455:. Great Britain was successfully represented in this Tournament by a team from the London Central YMCA who won all their games. The London Central YMCA (also written about as CentYMCA Harriers in the Dutch press) were reigning National YMCA Champions this championship having been established in 1922. One of the players from the victorious YMCA team introduced the game to the Netherlands, i.e. A.M.V.J. Amsterdam in 1929. In his honour there still is to this day a tournament called after him, the Lew Lake tournament organized by the first Dutch basketball club,
343:; like these sports, it has a significant and dedicated following, a professional league, but attracts little coverage from the major British media outlets and suffers from lack of "crossover" appeal. While England is the birthplace of the four main sports, and England teams are relatively major powers in each of them, Basketball, like ice hockey, is essentially an "import" from North America, and English and British teams have not generally been successful in them internationally, which also affects their profile.
448:
and the game became more like the
American game. The game was influenced greatly by American forces in Europe during and after World War I and many European Countries as a result began to play Basketball. Britain continued to be influenced during this period, and YMCA clubs developed the game with added flavour. Rules, however, continued to vary according to the country in which the game was played and this state was to continue for a great number of years.
165:
557:
F. Gibson. R. Bradley, A. Hants, M. Ashton. and also F. Allen (Rochdale) and G. McMinn (Manchester). This was the first time a composite
International Team had travelled abroad and this in itself showed the development of English Basketball. Birmingham and London Area supplied the majority of those International players in keeping with the level of the development of Basketball in England.
459:, founded in January 1930. Still today Lew Lake is honoured in the Dutch basketball world as the first one to give basketball demonstrations and teach the game in Holland. AMVJ organized an international basketball tournament in March 1932, the first international games in the Netherlands. Teams from Belgium, Lille, Holland and CentYMCA took part. Centymca ended second after Olympique Lille.
63:
22:
556:
On 22/23 October 1938 a composite
England International Team competed in the International Basketball Tournament at the Sports Palace in Berlin. The team with Mr. W. Browning as Coach and Mr. J. Clay as Manager included three Birmingham players - F. Cole, C. Hunt and A. J. Lee, four London players -
552:
Championships the Semi Finals and Finals of the
Basketball Championship of England and Wales. In the Final, the Catford Saints beat Rochdale Greys 61 points to 47 points. The standard of play in this Championship showed considerable improvement. On the day following the Championship Finals Catford
447:
With the arrival of the
Americans into the War in 1917, many keen British basketball players, found out more about the game and in 1918 an American YMCA Physical Director brought some influence to bear on the District Associations in England, with the result that the local rules were altered slightly
419:
Birkenhead initiative remained a local development until 1911 when a YMCA instructor brought basketball to
Birmingham YMCA, and a team was produced. Within a few months teams had sprung up in the district playing one another in friendly matches. The American Rules had been introduced, but the teams
506:
Many new faces appeared in
Basketball in England. Mr. George Williams of London presented a cup to the ABBA, as Senior Championship Cup and the first tournament for the cup was staged in Birmingham on 6 June 1936. The finalists in this Knockout Championship Tournament were Hoylake YMCA and London
462:
The game continued to develop in
England and in 1936 a meeting was called at the London Central YMCA to form a Governing Body for the sport. The new Association, the Amateur Basket Ball Association of England and Wales (ABBA.) was established with Mr. Herbert Naylor, the National Physical Director
593:
Many novices at basketball were introduced to a better class of play and coaching in the services. With the fall of the
European Countries, many service personnel from these countries came to Britain, included in the Polish and French services contained some very keen basketball players, these
536:
During 1937, Basketball had increased in popularity, not only with senior players, but also with the younger members. Junior games were played extensively and in 1938 ABBA organised on similar lines to the Senior
Championships a National Junior Championship of England and Wales. Plaistow YMCA
560:
ABBA of England and Wales, had, gone all out to attract the public, with success. Basketball was now being played extensively in most areas of England and Wales and the public seemed to be interested. In February 1939 a London National League was started involving 6 teams playing in a League
427:
The use of YMCA instructors from Springfield College gave a direct link to the origins of the game. Within a short time after the Birmingham Development many YMCA clubs in England had adopted the game and had formed District Associations similar to the Association in Birmingham. Most of these
428:
Associations found the same difficulty of complication in the American Rules and in 1912 the Birmingham Association Rules of Basketball were accepted throughout most of England with some slight differences in rules according to particular conditions.
401:. This introduction of the game led to a growth in participation in the new game of basketball initially as an internal league played at Birkenhead YMCA members (England's first Central Venue League), and later to other YMCA clubs in the
510:
Greater interest was taken in Basketball because of the incentive of the Championships and many more teams affiliated to ABBA the following year. The standard of play also improved and on 19 March 1938,
576:
Festival that year, the ABBA once more made England's position in European Basketball felt. It is unfortunate for the progress of Basketball that World War II started in the latter part of 1939.
