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Dr. James Naismith. Probably the name means nothing to you. Perhaps it would have meant even less had this Canadian not found himself a home in the Unites States. For it was this man, way back in 1881, that invented the game of basketball. Indeed, many people wonder if the sport would be so popular in the US had he not been living in Massachusetts at the time he invented it. Naismith worked at the University of McGill in Montreal for several years as the athletics director before heading to Massachusetts to the YMCA Training School. It was here that Naismith was looking for a game that students would be able to play inside during the winter months. The first game of basketball was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets. A broom stick was used to push the ball back out of the basket initially, but holes were cut in the bottom of the basket to resemble the familiar hoop and net we see on television and in gymnasiums today. The YMCA promoted basketball worldwide and many people in a variety of countries play it as a hobby or a profession today. No other country has embraced it as widely as North America. The game continued to grow until in 1936 basketball was one of the sports showcased at the Olympics in Berlin. The National Basketball League today is one of the most popular sports events on television. Before the NBA came the Basketball Association of America. Since then, NBA players boast some of the highest salaries in the professional sports. The first basket ball players to have been paid can be traced back to 7th November, 1896 for the game played between the Trenton Basketball Team and the Brooklyn YMCA. Eventually Basketball broke away from the YMCA and moved into the National Basketball League. Some of the most famous players have been Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal. Besides basketball they are headliners in tabloids, movies and sometimes even music. These talented players make great role models for inner city youth. Many of the kids embrace the sport of basketball and play it in their neighborhoods. The NBA matches are very popular and are the most watched matches both live and on television. Everybody likes watching and cheering for their favorite basketball teams and star players. Players like Micael Jordan, Magic Johnson enjoyed tremendous popularity and brought a surge of demand for NBA merchandise. Everyone wanted merchandise like jerseys, shirts, hats, shorts with their stars logo on it. Today the NBA is a multi-million dollar association that makes money off of ticket sales, televised games, and merchandise. Many children are kept out of trouble by playing basketball not only in school teams, but with their friends as well. Basketball seems to keep growing in popularity, and the trend doesn't show any signs of slowing down. James Naismith probably had no idea the mega-success his simple game with a ball and two peach baskets would become.
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