, great for kids and adults alike. Teens in high school always love playing basketball, it combines strenuous physical activity with fun like no other sport or activity does. For kids who are inactive, basketball can get them in gear.
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