921:
597:
In 1942/43, with the arrival of American forces, a further impetus to the growth of the game was given and their influence on the game in Britain continued for many years after the War.
700:
743:
583:(BAI) beating London Central YMCA in this final. Due to the war there was no Championship for the next six years and thus Birmingham retained the Trophy for that period.
499:
A Divisional Secretary was appointed in each area. The game continued to spread in England as it was doing worldwide. Prior to 1936 basketball had been included in the
757:
265:
914:
675:
253:
553:
Saints represented England in the first International match ever held in Britain. The game against Germany was won by England by 40 points to 35 points.
444:. Basketball naturally lost a great deal of its initial impetus and although many games were played during the War years the development was limited.
248:
907:
424:
found them to be too complicated, and when forming a Local Basketball Association, they compiled a more practical set of rules for their own use.
80:
35:
590:
adopted the game and a number of Army teams were started. The Army influenced the other services and Inter-Service Tournaments were started.
533:
Hoylake YMCA in October 1937 represented England in the Tournament at a Paris Competition - the first International team to play for England.
715:
614:
359:
284:
799:
839:
200:
146:
127:
49:
635:
99:
994:
463:
of YMCA in England as chairman, Mr. J. A. Clay of Birmingham as Honorary Secretary and Mr. W. Browning as London Area Secretary.
586:
The War, although stemming the development of the actual number of clubs in Britain, did have a good effect upon the game. The
661:
1222:
645:
537:
presented the ABBA with a Challenge Cup. On 9 April 1938 the first Junior Championship Final was held in Birmingham between
106:
84:
1126:
974:
572:
was progressing very well indeed and by including "Catford Saints" as the English team (1939 Championship Winners) in the
113:
1034:
679:
1131:
580:
41:
95:
73:
1191:
894:
610:
569:
813:
363:
1161:
1121:
1101:
959:
416:, introduced the game at a YMCA Convention held in England. This did not lead to a wider take up of the game.
1029:
617:
includes four senior men's divisions as of 2024. There are also several amateur local leagues across the UK.
1096:
1044:
979:
606:
527:
347:
280:
1111:
1066:
1061:
1019:
964:
530:
played for by the teams in this competition is still used today for EB's premier Championship Competition.
1176:
1171:
1146:
1136:
1116:
989:
500:
1106:
771:
1201:
1151:
1071:
1024:
1009:
1004:
999:
984:
969:
954:
949:
944:
939:
729:
507:
Polytechnic. The former winning the 1st Championships of England and Wales by 32 points to 21 points.
1196:
1186:
1166:
1156:
1141:
1091:
1086:
1076:
1056:
1014:
452:
456:
1181:
1081:
1049:
413:
120:
236:
641:
516:
320:
744:"Basketball England and British Basketball League meet to discuss future of sport after row"
548:
On the 18th, 19th, and 20 April 1938 basketball was included along with the European Roller
402:
367:
605:
Basketball struggles to get funding, but there are still two leagues. The highest level is
178:
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.
800:"NBA AND BASKETBALL ENGLAND ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR JR. NBA BASKETBALL ENGLAND LEAGUE"
305:
545:) Boys' Club and London Polytechnic with the Welsh Club winning the first tournament.
1216:
549:
587:
436:
Many Inter-Clubs and Inter-YMCA. games were played until in 1914 with the start of
332:
313:
785:
304:
almost immediately after it was invented (having been created by the Canadian Dr.
486:
437:
328:
309:
62:
716:"Future of British Basketball League in doubt as infighting plumbs new depths"
538:
476:
470:
421:
406:
391:
383:
336:
293:
758:"Further swimming decline dominates latest sports figures - Sport England"
573:
355:
899:
542:
519:. This game won by Hoylake YMCA was the first game to be broadcast on
512:
492:
387:
351:
340:
324:
297:
482:
441:
398:
397:, C.J. Proctor, who had observed the game during a business trip to
662:"Basketball's street cred fuels its fight to become UK's No2 sport"
520:
394:
301:
903:
451:
In 1924 basketball was included as a demonstration game at the
319:
The four highest profile team sports in the United Kingdom are
158:
56:
15:
676:"The curious case of basketball in the UK - GlobalSportsJobs"
412:
In June 1894 Mel Rideout, a participant in the first game at
594:
people helped in the development of the game in the Forces.
466:
To run the Association England was divided into four areas:
366:
between the two leagues because the Super League operates a
362:
Division 1 effectively forms the second-tier. There is no
786:"John Amaechi: British basketball governance must change"
523:
with a running commentary being given during the final.
