Who Invented Basketball

Unusually, for team sports, it is known exactly who invented basketball and exactly when it was invented. It is more usual for such a sport to have just evolved and have no clear starting point and no name for an actual inventor of the game.

It was a Mr James A Naismith who invented basketball. He was born on November 6th 1861 and died on November 28th 1939. He was born a Canadian near Ontario in the Ramsay township. His parents were Scottish immigrants who had crossed the Atlantic in around 1851. His father, John, was involved in the mining industry. As a youngster, James was always athletic and was a great gymnast. He also played football for McGill University where he was studying physical education. After gaining a BA in the subject, James attended the Presbyterian College in Montreal and went on to gain a Diploma.

After his studies, James Naismith started working as a teacher at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was whilst he was here that he was asked to come up with a game for the students that could be played indoors. He had various stipulations to work to regarding the size of the room and the number of people etc. He remembered playing a game by the name of "duck on a rock" as a child and decided to implement some of the ideas basketball his new game. basketball game involved two teams with nine players in each team, a ball and two peach baskets - one nailed to each end of the gymnasium. The principle was simple; you had to pass the ball to your team members and then score a goal by throwing it into the peach basket. The game was an instant success and the name of James Naismith has gone down in history as the man who invented basketball.

In January of 1892, just a month after having been asked to devise a game, James Naismith published the rules of the game. These rules were very similar to the ones of today's game. The main difference was the lack of dribbling. At this point the ball was just thrown between the players. Although it was Naismith who invented basketball and wrote the rulebook, dribbling, which is one of the most important aspects these days, actually just evolved as time went by. Another interesting difference in the rules is the possession ruling for when the ball is out of play. In Naismith's original rule book the ball became the possession of whoever retrieved it first!

It is great to know the history of the game and to have so many details regarding how it came to exist. James Naismith is indeed remembered as not only the man who invented basketball, but also a great gymnast and sportsman in his own right. He is also high thought of for his continued support of his game and his work to bring basketball into the schools and colleges of the nation.

Robert Grazian is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about basketball visit Basketball History Site for current articles and discussions.

Toys to Encourage Exercise

Unfortunately, it's just too easy for basketball to stay indoors these days. Video games and television can be basketball learning tools, but they really shouldn't make up 100% of a child's playtime. Especially at such a young age, it's very important for a person to get an hour or more of exercise a day.

We all know that exercise is great for your body, but it's also an excellent way to sharpen your mind and to build character. When you play team sports and outdoor games for kids, you learn about the importance of putting work into meeting your goals, you learn about the importance of working in a team, and you learn how to think on your feet, developing plans and tactics on the fly to score that last goal or make a safe pass.

The little leagues aren't right for everyone. To be frank, we've all seen our share of overzealous parents who prioritize winning over how you play the game, coaches who shout at kids and so on. It may be wise to look into the sports programs in your area, and know what you're getting your kid into before signing up.

By providing your kids with some sports toys to play with at home, you can allow them to have fun getting their daily exercise, with or without a full sports team. Some of these toys can even be played with indoors, without having to worry about bouncing a hard rubber ball off the bookshelf, such as indoor soccer or basketball kits, which can be played with anywhere you have twelve or so feet of empty floor space.

Ideally, you'll want supply your kid, or kids, with some toys that meet the following criteria:

Challenging, but not Impossible

If you're getting a child their first bicycle, for example, there's nothing wrong with starting the kid off with training wheels. The same goes for any other toys that will challenge your children. Something that's too easy is just as easy to lose interest in, while something that's nearly impossible to improve at is more likely to frustrate than to challenge. Know where your child's skill level is at. Luckily, there are basketball hoops with adjustable height, and you can start kids off with tee ball rather than skipping right to baseball.

Relevant to your Kid's Interests

Some kids just don't care about soccer... or basketball, or football, or baseball, or... well you get the picture. If your kid prefers skating, skateboards are awesome. If your kid is maybe an outdoorsy type, you can provide them with an easy carry outdoor tent or some adventure toys like bug collecting kits. To interest your kids in exercise, you need to know what interests them.

If you're having trouble finding something that seems just right for your kids, you can always try shopping for toys online. Online toy stores tend to offer a pretty wide variety in comparison to most toy shops you could visit in person. Whichever route you choose, though, it's very important to keep your kids interested in the pursuit of physical activity, for their health, their physical and mental development, and... well, to have the house to yourself for an hour a day!

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