Wallace and Gromit

Some few effects (particularly fire and smoke) within The Curse of the Were-Rabbit proved impossible to do in stop motion, and so were rendered on computer.
. There was even an explosion in The Auto Chef, part of the Cracking Contraptions shorts. Half-court games double the number of players that can utilize a court, and are sometimes required by the owner of a busy facility. For example, consider the soap suds in the window cleaning scene, and the projectile globs of porridge in Wallace's house. Only one basket is used, with the requirement that the ball be "cleared" - passed or dribbled outside the half-court or three-point line - whenever possession of the ball changes. As with Nick Park's previous films, the special effects achieved within the limitations of the stop motion technique were quite pioneering and ambitious. Perhaps the single most common variation is the half court game.

This is probably very much thanks to the global success of Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit shorts and other films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas in the 1990s. Most of the variations are played in informal settings without referees or strict rules. Though painstaking and time-consuming, and, with the newer computer-generated imagery, no longer popularly used for feature film special effects as it was in 1933's King Kong or Ray Harryhausen's work, stop motion remains a much-loved style of animation. Other variations include children's games, contests or activities intended to help the player reinforce skills, which may or may not have a competitive aspect. just over one second of film photographed for each day of production. Some variations are only superficial rules changes, while others are distinct games with varying degrees of basketball influences. General quotes on the speed of animation of a Wallace and Gromit film put the filming rate at typically around 30 frames per day - i.e. Variations of basketball are activities based on the game of basketball, utilizing common basketball skills and equipment (primarily the ball and basket).

Because a second of film constitutes 24 separate frames, even a short half-hour film like A Close Shave takes a long time to animate well. Anthony "Spud" Webb was just 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall, but had a 42-inch (1.07 m) vertical leap, giving him significant height when jumping. In common with other animation techniques, the stop motion animation in Wallace and Gromit may duplicate frames if there is little motion, and in action scenes sometimes multiple exposures per frame are used to produce a faux motion blur. Some shorter players experience success at professional level. After detailed storyboarding, and set and plasticine model construction, the film was shot one frame at a time, moving the models of the characters slightly between to give the impression of movement in the final film. The shortest player ever to play in the NBA is Muggsy Bogues at 1.60 meters (5 ft 3 in). The Wallace and Gromit animations were shot using the old stop motion animation technique. Currently, the tallest NBA player is Yao Ming, who stands at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).

. The tallest players ever to play in the NBA, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, are 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in). In Project Zoo, players exclusively control Gromit, but in Curse of the Were-Rabbit, gameplay shifts between the two, and even includes two-player cooperative play. Most centers are over 2.1 meters (6 ft 10.5 in) tall. Gameplay for both titles is reminiscent of any third-person platformer released since the advent of Super Mario 64, with lots of jumping around in three-dimensional levels and collecting items. Forwards in the men's professional leagues are almost all 2 meters (6 ft 6 in) or taller. In 2005, a video game of "The Curse of The Were-Rabbit" was released for home consoles, following the plot of the movie as the titular duo work as vermin-catchers, protecting customers' vegetable gardens from rabbits. Guards, for whom physical coordination and ball-handling skills are of greater importance, tend to be the smallest players although they can occasionally be quite tall.

Hiding inside a giant wooden penguin, a parody of the famous Trojan horse, they infiltrate the zoo, and set about rescuing the animals and undoing Feathers' work. At the professional level, most male participants are above 1.90 meters (6 ft 3 in) and most women are above 1.70 meters (5 ft 7 in). A quick spot of inventing back at the house, and they prepare to embark on their latest adventure. Being tall is a clear advantage in basketball. As they go to visit the zoo to celebrate his birthday, they find the zoo closed. A skilled player can dribble without watching the ball, using the dribbling motion or peripheral vision to keep track of the ball's location.By not having to focus on the ball, a player can look for teammates or scoring opportunities, as well as avoid the danger of someone stealing the ball from them. Wallace and Gromit, meanwhile, have adopted one of the zoo's baby polar bears, named Archie. It is common for beginners to dribble into a difficult position.

