the game of basketball as we know it today was created by Dr.james Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield,Massachusetts to condition young athletes during cold months.It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball.The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony.Everytime a point was scored,the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball.After a while,the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.The first public basketball game was played in Springfield,Massachusetts,on March 11,1892.It has now grown into one of the most popular sports in the us