BASKETBALL HISTORY
INFORMATION AND FACTS ABOUT
BASKETBALL
A Canadian by the name of
James Naismith invented the
game of basketball in 1891 when he was employed at the YMCA College at
Springfield, Massachusetts. The 1st official basketball game was played at the
Springfield, Massachusetts YMCA Training School.
The University of Chicago played its 1st college basketball game, defeating the
Chicago YMCA Training School Nineteen to Eleven, in 1894.
The 1st inter-collegiate match took place in 1895, when Minnesota State School of Agriculture defeated the Porkers of Hamline College, nine to three. The 1st 5 player collegiate basketball match was played in 1896, at Iowa City, Iowa. The University of Chicago defeated the University of Iowa fifteen to twelve. College basketball was played for the 1st time as Wesleyan University defeated Yale, Four to Three, in New Haven, Connecticut.
Basketball became an Olympic sport in 1936 at the Berlin Games.
The 1st Men's College Basketball Championship was held in 1939.The University of Oregon beat Ohio State Forty Six to Thirty Three.
The 1st televised college games were in 1940. Pittsburgh defeated Fordham, 57-to-37, and New York University beat Georgetown, 50-to-27, at Madison Square Garden.
In the history of basketball, the highest-rated
college basketball game seen on United States television was the 1979 National
Collegiate Athletic Association tournament championship game - Michigan State
vs. Indiana State final that starred Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This was 1 of
the best-rated basketball tournaments in the games history.