History of Volleyball 1600 - 1944

In the late 16th century, a game involving volleying balls starts being played in England, probably with a "balloon" (a large inflated ball of strong double leather, struck to and fro by the arm defended by a bracer of wood - Oxford English Dictionary).

A quote from 1626 notes, "Windblowne Balones... tossed this way and that way, sometyme with the foote, sometyme with the hand". This type of ball was also used for "foote-ball" on open fields.

(only two years after the invention of basketball)

William G. Morgan (1870-1942), a physical education instructor at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA, decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball to create a game for his classes of businessmen. The game was designed as a light recreational activity that would demand less physical contact than basketball. At this time, the game we now know as volleyball was called mintonette. Morgan borrowed the net from tennis, and raised it 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres, just above the height of an average man��?s head) above the floor of a badminton court. Using the bladder out of a basketball for the ball, the game was played in innings like baseball. The object was to put the ball on the opponent��?s floor whilst preventing the opponent from doing the same to you. There was neither limit to the number of players on a side nor any restrictions on the number of contacts.

Later that year, Springfield College professor Alfred T. Halstead remarked to Morgan that the players seemed to be volleying the ball back and forth over the net and suggested that he change the name of the game to volley ball. He reasoned that in the world of athletics, a game called mintonette would get little attention. On July 7, 1896 at Springfield College, the first game of "volley ball" was played.

Changes to volley ball rules: net height was raised to 7 feet 6 inches; the dribbling line was eliminated (initially, continuous air dribbling of the ball was permissible up to a restraining line 4 feet from the net); the length of game was changed to 21 points (in 1895, the length of games was nine innings, with three outs allowed per team per inning).

Changes to volley ball rules: court size became 35 X 60 feet; the official ball was designated as 26 inches in circumference and was to weigh between 7 and 9 ounces; number of players on a side was established at six; teams were now required to rotate one position clockwise prior to serving.

International volleyball competition had been initiated in 1913 in the first Far East Games, in Manila. During the early 1900s and continuing until after World War II, volleyball in Asia was played on a larger court, with a lower net, and nine players on a team. Participants played fixed positions instead of rotating clockwise after gaining service; they returned to their positions after their time to serve.

Rules for volleyball in the USA were issued jointly by the YMCA and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Changes to volley ball rules: game points were reduced from 21 to 15 points; two out of three games determined the winner of a match; the ball could be struck with the feet; the net height was raised to eight feet; the weight of the ball was changed to range from 8 to 10 ounces; each player rotated in order and served in turn; a serve that hit the net or any outside object was out of bounds; the ball could not come to rest in the hands; the ball could not be touched a second time unless another player had played it.

Volleyball was introduced to Europe by U.S. troops in World War I, and national organizations were soon formed for a game that soon proved to have wide appeal for both sexes.

In the Philippines, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck by another player (the set and spike) was introduced.

Volleyball originally had an unlimited number of players per team, but six-a-side volleyball was formally adopted in 1918.

Three hits per side and back row attack rules were instituted for the hard-court game.

Other rule changes were: the ball could be played by any part of the body above the waist; the court size was changed to 30 feet by 60 feet.

Changes to volley ball rules: reaching over the net in any manner was prohibited; back position player was prohibited from spiking when playing a back position; the double foul was written in the rules; he centre-line was added as well as a scorer; it was necessary for one team to score two consecutive points to win if the score was tied at 14-14.

Changes to volley ball rules: ceiling height minimum was to be 15 feet; six players constituted a team and 12, a squad; players wore numbers; the team receiving the serve rotated clockwise; the right back player served; if a player touched the opponents' court in completing a play it constituted a foul.

The volley ball net specifications were written in detail: 3 feet wide, 4-inch square mesh of number 30 brown thread, canvas cover, top and bottom with 1/4 inch cable at top and 1/4 inch rope at the bottom.

Changes to volley ball rules: the ball weight was changed to range from 9 to 10 ounces; an umpire was added; aplayer could not leave the court without the referee's permission; the ball had to cross the net over the sidelines; a team was permitted two time-outs per game; a 14-14 tied game was won by a team having a two-point advantage instead of 2 consecutive points.

Changes to volley ball rules: the centre-line was extended indefinitely; tape was put on the net over the sidelines; time-outs were limited to one minute; a player could not interchange positions or move outside their understood playing area.

Changes to volley ball rules: crosses were placed on the floor defining player positions; all players were required to wear numbers on their uniforms; it became a foul to deliberately screen an opponent from the server; players could not leave their court unless the ball was on their side of the net (at this time, spikers would stand outside their court and wait till the ball was set to the outside of the court and come running in with a one-leg take-off spike). any touching of the net was a foul; a play was not complete unless a player resumed normal control on the floor; deliberate shouting and stomping the feet at an opponent was deemed unsportsmanlike.

Blocking was first included in the rules in 1938. Blocking was defined as impeding the ball at the net. A one or two-man block was permitted, providing the blockers played in adjacent positions.

William G. Morgan, the creator of volleyball, died at the age of 68. His tombstone reads "Inventor of Volleyball".

Changes to the volley ball rules: the ball could be played with any part of the body from the knees upward; the score of a forfeited game would be 15-0.