The first official game of basketball was played in 1892. The basic rules have maintained their key concepts. The first set of the rules was published in 1891 by James Naismith. During the same day he asked his class to try out his new game. And thus the basketball history took off. Little did Naismith know back then that his game would turn out to be one of the most popular sports in the world. The reason this sport has become so beloved is due to the fact that it is very entertaining. Whether you are playing a casual game with your friends in a schoolyard or you are watching the NBA championship, basketball is a sport that brings people together.
The following rules were the first official formula for this sport: the ball must be thrown in any direction using either one hand or both; only the hands were to be used for holding the ball; it could only be passed with the hands( not the fist); no shouldering striking, pushing or tripping; if a team makes three consecutive fouls the opponents receive a point; a goal implies that the ball needs to pass through the basket; if the ball goes out of bounds it is to be thrown back by the person who touches it first; the umpire notes the fouls and has the power of disqualifying men; the referee is the judge of the ball; the game lasts 30 minutes with a five minutes break in the middle; the winner is the team who has the most points. These rules represent the essence of the game and most of them are still used today.
As always it was the colleges that had a big contribution to the development of this sport throughout the U.S.A. But still how did this sport manage to be so popular outside the U.S? Well, one of the most influential factors in the basketball history was the YMCA. Even after the war started, basketball was still a great way to relax even for the U.S army. Most of the soldiers who were fighting in Europe enjoyed playing this sport as a way of keeping their home in their hearts. Thus Europe took a taste of this sport and found it quite pleasant. Although nowadays there are various popular teams around the world, it is still the Americans that are the most passionate basketball players and supporters. Furthermore the NBA represents the highest standard of talent in basketball history.
