The Washington herald., 1915-12-05
UNIFORM RULES FOR
AMATEUR BASKETBALL

Thoss who have tho interes ~ snat-ur bssket-
hall nc hear hare for . long time felt that there
than one sst ~ rules for the A. A. u. snd its .
affiliated interests and smother sY the colleges and
allied Interests Al the cloee OF the 1875 playing
-.ason representatives from the Internatiuus! Y.
VI. q. 4 with the collegiate basketball r4lSs
committee and adopted uniform rile~ for hn.I
bodies Subsequently,. the Amateur Athletic Union
was invited 70 i,in the Y. NJ. & As and colleges.
with Ii. rSsrllt that unifnn rules f,< eli .thrr-
bodicS have hsen adopted The Joint COMMITTEES
~ representatives from all thrrs bodies has ahrrt
long and earnestly and. IN the minds ~ the editors
~ this volume SIc-rsxully IN their efforts ~ Got
all that is good from both IN" 4. A. Q. and e,l
Icstatr rules irtO the uniform rules that hsVs
their first publication this seGsnn.
Tie hall public must a.TTef1atr what a
difficult task hs- cnnfrnnted the Joint COMMITTEE
and ailowsncrs shoIld b. made II there are any
rough spcts' IN the rules for II is difficult. in
deed. 10 fnresee every pnsSible cnuttngency. Tbs
Jrint c0Trmiitee has ,,ne ahrIt its work % TIE
tars ~ The E-catest god for the gr-atcsf uunhrr
and will cpntinuH tn do - N the fItur-. Th-
szmc will b. carefully watched it Is PLAYED
during the coming and modification 6 tho
rule. will - made for the following Year thsTs
gems to h need for chsnsr or II there Is any
specific dcnand The committee desires the hsartT
rooreratnn ~ every psying the game or other
wise identified with IL.
He also urged that in all important
contests there should be two officials.
Il referee ard umpire. The umpire TO
pay particular atIeHllon 10 tue pidyeEr III
the backfield away from the ball Tho
referee. as well as the umpire. to have
power to call all fouls.
Rule five. Players and substitutes: a
substitute may take the place Of a play
er only when the ball is dead. II no
chance is given for a substitution, the
timekeeper may blow his whistle and
the substitute must in any case report
to the referee at once.
The Spirit Of the Game.
BASKETBALL Is = sane. originated for the pU-pnss
~ providing an attractive form Of indoor PHYSICAL
crerci>. 1t is fue gams and fully deserves
the distinction cf bans uur Il Americas most
popular indoor winter recrcstlon, It's phenomenal
Success is due prmArly-drSt. to the intensn desrs
on the part Of the inventor and his advisors TO
iect any and all features in the game that wers
Objectionable: ScJnd- To The perpetuation Of thi,
desire through the years by cie unenoe-s n ths
rules committee that undesirable tendencies haTs
bern quickly checked old rules being altered or
eliminated ard new ones Nrmulated Every effort
has been made to phrase the rules that they
be clearly Understood IN order that the spirit Of
each rule and Of the xsns. . ~iuee. should b
clearly manifest That they have accomplished
their purpOss in large measure is evidenced On
every hand for neyef. in the history cf the gam.
has thers been more open ard consequently cissnr.
faster and ENJOYABLE play than during the last
season. ,. q.
To close obsevsrs it is no coiu.5deno., 5u. asScr
one Of cause and effect that the team vinntnS 5s
collegiate championship also has the honor q havirg
played the cieanest sane the recrd showing ths
fswest fouls of any team In tbs serea fe appeay
as though the officials. players. and IN lsrss
measure. the spectators also have sersri the trts
spirit Of the game and have Loyalty and enthusiastic
ally sdoptrd It.
Basketball II same Yes. thst5 all-only .
game. II Is mt a battle q combat fight
1t is Tlst rlay same. Politics is sarns. 20 10
busine-s: even life itself Is a game and ali tie
people players in it.. The p-rict d adolscsrcs
Is the time when hasks-bsll and similar games
are PLAYED The PERIOD Of Adolescence is the time
when Iifss habits formed and character largely
determined.
habits acquired thrungh play. viii probably -
main through life for actions v.S rcrcatrd he
come habits and habits vital factors in the
determination Of character. Now the purpose Of
life itself is ihe Development OF q noble. upright
character.
in which the game is conducted and played is a
matter Of importance.
Basket ball is decidedly an amateurs game.
witnessed by the fact that while 70 is participated
in b. not lrss than q half million plsye-s in the
Uuited States. there only ~ two sections
where the game has any professional following.
true sportsman PLAYS tn win. but not at
ANY cost" some victories too expensive. When
the team will not play clean game it Injuries
the PLAYERS physically somrtimc- but m9ally al
WAYS Rough house basket half Il q misRoner.-
for the rules and sririt Of the game do admit
of such tactics This is one Of tho gaines where
the plaers can cnme into personal contact, ttcp
with gr-st violence and consequent injury. but the
rules OF the game vey clearly indicate that per-
.rpal contact Is to be avoided under all circun-
stances The game esn.ers about the ball and ths
baskets and not the players. The open came has.
proven its supcrority both for players and spccta-
tors This style Of play rcsuRs In fewer fosda.-