Originally the game of Pok-ta-Pok was played in the 10th century BC, by the Olmecs in Mexico and closely resembled the basketball in its concept. ‘Ollamalitzli’ was a variation of this game played by the Aztecs in Mexico as late as the 16th century. If the solid rubber ball was put through a fixed stone ring the player was entitled to the clothing of all the viewers.
Modern basketball which may have been based on the German game Korbball was played for the first time in mid-December 1891. This game was invented by the Canadian born Dr James A. Naismith. He was the physical education instructor at the Training School of the International YMCA College at Springfield in Massachusetts, USA. He was asked to invent a new game to enthuse the students as they were bored with their daily physical education classes.
Naismith used ideas from games such as the Red Indian lacrosse, hockey, football, soccer and blended them with his own ideas and invented basketball. This new game unlike lacrosse did not require a stick. It did not even involve kicking the ball, as in soccer. It involved throwing the ball into the basket hence it was named basketball.
Soon the new game aroused the interest of the bored students at the YMCA. News of the game spread rapidly to other parts of America. During the next ten years it was introduced in Canada, France, Britain, China, India and Japan.
The first goals were two peach-baskets. The iron hoop and net were introduced two years later. Initially people had to climb a ladder to get the ball from the net. But later a hole was made at the bottom of the net so that the ball could drop through.
The game gained popularity after the Second World War. It is played by two teams, each having five players. Its field is rectangular, measuring 92 ft (28 m) in length and 50 ft (15 m) in breadth. Close to the centre of both the smaller sides, two baskets are suspended from two poles at a height of 10 ft (3 m). To score a goal a team has to send the ball through the basket.
The first basketball match, played under modified rules, was on 20th January, 1892. Americans are considered the best players of basketball. The International Amateur Basketball Federation was founded in 1932; it has now dropped the word ‘Amateur’ from the title. It was first included in the Olympic Games in 1936.