History

Basketball Chronology

1891

Canadian born Dr. James Naismith invents the game of basketball to meet the needs of the Young Men's Christian Association International Training School at Springfield, Massachusetts (USA). 

1892

The first official game is played on 11 March 1892. With a crowd of 200 people, the game was played between teachers and students of the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. The students won 5-1 and Amos Alonzo was the only scorer of the teachers' team.

1893

On 22 March 1893 Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, hosted the first women's basketball game. No men were allowed to watch the game.

1898

Although basketball had already started to be played around the world, it experienced phenomenal success in the USA. In 1898 the first professional league was created in the USA, gathering six teams in a competition which was to last six years.

1904

For the first time basketball is played at the Olympics in Los Angeles as an exhibition sport.

1905

The first recorded game of basketball in Australia is played at the YMCA in Melbourne.

1919

The first international game was played at the Inter-Allied Games in Paris. The competition was won by the USA, who defeated France and Italy.

1930

Basketball is officially recognised as an Olympic sport.

1931

The Victorian Basketball Association (VBA) was established with Ivor Burge largely responsible having got together the YMCA and church groups.

1932

Initially created under the name of International Basketball Federation (FIBB), FIBA was born on 18 June 1932.  Eight countries were the founding members: Argentina, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia.

1936

Basketball makes its first appearance on the programme at the Olympic Games in Berlin. Twenty-one countries take part. The games are played in the open on the Reichssportfeld tennis courts. The jump ball at the beginning of the first game between France and Estonia is administered by Dr James Naismith. The United States takes gold but dominates the scores only narrowly: 19-8 against Canada and 25-10 against Mexico, the two other medallists in this first Olympic tournament.

In the same year, the South Australian Metropolitan Basketball Association is founded.

1938

The NSW Basketball Association is formed behind the efforts of Jack Small and Eric Callaway. 

1939

The forerunner to the Australian Basketball Federation, the Amateur Basketball Union of Australia was formed. Originally, the ABU was an association between the NSW and Victorian Basketball Associations.

1950

The first FIBA World Championships for Men were held in Argentina from 22nd October to 3rd November 1950.  Argentina took out gold, the USA silver and Chile bronze.  FIBA limited the number of participating teams to ten, the three best teams at the preceding Olympic Games, the two best teams from Asia, Europe and South-America, plus the organising country which was automatically qualified.

1946

The first Australian National Men's Championships were played in Sydney where

NSW defeated Victoria 50-44.

In the same year, the forerunner of the NBA (the Basketball Association of America), was founded on 6 June 1946 in New York.

Basketball Queensland was also established in 1946.

1948

Australia becomes the fifty-second affiliated member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). 

1953

The first FIBA World Championships for Women was held in Chile in 1953, with the USA winning gold, Chile silver and France bronze.  Ten teams took part, with eight representatives from the Americas and two from Europe. Games were played on a specially built wooden platform constructed in the middle of the national stadium, which held 35,000 spectators and was so full during the tournament that Chile's President had trouble reaching his reserved seat.

1955

The first Australian Women's National Championships were played with South Australia defeating NSW 50-34 in the final.

1956

Australia, as the host nation, participates in its first Olympic Games in Melbourne when the Boomers finish 12th. 

1957

The Australian women's team competed in their first ever World Championships in Brazil.

1970

The Australian men's national team participate in their first-ever FIBA World Championship in Yugoslavia.  The Boomers finished 12th in their debut at the world titles.

1979

The National Basketball League (NBL) started play as the first national professional competition in Australia.

In the same year, the NBA introduces the three-point shot, which is later adopted across the world by FIBA in 1984.

1981

The Women's Interstate Basketball Conference competition, predecessor of the WNBL, commences on June 19 with the first game in Adelaide between the AIS and West Adelaide.

1984

Australia's women's national team participate in the Olympics for the first time in Los Angeles, finishing fifth.

1993

The Australian Women's Youth Team wins a gold medal at the World Championship in Korea, defeating Russia and making history by being the first Australian team to win a World Championship.

1994

The 12th Women's World Championships are held from 2 -12 June in Australia for the first time.

1995

The Australian Men's Youth team finished second behind Greece at the FIBA World Championships, achieving the highest placing and medal of any Australian men's team to date.

1996

The Opals win our first-ever Olympic medal, finishing third at the Barcelona Games to win bronze.

1997

The Australian 22 & Under Men's team win gold as host nation of the 2nd World Championship for Young Men in Melbourne in August.

The Gems Australian Junior Women's team loses to the USA in overtime to win silver at the World Championship in Brazil.

2000

The Opals finish second at the Sydney Olympic Games to win silver, our best result to date.

2004

The Opals equal Australia's best-ever result by finishing second at the Athens Olympic Games to win silver.

2006

The defencejobs Opals win the FIBA World Championship for Women in Brazil.

The defencejobs Opals and Australia Post Boomers both win gold medals in the 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne.

 
2008

Australia's men's wheelchair basketball team, the Rollers, win a Gold Medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing; Australia's senior women's basketball team, the Opals, win a Silver Medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing; Australia's women's wheelchair basketball team, the Gliders, win a Bronze Medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.