Sports

The 19th century was a time when the games people played became organized, had their rules codified, and in some cases became big business. Baseball caught on about the time of the Civil War, and the rules of football became standardized in both the European and American variety. And an entirely new sport, basketball, arrived on the scene.

Dr. James Naismith, Inventor of Basketball
A concise biography of the inventor of basketball, featuring his 13 original rules for the game.

Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the Modern Olympics
The founder of the modern Olympics was an unlikely sports hero, Pierre de Coubertin, a French aristocrat.

Baseball's 19th Century Famous Firsts
The Baseball Almanac presents a timeline of "firsts" showing the development of the game throughout the 19th century.

19th Century Baseball
A comprehensive collection of material about baseball in the 19th century, including features on rules, fields, uniforms, and equipment.

19th Century Baseball Field
Baseball of the 19th century, still being played every summer at the Genesee Country Village in New York.

Invention of Basketball
Feature about Dr. James Naismith and the invention of basketball from the NBA's "Hoopedia" reference site.

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