Basketball Courts Near Me

A great way to stay and shape while socializing is hitting up a local basketball court for a pickup game or solo game of hoops. Not only is basketball an awesome way to improve your coordination, balance, and fitness, but it’s best enjoyed with some buddies.

Are you interested in finding basketball courts near you? Simply browse basketball courts near me on the map below and find a list of basketball courts located in a close proximity to your current location. Need a bit more information on basketball and basketball courts? Read on for interesting facts, trivia, and more. You might just learn something new!

Basketball Courts Near Me – Find it on the Map

Basketball Courts Near Me – Basketball Courts Trivia

What year was basketball invented?

Unlike many of the popular sports we know and love today, basketball is one of the few sports with a known date of birth. So what year was basketball invented? Consider this as you search basketball courts near me. According to historians, basketball was first conceptualized on December 1, 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts by James Naismith. Legend has it, Naismith hung two half bushel peach baskets at opposite ends of a gymnasium. He then outlined 13 rules based on five principles to his students at the International Training School of the Young Men’s Christian Association, which is now now known as the YMCA. Naismith was a physical education teacher who was looking to find a team sport that didn’t require a lot of physical contact but did require running, jumping, shooting, and hand eye coordination. The peach baskets were hung as goals and lent themselves to the name basketball. Naismith’s students immediately took to the game, telling everyone at their local YMCAs about this new sport that included baskets and a ball. Soon enough, YMCA leaders were writing Naismith for official copies of the rules and regulations. By 1892 ,basketball was a common sport being played at YMCAs across New England and beyond.

Many communities boast outdoor public basketball courts.

What were the basic principles of basketball?

Nowadays, there’s a lot more rules and regulations in the sport of basketball then there were when Naismith invented the game back in 1891. Naismith boasted five basic principles which all centered around the ball. The ball was to be “large, light, and able to be handled with the hands alone.” He stated that players could not move the ball by running alone, meaning the ball was too be bounced (dribbled) when being handle. None of the players were restricted against handling the ball, meaning that either side could take possession of the ball at any time. The playing area was to be open to all players, but there was never to be any physical contact between those in game. The ball was the objective, not physical contact or tackling. In order to score, one had to shoot the ball through a horizontal elevated goal. The ball was permitted to hit the rim as long as it made it into the goal. At the end, the team with the most points at an allotted time period was declared the winner. As you search basketball courts near me, consider just how many of these early rules are still prevalent in modern basketball games.

Basketball Courts Near Me – Basketball Courts Facts

The First Basketballs

Though Naismith wrote out some rule and regulations regarding the ball to be used in the sport of basketball, the actually first basketball (that looked similar to what we know today) wasn’t manufactured until 1894. From 1891 through 1893, soccer balls were used to play basketball. Though they did the trick,they were much smaller than what Naismith had in mind. The first basketball was 32 inches in circumference, which is about 4 inches larger than a soccer ball. The first basketballs were made entirely of laced leather and were very light, weighing less than 20 ounces. Eventually, a molded version was introduced which completely eliminated the need for laces, though this didn’t emerge until 1948. This molded ball was 30 inches in circumference and was ruled the official ball in 1949. Though a soccer ball will always do in a pinch, the size, weight, and overall bounceability don’t make it the perfect choice for this fast paced game. While searching basketball courts near me, consider how the advent of the modern basketball helped spark a more steadfast game play.

The Raw Materials

You might think the raw materials used for making a basketball are pretty cut and dry, but a basketball contains more elements than what might meet the eye. According to experts, the outside covering of basketball is made entirely of synthetic rubber, a composition of rubber, or leather. The inside of the ball consists of a bladder (a balloon like element that holds air) and the carcass of the ball itself. The bladder is entirely made of butyl rubber and the carcass consists of threads of either nylon or polyester. Preprinted decals are then used to label the ball. Foil can also be used to imprint label information. In order to affix the decals or imprint the foil, zinc and copper plates are used in a press. Basketballs come in both youth and adult sizes. Adult size basketballs must meet regulation standards in order to be used in organized game play. Youth basketballs are often used by those under the age of seven. As you search basketball courts near me, consider just how complicated a basketball truly is!