Basketball (basketball) is an American sport born in December 1891, thanks to a professor of physical education named James Naismith.
The YMCA school teacher, in Massachussetts (currently Springfield College), designed basketball to guarantee pupils' sporting activity even on days when the outdoor climate did not allow outdoor activity.
So, after having discarded all the options that were too violent or inadequate for indoor activities, he wrote a draft of fundamentals and rules, then fixed two wicker baskets with a closed bottom on the wall (height of about 3.05m). The objective of the game was to make a basket with a ball inside these containers created for the transport of fruit (subsequently opened in the lower portion to be able to remove the balloon thanks to the use of a pole).
The first balls used for basketball were the same as for football (european fooball) and, only in 1950, Tony Hinkle introduced orange balloons; dribbling was introduced following the improvement of the ball's regularity.
Only in 1906, the baskets were replaced by metallic circles affixed to the stands. Obviously, the active interference of the public spontaneously induced the isolation of the baskets by means of the scoreboards, also used to make us bounce the ball against.
Naismith called the new game "Basket Baal" and the first official match was played with 9 players in a field of the size of 50% of the current; it happened in the YMCA gymnasium gym in Albany, New York, in January 1892.
In 1897-1898, the teams officially became 5 players.
