Basketball

Origin and evolution of the slam dunk movement known as basketball

The origins of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada in 1861. During his early school days, James Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock where children would try to knock a duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, he went on to McGill University in Montreal and later became McGill University’s Athletic Director. He subsequently moved to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball was born.

In the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith endeavored to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he wished to develop a sport that would enhance different skills and one that would not exclusively rely on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets at both ends for goals and a soccer ball to aim at them.
Further in his career, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball gain acceptance in various countries through the network of YMCA since 1893. The sport of basketball was introduced at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we discuss, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport in the US and elsewhere.

Players of basketball indulge in vigorous moves like running, jumping, sideways movements, blocking and shooting. This exposes the shoes to a lot of wear and tear. In order to keep the wear and tear to a minimum, basketball players need specially developed shoes, known as basketball shoes.
Basketball shoes are made of leather, synthetic leather, or canvas. The most frequently used material is synthetic leather, since it is more durable and lightweight than natural leather. Some prefer only natural leather but these shoes tend to stretch. Many basketball shoes have combinations of synthetic leather and natural leather or even textile.

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