Doyouknowwhenbasketwasinvented?

　　IfyoutravelaroundChinayouwillnoticeaverypopularactivityeverywhereyougo-basketball.Thismuch-lovedandactivesportisenjoyedbymany,forfunandexercise.

　　Thesportofbasketballisalittleoverahundredyearsold.Itisplayedbymorethan100millionpeopleinover200countriesincludingChina,wherebasketballhasbeenplayinparks,schools,andeveninfactories.

　　BasketballwasinventedbyaCanadiandoctornamedJamesNaismith,whowasbornin1861.Whenhewasatcollege,hisclasswasonceaskedtoinventanewgamethatcouldbeplayedindoorsduringthelongwinters.DrNaismithcreatedagametobeplayedonahardwoodenfloor,sothesafetyoftheplayerswasimportant.Knockingintoplayersandfallingdownwouldbedangerous.

　　DrNaismithdividedthemeninhisclassintotwoteamsandtaughtthemhowtoplayhisnewgame.Theaimofbasketballisforplayerstogetaballintothe"basket";anewhangingfromametalhoop.Playsshootfrombelowthebasketandmayusethe"backboard"forguidingtheballintothebasket.Playersmovetowardsoneendofthecourtwhilethrowingtheballtoeachother.

　　ItisbelievedthatonDecember21st,1891,thefirstbasketballgameinhistorywasplayed.Thenin1936inBerlin,itbecameanOlympicevent.AteamfromChinatookpart,andalthoughtheydidn'twintheyusedtheexperiencetohelpdevelopthegameathome.Sincethen,thepopularityofbasketballhasrisenworldwide,andthenumberofforeignplayersinAmerica'sNBA(NationalBasketballAssociation)hasincreased.Basketballhasalsobecomeamorepopularsportforpeopletowatch,andmanyyoungpeopledreamofbecomingfamousbasketballplayers.