390:
between March 1892 and January 1893 by the president of
865:
440:
a large number of young men left their home towns for
840:"NBL 2024-25 Fixtures Announced Structures Confirmed"
701:"Team GB funding cuts are killing British basketball"
579:
A Championship Final was held in April 1940 with the
370:
system whereby teams have to "buy into" the league.
814:"Super League Basketball Launched In Great Britain"
271:
259:
242:
230:
222:
217:
87:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
866:"West of England Basketball Association homepage"
335:. Basketball belongs to the next tier alongside
915:
8:
266:Great Britain men's national basketball team
788:. 22 August 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
664:. 18 January 2015 – via The Guardian.
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
922:
908:
900:
346:The elite tier is the fully professional
201:Learn how and when to remove this message
147:Learn how and when to remove this message
772:"Will basketball be a winner in the UK?"
515:YMCA (the 1937 winners) were opposed by
626:
870:West of England Basketball Association
637:Basketball: Its Origin and Development
214:
7:
730:"NBA and Basketball England team up"
615:National Basketball League (England)
85:adding citations to reliable sources
432:World War I and the inter-war years
634:Naismith, James (1 January 1941).
14:
489:) and a radius of up to 100 miles
31:This article has multiple issues.
316:further spurred its popularity.
163:
61:
20:
714:Brown, Paul (28 January 2015).
561:Competition at Haringey Arena.
495:and a radius of up to 100 miles
479:and a radius of up to 100 miles
473:and a radius of up to 100 miles
72:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
358:, while the semi-professional
1:
581:Birmingham Athletic Institute
300:, being introduced there by
308:in 1891 in Massachusetts).
296:has a very long history in
1239:
360:National Basketball League
285:National Basketball League
935:
650:– via Google Books.
611:British Basketball League
503:held in Japan each year.
278:
172:This article needs to be
386:was first introduced in
364:promotion and relegation
640:. U of Nebraska Press.
607:Super League Basketball
350:, featuring teams from
348:Super League Basketball
281:Super League Basketball
96:"Basketball in England"
975:Bosnia and Herzegovina
528:George Williams Trophy
1223:Basketball in England
609:, which replaced the
273:National competitions
254:Women's national team
218:Basketball in England
930:Basketball in Europe
501:Far Eastern Olympics
81:improve this article
703:. 20 February 2016.
453:Paris Olympic Games
414:Springfield College
261:Representative team
249:Men's national team
844:Basketball England
570:English Basketball
379:Introduced by YMCA
237:Basketball England
1210:
1209:
818:riders.basketball
517:Latter Day Saints
291:
290:
211:
210:
203:
193:
192:
157:
156:
149:
131:
54:
1230:
924:
917:
910:
901:
882:
881:
879:
877:
862:
856:
855:
853:
851:
836:
830:
829:
827:
825:
810:
804:
803:
796:
790:
789:
782:
776:
775:
768:
762:
761:
754:
748:
747:
740:
734:
733:
726:
720:
719:
711:
705:
704:
697:
691:
690:
688:
687:
678:. Archived from
672:
666:
665:
658:
652:
651:
631:
262:
245:
244:National team(s)
233:
215:
206:
199:
188:
185:
179:
167:
166:
159:
152:
145:
141:
138:
132:
130:
89:
65:
57:
46:
24:
23:
16:
1238:
1237:
1233:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1228:
1227:
1213:
1212:
1211:
1206:
1132:North Macedonia
931:
928:
891:
886:
885:
875:
873:
872:. 1 August 2024
864:
863:
859:
849:
847:
846:. 9 August 2024
838:
837:
833:
823:
821:
820:. 2 August 2024
812:
811:
807:
798:
797:
793:
784:
783:
779:
770:
769:
765:
756:
755:
751:
742:
741:
737:
728:
727:
723:
713:
712:
708:
699:
698:
694:
685:
683:
674:
673:
669:
660:
659:
655:
648:
633:
632:
628:
623:
603:
567:
434:
381:
376:
287:
283:
274:
260:
252:
243:
231:
207:
196:
195:
194:
189:
183:
180:
177:
168:
164:
153:
142:
136:
133:
90:
88:
78:
66:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1236:
1234:
1226:
1225:
1215:
1214:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1053:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
995:Czech Republic
