The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How the sport evolved
Dec. 21, 1891
The first game of Naismith's new indoors gymnasium game is played — 9 on 9 players, and with a soccer ball — in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Jan. 15, 1892
Naismith publishes his 13 original rules of basket ball in the Triangle newspaper, which is distributed to YMCAS around the country.
March 12, 1892
About 200 spectators show up to watch the first public basket ball match when YMCA instructors play the students in the school's gym. The Springfield Republican reports the students defeated the instructors 5-1. Word of mouth spreads basket ball to other YMCA gymnasiums.
1894
Naismith works with the Spalding company of Chicago to create an official basket ball.
1895
First intercollegiate game of basket ball, between the Minnesota School of Agriculture and Hamline College.
1896
The first intercollegiate women's basket ball game is played in California: Stanford defeats U.C. Berkeley.
1897
The rules of the game are refined further: A team can now use only five players on the court at a time.
1898
The National Basketball League — consisting of six teams in the Northeast — becomes the first professional league. The league lasts five years.
1898
Naismith is hired as a PE instructor and basketball coach at the University of Kansas.
1904
Basketball continues to gain popularity worldwide. It's played as a demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in
St. Louis. 1906
Metal hoops, nets and backboards are introduced.
1907
Naismith steps down as basketball coach at Kansas with a career coaching record of 55-60. To this day, he's still the only coach in the history of that program to have a losing record.
1939
Naismith is a guest of honor at the first NCAA Men's Division I Basketball tournament at Northwestern University. The University of Oregon defeats Ohio State to become the first national champions.
Nov. 28, 1939
Naismith dies of a brain hemorrhage in Lawrence, Kansas, at age 78.
1946
The Basketball Association of America is founded in New York City. It changes its name to the National Basketball Association three years later.
1954
The International YMCA Training School where Naismith had created basketball becomes Springfield College.
December 2010
Naismith's original typewritten manuscript of his “original 13 rules” — handed down to Naismith's grandchildren — sells at auction by Sotheby's for $4.3 million.