9781422274767

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CHAPTER

THROWING FORCES THAT ACT ON A BASKETBALL Introduction

Archaeologists think that the early Olmec people of ancient Mexico played the first games similar to modern basketball 500 years ago. The Aztecs and the Mayans also had a similar game, except they used human skulls instead of rubber balls. Yikes! The first game of basketball as we know it today was played in 1892 in Massachusetts. The game was invented to have a fun sport to do indoors during the long winter months. The rules were simple, and the baskets were actually peach baskets nailed to the wall. Amazingly, more than 100 years later, many of the same rules are still in place. Today, basketball is played worldwide, and we know the professional sport to be a game of lightning-fast speed and agility. However, you don’t have to be a pro to enjoy the sport. Basketball can be played anywhere there is ball and a mounted circular object that can act as a hoop. Think about how many millions of people across the globe play this sport. Do you think they all realize that gravity is the fundamental force in the game of basketball? Shooting,

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