Fact 2 The first basketball game took place in 1892, where the court was half the size of today's courts. 15) Kentucky Basketball 1980’s 11 of 25 The University of Kentucky’s second big scandal involved air freight, players and their parents, coaches and college entrance exams. Fact 1 In the very beginning of basketball, the color of most basketballs was brown, but lately, it's more common to see an orange basketball. Home - Basketball History: Basketball History: Basketball was invented in December 1891 by the Canadian clergyman, educator, and physician James Naismith. However, with the advent of cable television, the game’s popularity exploded at all levels, especially during the 1980s. Officials had to get the ball out after each basket. Basketball grew steadily but slowly in popularity and importance in the United States and internationally in the first three decades after World War II (1939–45) as a result of television exposure. 1701 Manor Road, Austin, TX 78722 Tel: (512) 471-5883 | Fax: (512) 471-5908 Despite being invented in Springfield, MA, Naismith was a native Canadian. There is a lot more to the game than just players, a court, a referee and a ball. Although I was only alive for one year of it, I know that 1980’s basketball was a beautiful thing – a true incarnation of American glitz and glamour that defined the decade. Here are 13 interesting facts about basketball to help clue you up. James Naismith created the game with a pair of peach baskets for games played at a Massachusetts YMCA. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979–80 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers … 1992 Olympic men's basketball Dream Team The 1990s also saw the creation of the "Dream Team," the 1992 Olympic men's basketball team. [6] After basketball player Latrell Sprewell attacked and choked coach P.J. The NBA began life as the Basketball Association of America in 1946 and played under that monkier for 3 years before, in 1949, merging with the National Basketball League and changing names to the NBA. Last updated on December 26th, 2020. The first company to produce a basketball for official use was Spalding, and they have produced the official NBA game ball since 1983. I think you’ll find that the 1980 season usher in the new decade with some great basketball. The first string nets were used in the early 1900s. The first basketball hoops were peach baskets with the bottom intact. Although many sports fans were annoyed by such problems, they did not stay away from the stadiums and fields. The 1980s Sports: OverviewThe trio of major American professional sports—baseball, basketball, football—were marked in the 1980s by labor disputes, lawsuits, and rising salaries, much as they had been in the previous decade. 1980 AAAA The 1980 season saw tremendous talent throughout the state. Up to that point in Olympic history, basketball had been played by amateurs, primarily college players (many of whom would go on to play in the NBA). Naismith introduced the game when he was an instructor at the Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. Carlesimo in 1997, he received a 68-game suspension, the second longest in the history of the NBA. The BAA started out with 11 teams in 1946 but lose four of them before the start of the next season. The major cities continued to produce the top talent and teams, but the suburbs had made enormous gains as the football dominated communities began to emphasize basketball. Basketball’s roots go all the way back to 1891. We will talk about 50 interesting facts about basketball, 15 facts about basketball players, and 26 facts about NBA teams. Basketball is not a simple sport; it takes great endurance, competence and team spirit to outscore other teams and win the game.