Why Was The Backboard Invented In Basketball?

The game of basketball is played much differently today than when it was first developed. Many aspects of the game have changed. The first basketball goals didn't have backboards. Although backboards are useful for lining up a shot and rebounding the ball, that is not the reason they were added to the basket.

Basketball Beginnings

James Naismith developed the game of basketball in 1891. He was an instructor at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. The students were all aspiring gym teachers and the long, cold winter prevented any outside activities. The director instructed Naismith to create an indoor game the students could play. Two teams of nine people played the first basketball game using a soccer ball and two peach baskets nailed to a balcony.

Basket Changes

Basketball caught on quickly. The first competitive game occurred just two months later between two YMCAs. The games began to draw crowds. According to the website Sports Know How, by 1894, a game at Smith College drew a crowd of more than 1,000. In 1896, wooden backboards were added to the baskets so fans sitting in the balcony wouldn't interfere with the ball.

Modern Backboards

Modern backboards are either fan or rectangular. Fan-shaped backboards are found on some playgrounds and portable hoops. The rules and regulations set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations, the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Basketball Association allow only rectangular backboards for high school, college and professional games. Modern backboards are made of transparent plexiglass so fans can see through them, but they won't break.

Other Basketball Milestones

During the peach-basket days, the players used a ladder to retrieve the ball after each basket. Although iron hoops were introduced in 1893, it wasn't until 1906 that open nets became standard, eliminating the need to retrieve the ball manually.
Naismith created just 13 rules for the game of basketball, none of which regulated the number of players, which resulted in some havoc on the court when 50 participants all played at once. By 1897, only five players per team were allowed on the court at one time.