Still obsessed with diamonds, he escapes from the penguin enclosure of West Wallaby Zoo, where he was 'imprisoned' at the end of The Wrong Trousers, and takes over the entire zoo, kidnapping young animals and forcing their parents to work for him, helping him towards his ultimate goal - turning the zoo into a diamond mine. Alternatively, to switch hands, a player can dribble between their legs or behind the back. This separate story sees the duo take on Feathers McGraw once more. This is because, when switching the hand that is dribbling, the ball travels in front of the player making it easier to steal. In September 2003, a video game was released, entitled Wallace and Gromit in Project Zoo. The dribble is also lowered when switching hands.
. Also, the dribble will be lowered so that its movement is more frequent.

In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, The Wrong Trousers was placed 18th. In this way, the defender will not be able to get to the ball without getting past the dribbler. Park has consistently turned down requests for an ongoing television series because of the time and effort required for even a single episode. It is therefore important for a player to be able to dribble confidently with both hands. Shopper 13 is of note for its references to sci-fi films, and space in general, in most of Wallace's lines:. When dribbling past an opponent, the dribbler should dribble with the hand furthest from the player. Each episode features one of Wallace's new inventions and Gromit's sceptical reaction to it. When a player dribbles, he or she pushes the ball down towards the ground, rather than patting it, because this ensures greater control.

They were also broadcast on BBC One across the Christmas period in 2002. Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously. A series of 10 short (2½ minute) Wallace and Gromit animations entitled Cracking Contraptions has appeared on the Internet and subsequently on a limited-edition VHS and Region 2 DVD. For this reason, large arc-shaped passes are almost always avoided and cross-court passes, called skip passes, are only used in certain situations. These have been released as extras on DVD alongside the three short films. The most important aspect of a good pass is that it is difficult for the defense to intercept. In addition, following the success of A Close Shave, the duo were used as BBC2's official Christmas campaign in 1995, appearing with the famous '2' in the main ident and several shorter versions for in between trailers. A pass is not necessarily between two players a distance from each other; sometimes a clever cut by a teammate can mean that a pass is to a directly adjacent teammate who is in motion, where either player's hands remain on the ball for the duration of the pass.

The full-length feature film is:. This pass is also a fairly direct pass and can cover more distance than a chest pass. The original half-hour shorts were:. The ball is passed from behind the passer's head, coming over it and aiming for around the chin of the receiver. Wallace and Gromit have appeared in three half-hour films, an ident campaign, a series of short webcast animations, and also appear in a full-length feature film. The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender.
. Thus, in crowded moments, or to pass the ball around a defender, this pass is often used.

The faults were either due to a faulty CCTV system or a faulty water heater. It does take longer to complete than the chest pass, but it is more difficult for the opposing team to intercept (kicking the ball deliberately is a violation). Recent reports have discovered the cause of the fire was an electrical fault in a ground floor office. In this way, it is completed in the smallest amount of time possible for this pass. (BBC News: Fire hits Wallace and Gromit sets). Like the chest pass, it is passed from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest, and it is passed as directly as possible, for example, there should be no downward motion of the ball between the bounce and the time the receiver catches it. The films themselves are unharmed having been stored at a separate location. In this pass, the ball bounces about two-thirds of the way from the passer.

Other figures, however, such as Wallace and Gromit travelling in their sidecar, were lost. Another type of pass is the bounce pass. Some other models survived as they were part of a travelling exhibition at the time. This has the advantage that it takes the least time to complete, as the passer tries to pass as directly straight as possible. Creator Nick Park released a statement that the original Wallace and Gromit figures were in his suitcase on a world tour with him at the time. The ball is passed directly from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest. On October 10, 2005, a fire at a storage building in Bristol owned by Aardman Animations destroyed most of the props and sets used in the animated films. One of the most basic passes is the chest pass.

He also listens to Bach and solves puzzles with ease. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy. "Gromit was originally the name for a cat in another story!" Gromit enjoys eating 'KornFlakes' and reading many books including:. A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Nick Park, his creator says: "We are a nation of dog-lovers and so many people have said: 'My dog looks at me just like Gromit does!'" and.. Realizing a shooting opportunity and using it is as important as basic technique; top players at the professional level rarely miss when given an unguarded look at the basket. Gromit doesn't express himself in words but his facial expressions -- particularly his eyebrow -- speak volumes. The best shooters have good coordination, balance, courage and are well practiced.

