Who were the most successful basketball teams of the 1870s?

Unfortunately, there were no basketball teams during the 1870s, as basketball was not invented until 1891. The sport was invented by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith in December of that year, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The first basketball game was played on December 21, 1891, between Naismith's students at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield. The game was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets, and the court was half the size of a modern basketball court. The game ended in a score of 1-0, with the only point scored on a free throw by one of the teams.

So while there were no successful basketball teams in the 1870s, the sport would go on to become one of the most popular and successful sports in the world, with many great teams and players emerging over the years.