Basketball: Then vs. Now

The sport of basketball was developed 113 years ago. The first original 13 rules of basketball are much various than the rules today. Not only have the guidelines developed, but likewise the number of gamers, regulation time, and mainly just the characteristics of the video game entirely. After description, you will be able to see how many modifications basketball has actually really undergone to become what it is now.

The initial 13 rules of basketball composed by James Naismith are as follows:

1. The ball might be included any instructions with one or both hands.

2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist).

3. A gamer can not run with the ball. The player needs to throw it from the area on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a guy who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he attempts to stop.

4. The ball needs to be held in or in between the hands; the arms or body should not be utilized for holding it.

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5. No taking on, holding, pressing, tripping, or striking in any method the person of an opponent will be allowed; the very first violation of this guideline by any player will count as a foul, the second will disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there appeared intent to hurt the individual, for the entire of the video game, no substitute permitted.

6. A nasty is striking at the ball with the fist, infraction of Guidelines 3,4, and such as described in Rule 5.

7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (successive methods without the opponents in the mean time making a nasty).

8. An objective will be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the premises into the basket and stays there, providing those protecting the objective do not touch or interrupt the objective. If the ball rests on the edges, and the challenger moves the basket, it will count as an objective.

9. When the ball heads out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the individual first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall toss it straight into the field. The thrower-in is enabled 5 seconds; if he holds it longer, it will go to the challenger. If any side persists in delaying the video game, the umpire shall call a nasty on that side.

10. The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.

11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.

12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes' rest between.

13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal is made.

Of course, if you have any common knowledge of how basketball is played, you know very well that today's play is much different. Many of these rules have changed, including the dribble. Dribbling was created as an escape from the defense. Players could also run down the court tapping the ball in the air without it touching the floor, or could dribble the ball using both hands. Now days, you cannot move with the ball unless you are using a one handed dribble. Until 1916, a player could not shoot after dribbling. He had to pass the ball.

Scoring has also changed much since then. In the beginning, field goals counted for one point, and a player who fouled was sent to a penalty box, as in hockey. If a team fouled three consecutive times, the opponent got a field goal. This rule was eventually replaced by free throws. By 1895, field goals were worth two points and free throws one. For many years, each team had one player who shot all the free throws. That rule was changed in 1910 by a New York league that required who was fouled to shoot the free throw. This rule still holds today.

There are also boundary lines on the basketball court marking in and out of bounds. Before the creation of those, when a ball went anywhere on the court, the team that got to the ball first gained possession. This caused teams to go crashing into the spectators, walls, and hallways. Today, we have out of bounds and whichever team caused the ball to go out of bounds, the opponents gain possession with a throw-in.

Other changes such as uniform colors, dunking rules, regulations on backboards, time-outs, overtime, fouling out, backcourt rules, free throws, and three pointers were also engaged in change, some over and over again until they became what they are today.

There was much controversy about the three pointer. It was invented for a catch up method when a team was behind. Indeed, this did work, and in 1980, Western Carolina's Ronnie Carr drilled a three-point field goal, the first in the history of basketball. Few rules have ever impacted the game of basketball as the introduction of the three pointer. College coaches and many other personnel were interested with the three and there was never any talk of getting rid of it. Not only was it a great offensive weapon for teams, it was also very exciting, resulting in higher ticket sales, and it required more skill than the older popular attraction, the dunk.

Basketball is a great American sport, and perhaps one that requires the most skill along with a great mental game. Personally, it is one of my favorites, and it is amazing how it has evolved from 1891 to 2004.