Bridgeton pioneer., 1909-02-11


- ,se---t les.,~~ -, eAl y. esent basket
ball season is perhaps the most cru
cial which the sport has had to pass
through since it's innovation, and low
ers Of one of the most interesting of
winter games are anxiously awaiting
the Judgment of the critics, whose de-
cisions at the end Of the season will
90 a good way toward continuing in
favor the present regulations and
which have helped in placing basket
ball on the same plane with the other
major sports.
During the past winter the intercol-
legiate rules committee in a meeting
in New York came to the decision that
some radical action was necessary to
eliminate the tendency to roughness
and save the game from degenerating
into modified form of football. AL
though the style of game played in the
different sections Of the country va
ried immensely and therefore rule
which suited one division was entire
ly unsatisfactory to another, the COM
mittee succeeded in passing some rath-
er startling rules, and the result of the
recent legislation is awaited with
grave doubts by many enthusiasts
1t is only within the last few years
that basket ball has assumed posi-
tion of high rank among intercollegi-
ate sports. especially in the west, and
In the last two seasons particularly
It has aroused the general interest of
the student bodies of the various uni
versities. Regarded formerly as
strenuous form Of girls play, it has
come to command respect as it has
increased in popular favor. Perhaps
the most potent factor in bringing this
situation about was the recognition on
the part Of the authorities of the abso-
lutte need Of thorough preparation of
the players for the contests, the neces-
sity of the most efficient coaching and
long training to gain expertness.
Undoubtedly as the standard of play
has been raised basket ball has gradu
ally won over the followers of the
more strenuous sports. The adoption
of intricate plays and signals, as in
football, which require great degree
Of skill, acquired only by long and
hard practice, and the work of teams
which have played for many seasons
and therefore have reached splendid
point in development have helped to
show to the public that the possibili-
ties Of basket ball are scarcely less
than those Of the major outdoor sports.
Coinctdent with its accession to a
prominent place in college sports has
come the need for careful and special
legislation on the part of athletic au-
thorities. A consistent policy followed
by the coaches and players throughout
the country and the intimate relations
Of one section to another have helped
to promote a unity Of action and con-
troll which is bound to lend added in
terest to the sport.
In the Western Intercollegiate asso-
citation there has been a strong influ-
ence in promoting the best interests
Of this popular game by controlling
schedules, holding meetings Of coaches
and players and officials for the study
and discussion Of the rules, discourag-
ing rough play and in aiding officials
to keep the game clean.
One of the greatest difficulties In
making the new rules was caused by
the difference in the style Of play prev
alent in the east and west. In the for
mer section the play is close, the drib-
bic is used almost constantly, and
Hn vvrft y,1o In,
territorial or otherwise, are greatly in
creased.
On the other hand, the western game
Is not so close, there is not so much
holding on the part of the guards,
more dependence is put on passing
than in dribbling, and as result more
men handle the ball, the game Is more
open and faster, and more combination
play is developed. Although some of
the teams which ranked highest in the
New England league used the dribble
but little, believing that the benefits
derived from it are not commensurate
with the too violent contact and too
easy chance for underhand work, to
which body checking necessary to
stop that style of game lends itself, 1t
seemed certain that the great major
ity Of teams would still cling to their
old ways, and the rules committee
therefore passed new regulations max
ing it less difficult to guard dribbling,
thus eliminating the necessity for
rough work to keep man from ad-
Tancing the ball.
While but four important modifica-
lions were made to the previous rules,
the changes are expected to alter the
style of game much, the chief advan-
tages being sought in the way Of Sc
curing more open play, faster play by
doing away with the old style Of
dribbling, which led to the commit
ting Of innumerable fouls, necessitat-
ing the Interference of the referee
continually, thus delaying the play,
the disqualification Of a player who
commits an unreasonable number Of
fouls and better work on the part of