Google dedicates doodle to Dr James Naismith, inventor of basketball

Google has dedicated today’s Google Doodle to Canadian-American professor, physical educator and coach Dr James Naismith. Google doodle is celebrating Dr Naismith because he invented the game of basketball on this day in the year 1891. The doodle shows animated Dr Naismith standing with a clipboard as students try to get the ball through a hoop, called the ‘basket’.

Dr Naismith invented the game to keep students at YMCA International Training College in Springfield, Massachusett occupied during unforgiving winters. He joined the college in 1890 as an instructor and was entrusted with the task of developing an indoor game. He reportedly developed the game within 14 days and announced the rules in the pages of Springfield College school newspaper – ‘The Triangle.’ The game had a humble beginning with just ten rules and was first played in a school gymnasium with the help of two peach baskets and a soccer ball.

The game was first introduced in Dr Naismith’s class on December 21, 1891. Initially, the teams had nine players each and certain elements of outdoor sports were mixed to make it more interesting. It soon gained popularity and the game made its Olympic debut in 1936. Dr Naismith, the founder of the sport, threw the ball for tip-off in Berlin, Germany to commence the first game.

Who was Dr James Naismith?

Born on November 6, 1861, near the town of Almonte in Ontario, Canada, Naismith went on to study physical education at McGill University. After completing his education, he started working as an instructor at the YMCA International Training College. This is where he found the game.

He envisioned the game as a way for students to better themselves both physically as well as mentally and took several steps to help the game reach more youngsters. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was incorporated in 1959 in Springfield, Massachusetts.