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GOAL THIDING, or DEFENSIVE PLAYER FORBIDDEN TO TOUCH BALL ON
DOWNWARD PLIGHT

fhe National Basketball Rules Comittee at their last meeting proved itself to be
a “model” rules committee - seo Webster - "a model is a small imitation of the real
thing". ‘The Rules body temporized. They did not meet issues squarelys

The Rules Committee did nothing about the extremely tall player on the offense,

‘But they humored a pressure group which protested against the giaht goal tender on

defense, Symptomatioally they dabbled awivardly in the same direction of their mis-
takes the previous years Why disorimimte against the defense while permitting full
freedom to the offense as the same rule in principle concerns the extremely tall
player under both baskets.

| The newhy exacted goal tending rule will be only about ton per cent efficient.

I predict that Hank Iba and other crafty coaches with goal tending giants will still
place their goal tanders in front and under the defensive basket. liad the Rules Con-
mittee monbers done any research previous to their hasty action and studied the flight
of the ball toward the basket they would have discovered that an extremely tall player
ean still steal most of the shots before the ball gets to the basket. The ball does
not begin its dommard aro generally until it gets above the basket.

Most players shoot “siimners" - low shots - just clearing the rine The ball leaves
the players hands at @ height of loss than six feet and tho basket is ten feet high,
henee tall defensive players will get the ball while it is still going upe Offensive
shooters cannot readily learn a new arch shot just for the benefit of the hyper-tall
goal tender without seriously affecting their shooting AGCUTACYe

Few officials will bother themselves regarding the questionable are of the ball
when they are paid to watch the action of the players for fouls and violations on the
floor. Certainly this distraction of the officials oyes away from the playing floor
cannot improve the calibre of this already difficult game to officiate. :