Physical education instructor at the School for Christian Workers (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
Created a team sport that could be played indoors during winter.
Luther Gulick
Head of the school’s physical education department.
Ordered James Naismith to create recreational activities to relieve students from calisthenics and drills.
Naismith used a soccer ball because it was large enough to catch easily.
He asked the building superintendent for two boxes to use as goals.
Instead of boxes, Naismith used two peach baskets, attached to a gymnasium balcony railing 3 meters above the floor.
The first game took place between members of Naismith’s physical education class in December, 1891.
5 Basic Principles Rules
The game is played with a round ball and with the hands.
A player cannot run with the ball.
Any player can take up any position on the playing court at any time.
There shall be no physical contact between players.
The goal (baskets) shall be placed horizontally above the floor of the court.
Naismith drafted the original 13 rules of the game.
The rules were published in Triangle magazine on January 15, 1892, under the title “A New Game”.
Basketball was being played by YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) teams, secondary school and college teams, as well as professional teams.
The Original 13 Rules of Basketball
The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
The ball may be battled in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist.)
A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man who catches the ball when running at a good speed.
The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body are not to be used for holding it.
No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed.
The first infringement of this rule by any person shall count as a foul.
The second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or if there was evident intent to injure the person for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.
A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of the rules 3, 4 and such described in rule 5.
If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents. Consecutive means without the opponent in the meantime making a foul.
A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
When the ball goes out of the bounds, it shall be thrown into the field and played by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on it.
The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when the three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have the power to disqualify men according to rule 5.
The referee shall judge possession of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when the goal has been made, and keep account of the goals, with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.
The time shall be two fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes rest between.
The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winners. In case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued with any until another goal is made.
March 2, 1892
The first basketball game played in public between the students and teachers at the Springfield College.
The students won 5-1.
Basketball began its world-wide movement as the game and introduced in Mexico.
Lew Allen of Hartford, Connecticut
Made cylindrical baskets of heavy woven wire to eliminate Naismith’s peach baskets.
The rims were hung at the balcony, and some spectators amused themselves by diverting the ball away from the hoop.
Free throws were introduced.
Definitions
BASKETBALL – is played by two (2) teams of five players each. The aim of each team is to score into the opponents’ basket and to prevent the other team from gaining control of the ball or scoring.
BASKET: OWN/OPPONENTS’ – the basket that is attacked by a team is the opponents’ basket, and the basket which is defended by a team is the team’s own basket.
BALL MOVEMENT – the ball may be passed, thrown, tapped, rolled, or dribbled in any direction, subject to the restrictions of the relevant articles of the rules.
WINNER OF THE GAME – the team that has scored the greater number of points at the end of playing time of the fourth period, or if necessary, any extra period shall be the winner of the game.
Basketball Court Dimensions
Refer to the image in the original document for a visual representation of the court dimensions.
Key dimensions include:
Endline/Baseline: Depicted with associated measurements.
Three-point line. 6.75m
Sideline
Free throw circle: 3.6m
Midcourt line
Free throw line
Additional Court Markings
Neutral zone
No-charge semi-circle area.
Free throw lane
Equipment
BALL – basketball played with a round brown or orange inflated leather ball. A standard basketball weighs between 500-600 grams and is between 75 and 78 centimeters in circumference.
Backboard and Basket
BASKET - The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (45.72 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to a backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court.
BACKBOARD - are flat, raised, vertical boards with mounted baskets or rims that are used to assist or return the ball after a shot in a basketball game. Backboards, which are typically constructed of tempered glass or Plexiglas, are intended to withstand player dunks without shattering.
The rectangular structure, 6x4, to which the basket is attached.