Historical Dictionary of Basketball

John Grasso

• Publisher: Scarecrow Press
• Year: 2010
• eBook ISBN:
  9780810875067
• Edition: 1

In less than 120 years an activity invented by one man to alleviate winter boredom for a college gym class has evolved into a worldwide multi-billion dollar enterprise. It is impossible for Dr. James Naismith, basketball's inventor, to have envisioned the extent to which his simple game would reach. Without major changes to his original 13 rules, basketball is now played in more than 200 countries by people of all ages. Thanks to basketball, players like Michael Jordan, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal have become some of the most famous people in the world.

The Historical Dictionary of Basketball is a comprehensive account of all forms of basketball-amateur, professional, men's, women's, Olympic, domestic, and international-from its invention in 1891 through the present day. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 600 cross-referenced dictionary entries on the people, places, teams, and terminology of the game.

Table of contents

• Editor’s Foreword
• Preface
• Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Chronology
• Introduction
• The Dictionary
• Appendix A: Dr. James Naismith’s Original Thirteen Rules of Basketball
• Appendix B: Major Professional Basketball League Champions
• Appendix C: National Collegiate Athletic Association Champions: Men
• Appendix D: National Collegiate Athletic Association Champions: Women
• Appendix E: National Invitation Tournament Champions
• Appendix F: Olympic Games Basketball: Men
• Appendix G: Olympic Games Basketball: Women
• Appendix H: FIBA World Championships: Men
• Appendix I: FIBA World Championships: Women
• Appendix J: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees
• Appendix K: FIBA Hall of Fame Inductees
• Appendix L: Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees
• Bibliography
• About the Author