Volleyball was invented in 1895 at a YMCA gymnasium in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA. The sport was created by William G. Morgan, who was the physical education director there. He developed volleyball as a less physically demanding alternative to basketball, combining elements from sports like handball, tennis, and baseball. The game was initially called "Mintonette" before being renamed volleyball after a demonstration game when a spectator remarked on the volleying nature of the play.
