History – creation of the game: inventor of basketball

Naismith, James (1861-1939), Canadian-American teacher of physical education, recognized as the inventor of the sport of basketball. He was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, and educated at McGill University and Presbyterian College in Montréal. He taught physical education from 1887 to 1890 at McGill University, and from 1890 to 1895 at the Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1891, aided by the American physical-education specialist Luther Halsey Gulick, he invented basketball as an indoor sport.

Naismith developed the game as an activity for his students during the harsh winter months. He was director of physical education at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Denver (1895-1898) and at the University of Kansas (1898-1937). As one of the most significant contributors to the sport of basketball, Naismith was voted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. Officially called the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, the institution was named in his honor and is located in Springfield

Changing Times

Indiana State University and guard Magic Johnson [NBA] of Michigan State University, helped revive public interest in basketball. The two players, the stars of their teams, faced each other in the 1979 NCAA championship game, won by Michigan State. Both players went on to have distinguished NBA careers. In the 1980s Bird helped revitalize the Boston Celtics franchise, leading the team to three NBA titles (1981, 1984, 1986). Johnson did the same in Los Angeles, as he and Abdul-Jabbar guided the Lakers to five NBA championships.

In the late 1980s the Detroit Pistons emerged as a powerhouse team, featuring stars such as guard Isiah Thomas and forward Dennis Rodman. Detroit reached the NBA Finals in 1988, 1989, and 1990, capturing the title during the latter two years. Increased interest in the professional game carried over to collegiate basketball as well, as the NCAA tournament became more popular than ever.

Dramatic changes in women's basketball occurred in the late 1960s. In 1966 unlimited dribbling became legal, and in 1969 the first five-player full-court game was played. The five-player form became the official game in women's basketball in 1971. Women's basketball is now played with virtually the same rules, regulations, and styles as men's basketball, although the women use a slightly smaller ball at many levels, including college. With the changes of the late 1960s, women's basketball began a period of tremendous growth, and in 1971 the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded, offering a national college basketball tournament for women.

The women's game gained strength in the late 1970s after a law called Title IX was increasingly enforced, helping strengthen women's basketball programs. The law, passed as part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender in educational institutions receiving federal aid, meaning that women's athletic programs had to be treated as equal to men's programs. In 1978 the AIAW championship was televised, and the same year a professional league called the Women's Basketball League (WBL) made its debut. Featuring eight teams, the league lasted three years. The AIAW disbanded in 1982, but that same year the NCAA held its first national championship for women.