Basket Ball
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Basket Ball. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
an American outdoor or gymnasium game. It was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a member of the Springfield, Massachusetts, Young Men's Christian Association . It is played with a spherical, inflated ball, about ten inches in diameter. At either end of the hall or plot of ground, a hammock net is suspended from a ring about eighteen inches in diameter at a height of ten feet from the ground. The players, who may be of either sex, are divided into two parties or teams. A regular team should consist of at least five members,--a center, two forwards, and two guards. It is considered desirable that each team should wear a color by which its members can be distinguished readily. The game consists in throwing the ball into these nets or goals. Each party has its goal into which its members try to throw the ball. The game is started by an umpire, who throws the ball into the air. It may be struck with the hand, caught, or thrown by any player, but must not be carried, nor must the player touch the ball while it is in the hands of another. When the ball falls, it belongs to the player who first picks it up. It is not allowable to shove or detain a player. A player's progress may be barred by standing in the way. A throw may be obstructed by holding up of arms in front of the ball, or by springing up with outstretched arms. The game is an excellent one. 2026 Editor's Note: Naismith nailed peach baskets to a gym balcony in 1891 to keep students busy in winter; the game he invented became one of the world's most popular sports, from the NBA to Olympic courts to playgrounds everywhere. His original handwritten rules — the entry describes an early version — sold at auction in 2010 for $4.3 million. (Ed: BR 2026-06-08)
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
an indoor game played upon a circumscribed space on a floor, usually by five players on each side. At each end of this playing space a basket is placed at a height of about 10 feet. The ball is round, somewhat lighter than a football, and is passed from one player to another by throwing, or striking with the hands only; the ultimate object being to lodge it in the opponent's basket, which action counts two points. The rules as to interference, playing out of bounds, etc., are adapted from those of football. BASLE. See BASEL.