Here is some fun thinking to bounce around!
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Basketball was thought of first in Springfield, Mass In 1891 when Dr. James Naismith, a physical education student and instructor at YMCA Training School (today, Springfield College) was asked to think about a way to keep students active and in shape during long winters.
You don’t need to think about much equipment for playing basketball as the only essential equipment in basketball is the ball and a basket.
-While thinking about and developing the game, Dr. Naismith thought to use a peach basket and a soccer ball.
-If you think about the way Americans think about soccer it is easy to think there were plenty of soccer balls not being used.
Dr. Naismith was thinking about the Canadian children's game called "Duck on a Rock".
When he was thinking about creating basketball. Most people think early forms of basketball are a direct spin-off of “Duck on a Rock.”
Spalding was the first company to think of producing a basketball for official use.
Within one year of thinking up the game, the first official basketball game was played in the YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892.
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It wasn’t long before women were thinking about playing the game and women's basketball officially began in 1892 at Smith College in Boston. These women were thinking about opportunity in sports more than women in other sports. 27 years separated the time men started playing baseball and when women started playing.
Spalding started thinking basketballs should be orange so they could be seen better by players and spectators. Who’s thinking was it to make a football brown?..Industry reports have us thinking Rawlings manufactured the first football. Most people think of baseball when they think of Rawlings.
In the beginning players didn’t have to think about dribbling as dribbling only became a major part of the game around the 1950s as manufacturers were able to think of ways to improve the ball shape.
Think about this! Basketball, netball, dodge ball, volleyball, and lacrosse are the only ball games which have been identified as original thinking by North Americans and the only ones we are credited for inventing.
The NBA was introduced in 1949 and The Women's National Basketball Association began 1997. Many didn’t think the women’s league would succeed, but it did and people think it great!
Young girls can now think of going pro just like you boys think about it.
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Although a demonstration tournament was held during the 1904 Olympic games they didn’t think of officially including it in the Olympic games until 1936.
Some people don’t let other’s discouragement effect their thinking. The shortest player ever to play in the NBA is Muggsy Bogues at 5 ft 3 in. -
Think about he would compare to the two tallest players ever in the NBA who were 7 ft 7 inches tall. That is a difference of two feet and three inches to think about.
The NBA finally thought to add its first black players in the 1950-51 season. Now think about the impact of doing this - nearly 80% of the today’s NBA is African American. Now think about this! African Americans make up 12% of the United States population. Many inner city kids think a career in basketball is their way to achieve something great. If they look at the statistics their thinking is right.
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