Andrew Pace
Volleyball and basketball, two of the world's most popular sports, have a lot more in common than one might think. Basketball, which was invented in December 1891, predates volleyball, which was invented in 1895. Interestingly, volleyball was created as an alternative for those who found basketball too strenuous. William G. Morgan, the inventor of volleyball, borrowed elements from basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball to create a new sport that was fit for indoor and outdoor play. The ball came from basketball, the net from tennis, and the use of hands from handball. This new sport, originally called mintonette, soon spread across the world, with the YMCA playing a pivotal role in its global popularity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Invention of Basketball | 1891 |
| Year of Invention of Volleyball | 1895 |
| Inventor of Basketball | James Naismith |
| Inventor of Volleyball | William G. Morgan |
| Reason for Volleyball's Invention | To provide an alternative physical activity for people who found basketball too strenuous |
| Original Name of Volleyball | Mintonette |
| Year Volleyball Became an Olympic Sport | 1964 |
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What You'll Learn
Volleyball was invented in 1895
The game blended elements from various sports, including basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. The ball came from basketball, the net from tennis, and the use of hands from handball. Competitive elements were introduced through the concept of innings (later called "sets"), borrowed from baseball.
The original rules of volleyball were written by Morgan and published in the first edition of the "Official Handbook of the Athletic League of the Young Men's Christian Associations of North America" in 1897. The game was played on a 25'x50' court with a 6'6" high net. Each game consisted of nine innings, with three outs or "serves" per inning. The ball used was a basketball, which was later replaced by a specially designed ball in 1900.
Volleyball quickly gained popularity and spread through the YMCA's network across the United States. It reached Japan and Asia by 1896 and became part of the YMCA's physical education curriculum. The sport continued to evolve, with rules being established and modified over time. By the 1920s, national volleyball associations were formed in Japan, Russia, and the United States, further contributing to the sport's global reach and influence.
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Basketball was invented earlier, in 1891
Volleyball, on the other hand, was invented as a less strenuous alternative to basketball. Morgan, who worked at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, created the game for his classes of businessmen who found basketball too physically demanding. The game blended elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. It was initially called mintonette and was played with a basketball, which was later replaced by a smaller, lighter ball.
The development of volleyball rules and gameplay structure was a gradual process. The game initially lacked fixed rules and a standardised format. However, by 1897, Morgan had written down the official rules, which were printed in the first edition of the "Official Handbook of the Athletic League of the Young Men's Christian Associations of North America". The rules continued to evolve, with the YMCA and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) jointly issuing new guidelines in 1916.
The popularity of volleyball grew, and it spread across the world, aided by the YMCA's extensive network. In 1947, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) was established as the sport's governing body, further boosting its global appeal. Volleyball made its Olympic debut in 1964, becoming an official Olympic sport and cementing its popularity and status as a major competitive sport.
While basketball was invented earlier, both sports have gone on to achieve widespread global popularity and have evolved over time with the introduction of new rules and variations, such as beach volleyball, which was introduced competitively in California in 1947.
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Volleyball was designed as an alternative to basketball
Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, who was the physical director at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Morgan created volleyball, originally called mintonette, for his clients at the YMCA, most of whom were middle-aged businessmen who found basketball too physically demanding.
Morgan created volleyball by blending elements of other sports, including basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. The ball came from basketball, the net from tennis, and the use of hands from handball. The game was also influenced by baseball, with the introduction of innings, later called sets. Morgan introduced mintonette at the YMCA Physical Director's Conference in 1896 at Springfield College, Massachusetts.
The game was designed to be played on a court with a net in the middle, with any number of players on each team. The original rules, written by Morgan, specified a net 6 feet 6 inches high and a court size of 25 feet by 50 feet. The game was played by hitting a ball back and forth over the net, with each team allowed to hit the ball up to three times before returning it to the other side.
Volleyball quickly gained popularity due to its simplicity and promotion by the YMCA and YWCA. The first country outside the United States to adopt the sport was Canada in 1900. During and after World War I, the presence of YMCA instructors in American forces helped spread volleyball in Europe and other parts of the world. In 1947, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) was founded, and the sport became a part of the Olympic Games in 1964.
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Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan
Volleyball, originally called Mintonette, was invented by William George Morgan in 1895. Morgan was born in Lockport, New York, and was the physical director at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He studied at Springfield College in 1892, where he met James Naismith, the inventor of basketball.
Inspired by Naismith, Morgan created Mintonette as a less physically demanding alternative to basketball for older members of the YMCA. The game blended elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball. It was played on a smaller 25'x50' court, with an unlimited number of players hitting the ball back and forth over a 6'6" high net.
Morgan initially struggled to find the right ball for the game, as a basketball was too heavy, and a basketball bladder was too light. He eventually contacted A.G. Spalding & Bros., who designed the first prototype volleyball, which was covered in leather and had a circumference of 25-27 inches.
In December 1895, Morgan introduced Mintonette at the YMCA Physical Director's Conference at Springfield College, Massachusetts. One of the conference delegates, Professor Alfred T. Halsted, suggested changing the name to "Volleyball" to reflect the nature of the game. Morgan continued to tweak the rules of the game, and by July 1896, it was added to the first official handbook of the North American YMCA Athletic League.
Volleyball has since become one of the most popular sports in the world, with an estimated 800 million players globally. It was introduced as an Olympic sport in 1964.
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Basketball was invented by James Naismith
Volleyball was invented in 1895, four years after basketball. The game was invented by William G. Morgan, who served as the physical director at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He created volleyball, then called mintonette, so that people who found basketball too strenuous could have an alternative physical activity.
Naismith wrote and developed the game's original 13 rules, and through the YMCA network, quickly spread the news throughout the country. As basketball's popularity grew, he neither sought publicity nor engaged in self-promotion. He was, above all, an educator, holding posts at the International YMCA Training School and the University of Kansas, where he founded the basketball program in 1898.
Naismith lived to see basketball become an Olympic demonstration sport in 1904 and an official event at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He tossed the ball for the tip-off at the first Olympic basketball game and presented the medals to the players. In 1937, he played a role in the formation of the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball, which later became the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
In recognition of his invention of basketball, Naismith received several honours during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1935, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (founded by his pupil Phog Allen) collected money so Naismith could witness basketball's inclusion in the 1936 Olympics. During the Games, he was named the honorary president of the International Basketball Federation. In 1991, postage stamps commemorating the centennial of basketball's invention were issued by Canada Post and the US Postal Service. Naismith was also inducted into Toronto's Walk of Fame in 2019 and was honoured with a Google Doodle on January 15, 2021.
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Frequently asked questions
Basketball was invented in the late 1800s by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher.
Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Basketball was invented first, with volleyball following a few years later in 1895.
Volleyball was created as an alternative for people who found the physicality of basketball too strenuous. The ball used in volleyball was also inspired by the basketball ball.
