Basketball

History - The early years: In the early years, the number of players on a team varied according to the number in the class and the size of the playing surface. In 1894 teams began to play with five on a side when the playing surface was less than 1,800 square feet (167.2 square meters); the number rose to seven when the gymnasium measured from 1,800 to 3,600 square feet and up to nine when the playing areas exceeded that. In 1895 the number was occasionally set at five by mutual consent and, two years later, the rules stipulated five, and this number has remained.
Since five of Naismith's original players were Canadians, not surprisingly Canada was the first country outside the United States to play the game. Basketball was introduced in France in 1893, in London in 1894, in Australia, China, and India soon thereafter, and in Japan in 1900. (Encyclopaedia Britannica Article) http://www.britannica.com