Vocabulary

ancient Greece – стародавня Греція

legend Hercules – легендарний Геркулес

founder – засновник

to attract – залучати

to establish— встановлювати,засновувати

throughout – по всьому

ancient period – стародавній період

chariot racing – гонки на колісницях

hostilities – військові дії

to break – ламати

immortal works – безсмертні твори

Hellenic civilization – Еллінська цивілізація

pagan origin – язичницьке походження

emphasizing –підкреслюючи

The history of basketball

I am going to tell you about one of the most popular games. It is basketball. The game of basketball has evolved a great deal throughout the years. Basketball was invented on December 21,1891. The inventor of the game was a Canadian clergyman, James Naismith. The game of basketball was fashioned from the fragments of other games, seeking to eliminate flaws of rugby, soccer. Basketball was first played in the United States. In fact, the first game was played at one training school, now called Springfield College. Basketball is a simple game. The equipment used in the game is also very simple. In addition to the field itself, all that is needed for a game is a ball. The very first ball that was used was a soccer ball until 1894 when an actual «basketball» was invented. The basketball ball was slightly smaller, about 30 inches in diameter. The first baskets that were used, were two peach baskets hung from the balcony of the gymnasium. In 1893, the backboard was invented. The first backboard was constructed out of wire mesh, then wood and now it is made out of glass so the backboard does not interfere with the viewing of the game. Around that time, there was no name for this game. By 1906, the peach baskets were replaced by metal baskets with holes in the bottom. This was better than in the early days, when a ladder was used to climb and fetch the ball out of the basket. Finally, in 1913 a hoop with a net was invented. In my opinion, the invention of the hoop and net was a major step in the developing of the game of basketball. Due to the free falling ball, the game's tempo increased, which allowed the game of basketball to develop even more. In 1921, one man named the game «basketball» and it has been called basketball ever since.

In the very beginning Naismith introduced thirteen original rules for the game of basketball, in which 12 out of the 13 original rules were still used up to 1934. The only rule, which changed, was that a player was now allowed to dribble a basketball. The rule of dribbling the basketball was first used in 1896 at a basketball game at Yale University. With the introduction of the 13 original rules, Naismith created four fundamental principles, which stayed in the game from 1891to 1937. These four fundamental principles stated, players with the ball must not make progress, the goal is above the head of the players, roughness is eliminated and a player may not receive the ball by use of contact. Through the years of 1891 to the 1940's there were many rule changes as well as addition of the rules to the game of basketball. By 1898, basketball leagues were starting to form in the United States. In 1898, professional basketball was being played. The league was called the National Basketball League (NBL). The National Basketball League was made up of four teams like New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and New Jersey. By 1932 basketball was officially gaining international status with the founding of the International Amateur Basketball Federation in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America was formed but it did not go far well because it was competing against the National Basketball League. But in 1949, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League joined together. They changed their name to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Throughout the formation of the league there were many rules that were added to the game of basketball .In 1930's, Kenny Sailor invented the jump shot. Also in the 1940's, Bob Kurland used block- shots. In 1952 the foul lane was widened and the three-second rule was put into effect, so centers could not station themselves in front of the basket all the time. During the 1950's the National Basketball Association was on the rise. During the 1970's and 198G's the expansion of the NBA had gone wild. In the mid 1980's and early 1990's Michael Jordan, who was one of the greatest players in NBA history, dominated the game and took it to a wholly new level. At this time, basketball was increasing in popularity. Nowadays it is played by 176 nations.