History of Wheelchair Basketball

Birth of the Sport

The sport of wheelchair basketball emerged out of the Second World War (1939-1945). As a result of this global conflict, society was confronted with an unusual number of people with physical disabilities. Following the war, many veterans with disabilities were placed in hospitals for rehabilitation and many still possessed a desire to participate in sports.
The philosophy of the day was adaptation of particular sports as viewed through the eyes of rehabilitation staff. Basketball was perceived to be one of the most adaptable team sports, and was played in various parts of the world in the early 1940's.
The first documented game of wheelchair basketball was played on November 25, 1946 by a group of veterans in the United States.

Sir Ludwig Guttmann

Sir Ludwig Guttmann is known as the founder of the Paralympic Movement. He was given the task of starting a spinal cord injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, England. The British government funded the operation in 1944 with the view of having the second front assist individuals to cope with their disability, regain dignity and independence that may have been lost, and become happy, healthy and respected members of the community.
Guttmann organized the first Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games in 1948, a competition that featured organized wheelchair sports, including wheelchair netball – a distant cousin of wheelchair basketball. For his efforts, Guttmann was recognized as an early pioneer.
Four years later, in 1952, competitors from the Netherlands joined the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games and an international movement was born. The annual event would become known as the International Stoke Mandeville Games, a predecessor to the modern-day Paralympic Games.