New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-29
SAYS JUST RULES
DO NOT MAKE FOR
CLEAN BASKETBALL
DR.. Sharpe Takes Side of Player
and Coach at intercollegiate
Committee Meeting.
TOO MANY TECHNICALITIES
Principal Changes for Coming
Year Have to Do with the
Jump Ball.

Exception TO the trend of collegiate leg
islation was voiced in no uncertain terms
at the annual Interpretation meeting Of
the intercollegiate basketball rules COM
mittee at the Hotel Astor yesterday after
noon. DIR. a. II. Sharpe, coach Of the Cor
nell football, basketball and baseball
teams, took the side Of the player and
coach against the rules committee, which,
he said, was concerning itself more with
ruling on teChncalities than on the prac-
teal issues Of the game.
The discussion arose when Or. Joseph
T.. Raycroft. chairman Of the rules com
mittee and the presiding officer, called for
the consideration Of Rule II, which IS
designed TO penalze blocking. The rule
had been amended over summer so that
il read "A player is entitled to take any
position on the court. but II In taking a
position he faces an opponent or makes
bodily contact with an opponent so MS TO
interfere with the latters progress he Is
blocking"
Or Raycroft said that the change had
been made in the rule as part of the gen
craI plan Of the Tulemakers 10 eliminate
all unnecessary roughness and compel the
PLAYERS to play the ball and not the
man" BY this rule, said Or. Raycroft, all
Illegal interference with a player by his
opponent, resulting from the close guard
ing style Of play. would be deemed a foul
and penaliZed as such.
Dr. Sharpe was on his feet the moment
Or Ravcroft sat down. 81 don't think for
minute" he said. that rule of this
sort is going to clean mp the game OF
basketball. You have to go deeper than
mere technical rule. and get at the
fundamental principles OF the game. IT
this rule is allowed 10 stay on the books
rs il is written It will mean the end Of
basketball. or II will never be enforced
and I believe that that is what Will hap
pen.
This rule will just add one more to tho
already long list which the officials kno"
are on the books but which they never
enforce. II teams Of men from two col
leccs cannot meet for game IN any
branch Of sport and play the game IN =
clean and sportsmanlike manner, leaving
II 10 the officials 20 administer such rules
as have been previously agreed upon and
. eliminating IfiUlllNdllAi''f '''''
thing wrong with our educational sys-
ten. The trouble is largely with the rules
and partlv with the officials But the
rules are mainly 20 blame because there
are too many Of them.
when I started 10 coach the CornelI
team last year ! taught the cleanest pas
ketbaU possible. but when we went INTO
games and the officials refused TO can
fouIs on our opponents ! was forced 4"
order tho plavers 70 let themselves out
and play the kind OF game they had al
WAYS played relying on the oincIa'S ~
overlook such breaches Of the rules aS
wore overlooked when committed hN our
ornaments think the rules are 100 many
IN number. and the coaches In consequence
do not enforce the important ones or III
fact any Of them as the book demands.
Dr Sbarpe carried his point, because
u.ben the discussion had been concluded
and a vote taken on the Interpretation OF
the rule Dir. Raycroft and Ralph Morgan
90 tho University OF Pennsylvania, secre-
tary Of the committee, agreed 10 permit
an editorial correction which suhstltul'h
an and FOR the or in the rule In question:
making IL mean that only by direct Dolly
contact can a player block his opponent
Tho most important changes I'm the rules
for the coming year have 10 do with the
~iump" ball and the ball when II goes
ont Of bounds In order 10 eliminate the
fouling that so frequently happened under
the old jump rule, the players jumping
for the ball now. either In the centre or
on ar,. mart Of the floor will have 10 jump
with one hand behind the back.
Tho meeting ruled that by behind the