Nothing But Net
Basketball was invented in December 1891 by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and physician James Naismith. Naismith introduced the game when we was an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. At the request of his superior, Dr. Luther H. Gulick, he organized a vigorous recreation suitable for indoor winter play. The game involved elements of American football, soccer, and hockey, and the first ball used was a soccer ball. Teams had nine players, and the goals were wooden peach baskets affixed to the walls. By 1897-1898, teams of five became standard. The game rapidly spread nationwide and to Canada and other parts of the world, played by both women and men; it also became a popular informal outdoor game. U.S. servicemen in World War II (1939-1945) popularized the sport in many other countries.
A number of U.S. colleges adopted the game between about 1893 and 1895. In 1934 the first college games were staged in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and college basketball began to attract heightened interest. By the 1950’s basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball.
The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years before disbanding; its demise spawned a number of loosely organized leagues throughout the northeastern United States. One of the first and greatest pro teams was the Original Celtics, organized about 1915 in New York City. They played as many as 150 games a season and dominated basketball until 1936. The Harlem Globetrotters, founded in 1927, a notable exhibition team, specializes in amusing court antics and expert ball handling.
In 1949 two subsequent professional leagues, the National Basketball League (formed in 1937) and the Basketball Association of America (1946) merged to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Boston Celtics, led by their center Bill Russell, dominated the NBA from the late 1950’s through the 1960’s. By the 1960’s, pro teams from coast to coast played before crowds of many millions annually. Wilt Chamberlain, a center for the Los Angeles Lakers, was another leading player during the era, and his battles with Russell were eagerly anticipated. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also a center, came to prominence during the 1970’s. Jabbar perfected his famed “sky hook” shot while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and dominated the opposition.
The NBA suffered a drop in popularity during the late 1970’s, but was resuscitated, principally through the growing popularity of its most prominent players. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers are credited with injecting excitement into the league in the 1980’s through their superior skills and decade-long rivalry. During the late 1980’s Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls rose to stardom and helped the Bulls dominate the NBA during the early 1990’s. A new generation of basketball stars, including Shaquille O’Neal of the Orlando Magic and Larry Johnson of the Charlotte Hornets, have sustained the NBA’s growth in popularity.
In 1959 a Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees, and people who have contributed significantly to the development of the game.
The Empire State Sports Council is pleased to announce Basketball as an Official Sport of the 2013 Liberty Games! If you are interested, and wish to compete for the State Title, you may now Register online by going to our website designed just for the games @ www.TheLibertyGames.com. In fact, if you Register early you can qualify for special prizes (see Below).
Because the Liberty Games is built around the concept of T-E-A-M (Together Everyone Achieves More), we would like to make a spot in each of the articles written that will announce the arrival of each Sport, to impress upon you the importance of each of the individual Sport’s Chairs, as they are critical in the effort to Bring Back the Games! The Basketball Sport’s Chair is Crickett O’Dell, who was excited and eager to be a part of making sure that Basketball would become a part of the Liberty Games. “With a very extensive and rich history in Basketball from her days as a player in the late 70’s, she is the perfect fit to take on this responsibility” noted Anthony Mills, the Executive Director of ES Sports.
The Empire State Sports Council is very excited to have Crickett on our TEAM, and we hope you will enjoy taking part in the upcoming competition. Moreover, we are so excited that we are offering the following promotion. Be one of the first to purchase the Official Liberty Games Sportswear, as the Empire State Sports Council will hold a drawing of the first 100 Athletes in each sport that purchase Liberty Games Sportswear, and the selected Athlete will receive a Gift Card to a local restaurant for $10! In addition, the winners from each sport will be placed into a larger drawing, which will be made at the Opening Festival of the Liberty Games, and the winner will receive a Free Apple iPod. The runner-up will receive a $50 Gift Certificate from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Don’t wait, be one of the first 100 Athletes in your sport to purchase Official Liberty Games Sportswear and you can be a winner today!
In the meantime, be sure to Like Us on Facebook, as we look forward to making so many new friends. If you are in a position to do so, we would certainly appreciate your support of the 2013 Liberty Games. Please take just a minute right now to click the DONATE NOW button at the top of the page and make a contribution of any amount, the Empire State Sports Council would greatly appreciate it! 