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
936:
933:
932:
929:
927:
926:
919:
912:
904:
898:
897:
895:League website
890:
889:External links
887:
884:
883:
857:
831:
805:
791:
777:
763:
749:
735:
721:
706:
692:
667:
653:
646:
625:
624:
622:
619:
602:
599:
566:
563:
543:Rhondda Valley
497:
496:
490:
480:
474:
457:AMVJ Amsterdam
433:
430:
380:
377:
375:
372:
306:James Naismith
289:
288:
279:
276:
275:
272:
269:
268:
263:
257:
256:
246:
240:
239:
234:
232:Governing body
228:
227:
224:
220:
219:
209:
208:
191:
190:
171:
169:
162:
155:
154:
69:
67:
60:
55:
29:
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1235:
1224:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1037:
1036:
1035:Great Britain
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
937:
934:
925:
920:
918:
913:
911:
906:
905:
902:
896:
893:
892:
888:
871:
867:
861:
858:
845:
841:
835:
832:
819:
815:
809:
806:
801:
795:
792:
787:
781:
778:
773:
767:
764:
759:
753:
750:
745:
739:
736:
731:
725:
722:
717:
710:
707:
702:
696:
693:
682:on 2016-09-23
681:
677:
671:
668:
663:
657:
654:
649:
643:
639:
638:
630:
627:
620:
618:
616:
613:in 2024. The
612:
608:
600:
598:
595:
591:
589:
584:
582:
577:
575:
571:
564:
562:
558:
554:
551:
550:Speed Skating
546:
544:
540:
534:
531:
529:
524:
522:
518:
514:
508:
504:
502:
494:
491:
488:
484:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
468:
467:
464:
460:
458:
454:
449:
445:
443:
439:
431:
429:
425:
423:
417:
415:
410:
408:
404:
400:
396:
393:
389:
385:
378:
373:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
344:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
317:
315:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
286:
282:
277:
270:
267:
264:
258:
255:
250:
247:
241:
238:
235:
229:
225:
221:
216:
213:
205:
202:
187:
175:
170:
161:
160:
151:
148:
140:
129:
126:
122:
119:
115:
112:
108:
105:
101:
98: –
97:
93:
92:Find sources:
86:
82:
76:
75:
70:This article
68:
64:
59:
58:
53:
51:
44:
43:
38:
37:
32:
27:
18:
17:
1039:
874:. Retrieved
869:
860:
848:. Retrieved
843:
834:
822:. Retrieved
817:
808:
794:
780:
766:
752:
738:
724:
709:
695:
684:. Retrieved
680:the original
670:
656:
636:
629:
604:
596:
592:
585:
578:
568:
565:World War II
559:
555:
547:
535:
532:
525:
509:
505:
498:
465:
461:
450:
446:
435:
426:
418:
411:
382:
345:
333:rugby league
318:
310:World Wars I
292:
212:
197:
181:
173:
143:
137:January 2017
134:
124:
117:
110:
103:
91:
79:Please help
74:verification
71:
47:
40:
34:
33:Please help
30:
1192:Switzerland
1127:Netherlands
487:Bournemouth
485:(including
438:World War I
329:rugby union
184:August 2022
1162:San Marino
1122:Montenegro
1102:Luxembourg
960:Azerbaijan
686:2016-09-21
647:0803283709
621:References
539:Ton Pentre
477:Birmingham
471:Manchester
422:Birmingham
407:Merseyside
392:Birkenhead
384:Basketball
337:ice hockey
294:Basketball
107:newspapers
36:improve it
1097:Lithuania
1030:Gibraltar
876:13 August
850:13 August
409:regions.
368:franchise
42:talk page
1217:Category
1177:Slovenia
1172:Slovakia
1147:Portugal
1045:Scotland
980:Bulgaria
824:2 August
356:Scotland
321:football
1202:Ukraine
1152:Romania
1112:Moldova
1072:Ireland
1067:Iceland
1062:Hungary
1040:England
1025:Germany
1020:Georgia
1010:Finland
1005:Estonia
1000:Denmark
985:Croatia
970:Belgium
965:Belarus
955:Austria
950:Armenia
945:Andorra
940:Albania
601:Present
513:Hoylake
493:Cardiff
388:England
374:History
352:England
341:netball
325:cricket
298:England
226:England
223:Country
174:updated
121:scholar
1197:Turkey
1187:Sweden
1167:Serbia
1157:Russia
1142:Poland
1137:Norway
1117:Monaco
1092:Latvia
1087:Kosovo
1077:Israel
1057:Greece
1015:France
990:Cyprus
644:
483:London
442:France
403:Wirral
399:Canada
123:
116:
109:
102:
94:
1182:Spain
1107:Malta
1082:Italy
1050:Wales
574:Liège
521:radio
128:JSTOR
114:books
878:2024
852:2024
826:2024
642:ISBN
588:Army
526:The
405:and
395:YMCA
354:and
339:and
331:and
312:and
302:YMCA
100:news
420:in
83:by
1219::
868:.
842:.
816:.
327:,
323:,
314:II
251:;
45:.
923:e
916:t
909:v
880:.
854:.
828:.
802:.
774:.
760:.
746:.
732:.
718:.
689:.
541:(
204:)
198:(
186:)
182:(
176:.
150:)
144:(
139:)
135:(
125:·
118:·
111:·
104:·
77:.
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