He is also very handy with electronic equipment (a grommet is a piece of electrical wiring insulation, a term Nick Park picked up from his brother, an electrician), and is sensitive, intelligent and resourceful. This provides much greater power and range, and it also allows the player to elevate over the defender. He likes knitting, reading the newspaper, his alarm clock, bone, brush and framed photo of himself with Wallace. The jump shot is taken while in mid-air, near the top of the jump. His birthday is 12th February, and he graduated from "Dogwarts University" (a pun on Hogwarts of the Harry Potter books). The set shot is taken from a standing position, with neither foot leaving the floor, typically used for free throws. Gromit is a dog who lives with Wallace. The two most common shots are the set shot and the jump shot.

For example, Wallace's method of getting up in the morning incorporates a bed that tips over to wake up its owner, an invention that was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851 by Theophilus Carter, and is similar to a device sold in Japan that is used to ensure a certain wakeup time. Most players shoot directly into the basket, but in certain situations the shooter may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the basket. Some of Wallace's contraptions actually are based on a real-life invention. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat arguable, but generally coaches will profess proper arch. Most of Wallace's inventions look not unlike the designs of Rube Goldberg and Heath Robinson, and Nick Park has said of Wallace that all his inventions are designed around the principle of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to deaden its impact with the rim. A very homely sort who doesn't mind the odd adventure.". Generally, the non-shooting arm is only used to guide the shot, not to power it.

Nick Park, his creator says: "He's a very self-contained figure. The ball is shot by extending the shooting arm to become straight; the ball rolls off the finger tips while the wrist completes a full downward flex motion. He has a kindly nature, and is perhaps a little over-optimistic. The player holds the ball to rest in the dominant hand's fingertips (the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand on the side of the ball. He is an inveterate inventor, creating elaborate Heath Robinson-esque contraptions that often do not work as intended. While methods can vary with players and situations, the most common technique can be outlined here. He reads the Morning Post, the Afternoon Post, and the Evening Post, and occasionally "Ay-Up" magazine. Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket.

He enjoys a nice cup of tea or a drop of Bordeaux red for those special occasions. Defensive and offensive structures, and positions, are more emphasised in higher levels in basketball; it is these that a coach normally requests a time-out to discuss. The thought of Lancashire hotpot keeps him going in a crisis. On court, the point guard is generally responsible for indicating which play will occur. He loves cheese - preferably Wensleydale cheese. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement is not predictable. He can usually be found wearing a white shirt, brown wool trousers, green knitted vest and red tie. Screens and cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick passes and teamwork which can lead to a successful basket.

Wallace lives at 62 West Wallaby Street, Wigan, Lancs [1]. The two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then "rolls" away from the pick towards the basket. . A legal attempt by an offensive player to stop an opponent marking a teammate, by standing in the defender's way such that the teammate cuts next to him, is a screen or pick. Wallace is voiced by veteran actor Peter Sallis; Gromit remains silent. A quick movement by an offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is a cut. Wallace is an absent-minded inventor, cheese enthusiast (especially for Wensleydale cheese), and companion to the dog Gromit who appears to be rather more intelligent than his master. Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and movement by players without the ball.

This process is sometimes known as "claymation". Variations of these two main structures are used. All the characters were made from moulded Plasticine modelling clay on wire frames, and filmed with stop motion animation. In man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards and follows a specific opponent and tries to prevent him from taking action. Wallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series of three British animated short films and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations. Zone defense involves players in defensive positions, guarding whichever opponent is in their zone. The program is "When Penguins Turn", suggesting thats how Feathers Macgraw turned evil. Two main defense concepts are used: zone defense and man-to-man defense.

During the telly scope episode, the telly (television) is on the wrong program. On some occasions, teams will choose to use a three guard offense, replacing one of the forwards or the center with a third guard. "The Edam is stranded! Quick Gromit, We'll have to launch the probe!". Since the 1980s, more specific positions have evolved, namely point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. "I knew he'd make it!". During the first five decades of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used. "It's just one small step!". Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball.

"It's almost due for re-entry! I can see him!". A player who commits five fouls, including technical fouls, in one game (six in some professional leagues, including the NBA) is not allowed to participate for the rest of the game, and is described as having "fouled out". "Gromit, we have a problem!". If a team surpasses a preset limit of team fouls in a given period (quarter or half) – four for international and NBA games – the opposing team is awarded one or two free throws on all subsequent fouls for that period, depending on the league. The Soccamatic'. Blatant fouls with excessive contact or that are not an attempt to play the ball are called unsportsmanlike fouls (or flagrant fouls in the NBA) and incur a harsher penalty; in some rare cases a disqualifying foul will require the player to leave the playing area. The Snoozatron. The penalty involves free throws and varies between leagues; repeated incidents can result in disqualification.

