Curling f. First appeared in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada, approximately 1800. The game is said to have been invented by Irish immigrants who came to work on the first railway line running through the town of Windsor. They used any available material for a curling stone. Basketball - Created by Dr. James Naismith in 1905. He created the game to compete against other schools who did not have athletic programs of their own. The original rules were written down on a card index system that Dr. Naismith had with him during games he was coaching at Springfield College (now known as Springfield College in Massachusetts). Hockey - Created by an English-Canadian carpenter named Abner Dowling. He took the basic rules of rugby and added more aggressive players and equipment necessary for ice hockey. The first documented ice hockey game was played in Montreal in 1875. The Halifax Club beat McGill University 8-0! Lacrosse - Created by John Chandler Jr., owner of a large mill in Brookline, Massachusetts. He hired several Native American players from nearby reservations to play his version of field lacrosse.