By Travis Hatfield and Matthew Martin
Caswell, Grades 7 and 6
Basketball was first invented by James Nasmith in the 1800’s. When the game first started a fruit basket was hung off a railing and people threw a soccer ball into it. Each team had nine players — three point guards, three centers and three forwards.
At first there was only 13 rules in basketball. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or two hands. The ball may be batted in any direction with the hand, never the fist. The player cannot run with the ball, but may bounce the ball while running. No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping in any way or an opponent. Striking the ball with a fist is a foul. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal.
The umpire shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the goals, with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee. There will be two 15-minute halves. The side that makes the most goals shall be the winner.
Travis Hatfield and Matthew Martin are two of many central Aroostook youths who wrote stories this year for Newspapers In Education. To read more articles by student authors, please turn to page 1B.
