NEW BASKETBALL BACKBOARD

 

Since the legalization of the smaller streamlined basketball backboard by the
National Committee, there have been significant developments. Correspondence dur-
ing the summer indicates that most of the gymasiums which have been completed dure
ing the past few months and many of the older gymmasiums will use the new type back»
board.

Equipment manufacturers have made a contribution to the game by bending their ef-
forts toward construction of such boards of durable and rigid material at reason=
able cost. One of the factors which influenced the National Committee was the
matter of economy in construction. The first steel backboards of the traditional
rectangular design presented many problems and it was not uncommon for such boards
to cost one hundred dollars or more per pair. Several excellent steel boards are
now being stamped by mammoth stamping machines and the boards are available at a
cost of considerably less than half of the stated amount. Several reliable manus,
facturers are producing the steel boards at a cost of forty dollars or less per
pair. Such boards are announced in the National Federation Basketball Rules Book
by firms such as the Medart Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Missouri, and the J.
E. Porter Corporation, Ottawa, Illinois.

For those schools where it is desired to have the boards made by the manual traine
ing department, plans are available Mr proper construction. One of these plans is
furnished by Schutt Manufacturing Company, Litchfield, Illinois, and is shown in

the accompanying diagram.

(NOTE TO STATES: Plates showing exactly how to construct board and one showing gym=
nasium viow of board in use are being sent to those states which have subscribed

to this complete press service.)

Goals to fit tho new boards have been constructed in such 2 way that there is a
minimum obstruction of view and of interference with activities bohind the plane of
the backboard. Such goals may be secured at a reasonable cost from any of the
above mentioned manufacturers and from similar manufacturers.

(Insert zinc plate 3 by 5)
Reasons for Change

 

 

Since the origin of the game, backboards have boen rectangular in shape, six feet
wide and four feet high. The basket was attached one foot above the lower edge of
the board. During the carly years of the game, this shape and size were desirable.
Tho space bolow the levol of the basket was necessary because the old style basket
braces were fastened to the board about one foot below the basket. In recent ycars
developments in gymnasium equipment construction have made these cumbersome braces
unnecessary. Consequently the chicf use for most of the space on the backboard be»
low the level of the basket has disappcared. Another reason why the space at the
bottom of the board was in uso was because the early ball was considerably larger
than the present one. The maximum size for such balls was 32 inches in circumfor-.
ence and because of the difficultics in the then known mothods of construction, most
balls stretched to the maximum size soon after being placed in use. In recent
years the size of the ball has been reduced to a minimum of twenty nine and one=
half inches and a maximum of thirty inches. Improved methods of construction have
resulted in a ball which can be made any given size and which will not stretch dur-
ing use. Conscquontly all balls are now made almost cxactly twenty nine and one=
half inches. The balls also have a slightly fastcr reaction due to improved.mpthods
f construction which has climinated all? scwed seams and consequently all dead
spots which were inherent in balls made by sewing pancls of leather and cloth to-
gether. This change in type of ball is related to the new type backboard. A
slightly different technique is usod in bank shots. This change in technique has
resulted in the lower part of the backboard being waste space.