USA's Sporting Journey: Chronicle and Development Over Time

The history of sports in the United States can be traced back to the colonial period, with English colonists bringing over their love of sports like cricket and soccer. One sport that didn't gain much traction initially was basketball, invented in 1891, but it didn't start to catch on until the middle of the century.

Baseball, on the other hand, quickly became a popular pastime in the United States. The National Association of Base Ball Players, founded in 1858, gave birth to the first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, in 1869. By the early 1900s, Major League Baseball had expanded rapidly and become a truly national institution.

Football, or "football" as it is known in the United States, was developed in the late 19th century and the first professional football team, the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, was formed in 1892. The first professional football team in the United States as part of a league, the Decatur Staleys, was founded in 1920 as part of the American Professional Football Association, which later became the National Football League (NFL). Football began to gain popularity in the years after World War II and the NFL began to flourish in the 1960s, becoming one of the most lucrative leagues in the world. Today, the NFL is a global phenomenon, with international games in London and Mexico City.

Basketball began to come into its own in the 1960s, and people took serious note of just how great the sport is. The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in the 1940s and grew considerably in the 1960s, continuing to do so throughout the 70s and 80s. The NBA became a global phenomenon with the addition of multimillion-dollar television deals in Europe and Asia. One of the most popular and iconic teams in the NBA is the New York Knicks.

Hockey is among the most popular sports in the United States, and the NHL is now one of the country's most popular professional sports leagues. Professional hockey leagues were established in the 1970s, including the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League.

The level of play in US sports has significantly evolved since their inception. The idea of game film was a significant evolution, allowing players to learn from top players without having to be present at the games. The North American Soccer League was founded in 1968, and soccer finally has a professional league, Major League Soccer, that is truly on par with many other major professional leagues in the country.

Matthew McIntosh is the administrator of the website where this article is published.