Ever wonder how it all got started, this basketball thing?

Today, Google celebrates the birthday of the man responsible for bringing us the joys of basketball — James Naismith. Back in December of 1891, Naismith was a physical education teacher at the International YMCA Training School in Massachusetts when he invented this new ball game. As the story goes, Naismith was given 14 days to create an indoor game that would provide an “athletic distraction” that wouldn’t take up too much room, help the track athletes to keep in shape, and make it fair for all players and not too rough. Naismith used the popular games of that time (rugby, lacrosse, soccer, football, hockey and baseball) in deciding what ball would be safest. He limited a lot of the physical contact by using only passing and reduced body contact by making the goal high above the player’s heads. Players scored goals by throwing shots into peach baskets, and the new game of “basket ball” was born. This new game gained traction and became popular after an article about it was published in the college newspaper on January 15, 1892.

And there you have it.