Early American Basketball 1891-1949

You might not believe the early rules of this game: No dribbling, no bounce-passes, no jump shots, and certainly no dunking; and if the 2 teams of 9 men played the game as designed, no fouls. The score of founder James Naismith's 1st game? How's 1-0 sound? Well, it was intended to break the monotony of other winter activities! How primitive was this sport? The first basket used was not an iron hoop but a peach basket - and a person was required to stand by and scoop the ball after each basket!

Inside - look for teams like the Original Celtics, the all-black Renaissance Five, and Abe Saperstein's marvelous all-black Harlem Globetrotters, who displayed their incredible skills internationally - even performing before the Pope.

Check out the many leagues that formed only to collapse a few years later. This Timeline ends on the year when 2 leagues merged into what is now the National Basketball Association. Why were basketball players called Cagers? Who is George Mikan and whom did he play for? This sport rarely gained traction with fans until the early 1980s. The reasons are many...so find out why!