The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-30
BASKETBALL IN
water LATEST
Rough Elements of Polo EIimi-
mated In New Contest.
GAME Is VERY FASCINATING
Requires Considerable Dexterity and
Affords Enjoyment Both to Partiei-
pants and observation-disclosures
Swimming Eliminated.


Swimming Eliminated.
Basketball in the water is the latest |
innovation in the field of indoor sports
and furnishes genuine nataorial excite
ment. The outstanding feature Of the |
new game, which will be adopted by
the local swimmers, is that virtually
all the rules that govern basketball in
the cage also govern in the water.
The roughness of water polo has been
eliminated and the players scatter
about the pool and indulge in a scien-
| tif1c effort to score points
The game is fascinating, wholesome
and requires considerable dexerity and
affords great enjoyment both to par
/ Elephants and spectators. The popu-
larity of the new game is attested by
the fact that on opposite sides in a
contest were q boy of twelve and a
man seventy years Of age.
About five years ago the method of
playing water polo became so rough in
the Los Angeles Water Polo league
that, in order to eliminate wrestling
and ducking, Percy Goodell, who at
that time was affiliated with the alli-
ance, devised a game which should re-
tain all the elements of competition
with minimum of danger and rough
work. Since that time the game has
developed and has reached such a de-
gree of perfection that it has become
the prevailing sport among modern
aquatic organizations.
An important feature of the new
game is that all unnecessary swim
ming is eliminated. The placing Of
the baskets on the sides of the pool
instead of the farthest ends has tend
! ed to increase the duration of a con-
test, as a player does not have to tax
his energy swimming such a short dis
lance. Another excellent reason for
playing across the width of the pool
is that a player is enabled to shoot
for the basket from one side to the
other
Usually the baskets are located on
the sides of the pool where the bottom
of the tank slopes from shallow water
into deep. Thus the player who grows
tired can obtain short rest by swim
ming back a few feet and standing or
the bottom. Regulation nets are used
three feet above the water
The rule requiring that a person
carrying a ball must touch the fiool
every three steps he takes in a basket
bail game is carried out in the water
/ game, inasmuch as the swimmer mus
d touch the water with the ball every
three yards. This is easier for the MAJ
e in the water owing to the fact that b.
,. does not have to hold the ball abov.
/ his head, but may push it along il
i. front of him.
r. The time of play is restricted t
halves of ten and fifteen minutes, wit
n an intermissiOn of ten minutes TIL
n referee officiates from the side of tn
"a pool. where he calls fouls on the play
n ers for holding, ducking. splashing o
pulling under their opponents TIL
20 contestant fouled is allowed to elm
70 out of the pool and given a free thro,
n at the basket at the left side of til
;, opposing teams goal. If the point
- not made the ball is considered in pla
Immediately it lands in the water Th
10 scoring system of the sport is simila
- to that of the floor game, while it
also necessary TO have the regulatio
number of players on each team
- namely, two forwards, one center an
two guards.
:: - The game has been tried in Ne
- York with success and promises to il
n' crease in popularity, as the desire |
reduce possibility Of accidents to
la minimum is receiving the closest COZ
sideration in all branches of athletic
Ter and the new water game appeals to Il
teachers of sport because of this fact.