The Turbo Diner. A player or coach who shows poor sportsmanship, for instance, by arguing with a referee or by fighting with another player, can be charged with a technical foul. The 525 Crackervac. Contact in basketball is unavoidable, and the calling of a foul can vary between games, leagues and even between referees. The Bully Proof Vest. This makes fouls sometimes controversial calls. The Snowmanotron. There is some discretion with the referee when calling a foul — they consider if there was unfair advantage gained, for example, a player gained possession unfairly.

The Tellyscope. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 4.5 metres (15 feet) from the basket. A Christmas Cardomatic. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. The Autochef. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Shopper 13. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through personal contact is illegal and is called a foul.

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). If a teammate of the shooter or dribbler goaltends, the basket is cancelled and the team loses possession. A Close Shave (1995, won BAFTA Best Animation, won Oscar Best Short Film, Animated). No player may interfere with the basket or ball on its downward flight to the basket, or while it is on the ring (or, in the NBA, while it is directly above the basket), a violation known as goaltending. If a defensive player goaltends, the attempted shot is considered to have been successful. The Wrong Trousers (1993, won BAFTA Best Animated Film, won Oscar Best Short Film, Animated). These rules are designed to reward good defense. A Grand Day Out (1989, won BAFTA Best Animated Film, nominated for Oscar Best Short Film, Animated). There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in international and NBA), before attempting a shot (24 seconds), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area (3 seconds).

pogrom). A violation of these rules results in loss of possession, or, if committed by the defense, a reset of the shot clock. Interestingly, Gromit happens to mean “destroy” (Russian: громить, cf. The ball may not be kicked nor struck with the fist. [2]. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of the court, may not return the ball to the backcourt. The other new prototype is named "K-9". A player's hand must remain on top of the ball while dribbling, failure to do so is known as carrying the ball.

NASA has now named one of its new prototype Mars explorer robots after Gromit. The ball-handler may not move both feet without dribbling, known as travelling, nor may he dribble with both hands or catch the ball in between dribbles, a violation called double-dribbling. Many critics believe that Gromit's silence makes him the perfect straight man with a pantomime expressiveness that drew favourable comparisons to Buster Keaton. The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. Sheep. The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). Electronics For Dogs. While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be the correct height; a rim that is off by but a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting.

Men are from Mars, Dogs are from Pluto (a pun on Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus);. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 m) above the court and 4 feet (1.2 m) inside the endline. Crime and Punishment, by Fido Dogstoevsky (a pun on Fyodor Dostoevsky);. A cast-iron basket with net and backboard hang over each end of the court. The Republic, by Pluto (a pun on Plato);. Most courts are made of wood. 92 by 49 ft) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m).

A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. The women's ball's circumference is about 29 inches (73 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 3 oz (540 g). The men's ball's circumference is about 30 inches (76 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 5 oz (600 g). Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, scoresheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems.

The only essential equipment in basketball is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each teams scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls, player substitutions, team possession arrow, and the shot clock. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee, one or two umpires and the table officials. They generally last no longer than one minute unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed.

A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. Often, team names and players' names and sometimes sponsors are printed on the uniforms, too. Players also wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. For both men's and women's teams, a standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a sleeveless tank top with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back.

Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team followers such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams can have up to seven substitutes. There are five players from each team on the court at any time.

Therefore, games generally take much longer (about two hours). The time allotted is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. Overtime periods are five minutes long.

Fifteen minutes are allotted for a half-time break, and two minutes are allowed at the other breaks. Games are played in four quarters of 10 (international) or 12 minutes (NBA). A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc which is 6.25 meters (20 ft 5 in) from the basket in international games and 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) in NBA games. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot.

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The team featured Nowitzki, Ginobili, Peja Stojakovic of Serbia and Montenegro, Yao Ming of China, and Pero Cameron of New Zealand; all except Cameron were or became NBA players. The all-tournament team at the most recent World Basketball Championships held in 2002 in Indianapolis demonstrates the globalization of the game equally dramatically.

The San Antonio Spurs feature a trio of stars from outside the United States in Tim Duncan of the Virgin Islands, Manu Ginobili of Argentina, and Tony Parker of France. Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki, is German. Steve Nash, who won the 2005 NBA MVP award as the Most Valuable Player in the NBA, is a South African-born Canadian player. Players from all over the globe can be found in NBA teams.

