Lt. Robert A. Cook one February 21, 1946

#

Of course, the people who are at fault in thig thing are the people who
eliminated the center tap. In this article that I wrote for this magazine I sug-
gested a rotation of the center jump comparable to the batting order in baseball.-
Every man on the team would jump for the tipe-off exactly the same number of times.
It would be just as easy to administer the rotating center jump as it would be to
enforce the batting order in baseball. Each coach would give the line-up to the
score keeper with the jumping order of the players. Should any player jump out of |
order a technical foul would be assessed against the offending playerse The coaches,
of course, would teach the players to jump in order and the game officials would not
be hampered unduly by this rule any more than any other rule in the booke

fhe game is in need of a breathing spell for both players and spectators.
This proposed new rotating center jump tip-off play would supply the necessary inter-
-lude so important to the jaded nerves of both spectators and players under. the present
‘fire wagon game. Time, of course, would be out while the ball is being brought to :
the center circle for the tape

Philosophically speaking, this wild game will run its course and then new
rules of some sort and a new pattern of play will fdllow, Change is eternal and |

we will have it, but nowwe have nobody on the Research Committee, that I know of, who
is researching unselfishly for the good of the game. Most of the coaches, that I know
of, who are on the Rules Committee are searching and researching for that seven=foot
basketball player, rather than to find the answers to many of the game's perplexing

- problems. :

I wish that I could write more and give. you more data on the subject about
which you expect to write, but I personally believe that the Rules Comnittee are ~
responsible for a barnacle on the game. Remember this, the Rules Committee did not
make the popularity of the game, the originator, Dr. Naismith, is responsible for
this because his brain child incorporated all the finer points of the game. The —
Rules Committee members in their confusion to do something about a low ten=foot basket
have groped aimlessly in the dark and they have come up with some poor suggestions.

I would not be surprised if they do not stumble repeatedly. They are still like the
Mayor of Norway during the ware-they are confusede — Paes.

Sincerely,

| Director of Physical Education,
FCA sI'F Varsity Basketball Coach.