Philadelphia: The Birthplace of Basketball, But Not as We Know It Today
When it comes to intense environments for professional athletes, Philadelphia is often at the top of the list. However, this reputation wasn't always a given, even in the late 19th century when the city played host to the first organized professional basketball league.
In 1898, Horace Fogel, a sports editor at the Philadelphia Public Ledger, brought together six teams from Philadelphia and South Jersey to form the National Basketball League (NBL). The league was short-lived, disbanding in 1904, but its impact on the sport cannot be overstated. As Shavonnia Corbin Johnson, vice president of civic affairs for the 76ers, noted, "The game didn't call fouls and there was really no structure to the game." Players would push, shove, and even kick their way to scoring baskets, creating a rough-and-tumble atmosphere that was more akin to a boxing match than modern-day basketball.
The NBL's inaugural season opener drew an estimated 900 spectators to a Kensington court, where the Philadelphia Hancock Athletic Association took on the New Jersey Trenton Nationals in what would be a nail-biting game. The end result? A heartbreaking loss for Philadelphia, with the team coming up just two points short, 21-19.
Despite its brevity, the NBL's legacy paved the way for the modern NBA. As Corbin Johnson pointed out, "People could see that preliminary idea of what basketball could look like," and it gained a significant following during its time. The league may not have been a success in terms of long-term viability, but it helped lay the groundwork for the game we know and love today.
The Philadelphia Historical Commission is recognizing this milestone as part of its "52 Weeks of Firsts" program, which highlights inventions, ideas, and trends that originated in the city. The NBL's history will be retold at an event on January 24th at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, as part of a larger celebration of Philadelphia's firsts in sports, culture, and innovation.
When it comes to intense environments for professional athletes, Philadelphia is often at the top of the list. However, this reputation wasn't always a given, even in the late 19th century when the city played host to the first organized professional basketball league.
In 1898, Horace Fogel, a sports editor at the Philadelphia Public Ledger, brought together six teams from Philadelphia and South Jersey to form the National Basketball League (NBL). The league was short-lived, disbanding in 1904, but its impact on the sport cannot be overstated. As Shavonnia Corbin Johnson, vice president of civic affairs for the 76ers, noted, "The game didn't call fouls and there was really no structure to the game." Players would push, shove, and even kick their way to scoring baskets, creating a rough-and-tumble atmosphere that was more akin to a boxing match than modern-day basketball.
The NBL's inaugural season opener drew an estimated 900 spectators to a Kensington court, where the Philadelphia Hancock Athletic Association took on the New Jersey Trenton Nationals in what would be a nail-biting game. The end result? A heartbreaking loss for Philadelphia, with the team coming up just two points short, 21-19.
Despite its brevity, the NBL's legacy paved the way for the modern NBA. As Corbin Johnson pointed out, "People could see that preliminary idea of what basketball could look like," and it gained a significant following during its time. The league may not have been a success in terms of long-term viability, but it helped lay the groundwork for the game we know and love today.
The Philadelphia Historical Commission is recognizing this milestone as part of its "52 Weeks of Firsts" program, which highlights inventions, ideas, and trends that originated in the city. The NBL's history will be retold at an event on January 24th at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, as part of a larger celebration of Philadelphia's firsts in sports, culture, and innovation.
! Can you imagine playing ball with no refs and just shoving it down the hoop? 
It's crazy to think about how rough-and-tumble it must've been back then. But, I mean, that's kinda what made the NBL so pioneering, right? They helped shape the game into what we know and love today 
. And now, they're getting some well-deserved recognition for it! January 24th can't come soon enough 
Philly was always cool but did you know they used to play like a total brawl back in the day? 
But I guess it's kinda awesome that some dude Horace Fogel came together and started an actual league despite all that chaos. The NBL may not have been super successful, but its impact on modern basketball is definitely real 
Can't wait to check out that event in Jan 
I'm wondering what exactly made this original NBL version so rough-and-tumble? Like, were there no rules or referees to enforce them? And how did the players deal with all that physicality? Did they get hurt often? 
Also, 900 spectators at a basketball game is crazy! Was it just a huge local event or did people from other cities come out to watch? 
I just think its crazy to think about how basketball was so rough back then. It's like they were trying to figure out the game on the fly 
. And I'm loving that Philly is getting some love for this milestone – it just goes to show that sometimes its the imperfect, rough-around-the-edges things that lead to greatness 
Those early basketball games were like a WWE match but with more sweat 
and less referees 
. "No structure to the game" = no rules, just raw physicality 
! Can you imagine playing without fouls? Players would just be like "hey, I'm gonna push you in!" and get away with it 
! 
so the NBL was basically just a bunch of rough-around-the-edges games with no structure or rules? sounds kinda awesome to me 
i wonder what kind of players were on those teams tho were they all like tiny and wiry or super tall and lanky idk but i do know that its dope to see how the game evolved from that point 
! Can you imagine being one of those players trying to dunk in a game with no structure? 
!
. The fact that it paved the way for the NBA is definitely something to celebrate 
Fingers crossed!
What's next? Boxing gloves in basketball 
And 900 spectators at a game? That's crazy! How did they even fit all those people in the court? 