The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels, from five- and six-year-olds (called biddy-biddy), to high school, college, and the professional leagues. In the 2004 Olympics, the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to the Puerto Rican national basketball team and eventually came in third after Argentina and Italy. A team made entirely of NBA players finished sixth in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, behind Serbia and Montenegro, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand and Spain.

However, with developing programs elsewhere, other national teams have now caught up with the United States. The United States' dominance briefly resurfaced with the introduction of their Dream Team. FIBA dropped the distinction between amateur and professional players in 1989, and in 1992, professional players played for the first time in the Olympic Games. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, with teams such as Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads.

Three years later, the first World Championships for women were held in Chile. In 1950 the first World Championships for men were held in Argentina. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles, the first loss in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union. Basketball was first included in the Olympic Games in 1936, although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904.

Its acronym, in French, was thus FIBA; the "A" standing for amateur. At this time, the organisation only oversaw amateur players. The International Basketball Federation was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States have folded in part because of the success of the WNBA.

Though it had an insecure opening season, several marquee players (Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Sue Bird among others) have helped the league improve its popularity and level of competition, as in the NBA. The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association began play in 1997. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan, the first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics; Wilt Chamberlain (who originally played for the barnstorming "Harlem Globetrotters"); all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, playmaker John Stockton; and the three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the rival leagues merged in 1976.

In 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed, organizing the top professional teams and leading to greater popularity of the professional game. The states of Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these rural communities. In the 2003–04 season, 1,002,797 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition, and its popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation.

In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. high schools were far smaller than their present day counterparts and during the first decades of the 20th century basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. Before widespread school district consolidation, most U.S. Leagues came and went, and barnstorming squads such as the New York Rens and the Original Celtics played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours.

There was little organization to the professional game, as players jumped from team to team, and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. In the 1920s, there were hundreds of professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States. Today, the NCAA tournament is rivaled only by the baseball World Series and the Super Bowl of American football in the American sports psyche. Partially spurred by the association of the NIT with many of the cheaters, the NCAA national tournament surpassed the NIT in importance.

College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951, when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game fixing and point-shaving. College leagues date back to the 1920s, and the first national championship tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, followed in 1938. Naismith disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to the University of Chicago, while Adolph Rupp, a student of Naismith at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky. Naismith himself was instrumental in establishing the college game, coaching at University of Kansas for six years before handing the reins to renowned coach Phog Allen.

The first balls made specially for basketball were brown, and it was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball. In the years before World War I, the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association (forerunner of the NCAA) vied for control over the rules of the game. Other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled the void.

Interestingly, while the YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade, it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from the YMCA's primary mission. "Basket ball", the name suggested by one of his students, was popular from the beginning, and with its early adherents being dispatched to YMCAs throughout the United States, the game was soon played all over the country. At that time, it was played with nine players on a court just half the size of a present-day NBA court. The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892.

Legend has it that, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules, and nailed a peach basket onto the gym wall. James Naismith, a Canadian-born physician and minister on the faculty of a college for YMCA professionals (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, sought a vigorous indoor game to keep young men occupied during the long New England winters. In early December 1891, Dr. Basketball is unique in that it was invented by one person, rather than evolving from a different sport.

. Basketball is also a popular spectator sport. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, variations have developed for casual play. Through time, basketball has developed to involve common techniques of shooting, passing and dribbling, as well as players' positions (which are not legally required) and offensive and defensive structures.

Advantageous personal contact (fouls) is not permitted and there are restrictions on how the ball can be handled (violations). The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it (dribbling) or passing it between teammates. Points are scored for passing the ball through the basket from above (shooting); the team with more points at the end of the game wins. Basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played in a relatively small playing area (the court).

Even though it was originally a North American sport, it quickly spread internationally and outstanding players and teams are found today all over the world. Basketball eventually became a professional sport. It originated in the YMCA; early leagues were formed in colleges. Since its invention in 1891, it has developed to become a truly international sport.

Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players each try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop (the basket) under organized rules. URL accessed on January 11, 2006.. HowStuffWorks. How Basketball Works: Who's Who.

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Official Basketball Rules.. International Basketball Federation (June 2004). URL accessed on July 16, 2004.. Official Rules of the National Basketball Association.

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