TRIVIA #3

It’s time for part three of our trivia series about the game that we love most, basketball. This time it’s about the rules of the game from the book “Basketball’s Most Wanted” by Floyd Conner.

• NAISMITH RULES

“The 13 rules devised by James Naismith formed the basis for basketball. The rules first appeared in The Triangle, the newspaper of the School for Christian Workers, on January 15, 1892. Many of the rules are still in use, such as how baskets are scored, the prohibition against running with the ball, and the calling of fouls by an official. However, several of Naismith’s rules have also been eliminated over the years. According to Naismith, a basket could be scored by throwing the ball into the basket or by bouncing it into the hoop. A team was awarded a goal if the opposing squad committed three consecutive fouls. A player was disqualified if he committed two fouls and was not permitted to return to the game until the opposition scored a goal. A player could be charged with a foul if he struck another player or if he struck the ball with his fist. If a game ended in a tie, a sudden-death period followed in which the first team to score a goal was declared the winner.”

• CLARA BAER

“In the late nineteenth century, when basketball was invented, athletic contests were considered unladylike and inappropriate for women. In 1895, Clara Baer, a teacher at Newcomb College in New Orleans, wrote James Naismith and asked for a copy of his instructions on how to play the game. He responded by sending her a court diagram showing where each player should be positioned. Baer misinterpreted the rules and thought that the players could not leave the areas in which they were stationed. As a result, players were confined to three areas on the court, creating frontcourt and backcourt players. Women also were not allowed to grab the ball from other players. These restrictions hampered the development of the women’s game for decades.”

• BASK-O-LITE

“Baskets and backboards have come a long way since the peach basket of the first game in 1891. The original baskets were not open at the bottom, so after each goal, the game had to be stopped so someone could climb up and retrieve the ball. Open baskets were not legalized until 1913. The Narragansett Machine Company of Providence, Rhode Island, manufactured a basket which was operated with a pulley and chain. When the chain was pulled, the basket tipped, allowing the ball to drop. Other baskets had chains which could be pulled by the referee to open the bottom. Another invention, the Bask-O-Lite, featured a light bulb which lit up when a basket was made. While a similar device was adopted in hockey to signify goals, the Bask-O-Lite never saw widespread use.

The backboard was not introduced until 1895. The main reason that it was installed was to prevent spectators standing on the elevated running tracks in gymnasiums from interfering with the flight of the ball. Early backboards differed greatly in size and shape, and were made of wood or metal. Glass backboards were introduced in 1909 but were briefly banned in 1916 because of a rule requiring white paint on all backboards.”

• POINT REDUCTIONS

“In 1896, the scoring rules were changed, reducing a field goal from three points to two and the free throw from three points to one.”

• DRIBBLING

“Originally, the dribble did not exist in basketball. The ball was moved down the court by passing. The dribble was introduced by players from Yale University. At first, two-handed dribbling was permitted. In 1904, a rule was instituted which forbade the dribbler from shooting the ball. The rule was not rescind until 1915.”

More to come in the next part of our trivia series.