EDITOR'S COMMENT ON THE THREE Pace 15.
SECOND RULE.

At our last convention the three (3) second rule seemed to
your editor as the most important change in the basketball rules.
Roy Clifford of Western Reserve University - first moved that
the three second rule on the back half of the foul circle be
Lifted. This meant the outer half of the foul circle away from
the basket, with or without the ball. By freeing this area Roy
thought that we would add more playing space to the playing
floor, and not get into the same trouble we had with the old
pivot play under the basket. The motion was lost 36 - 44.

Then Nat Holman of the College of the City of New York
moved that ‘a player be entitled to assume a position in the
area between the fovl line and the outer circle, he having the
three second restriction if ho has the ball. After e very favor-
able comment by Keogan of Notre Dame and remarks by Mr. Bunn to,
the coaches voted 42 - 25 in favor,and that the Questionnaire
sent out throughout the United State " Would you favor entirely
renoving the three second lane limitation, kad 1128 to entirely
remove it, and 1792 not to entirely remove it, tne motion was
carried 87 in favor and none against.

Now why did all the coaches present vote for this rule?
Because they were sick and tired of having compact zone defenses,
and wanted to bring back a better game by opening up a larger
area for the offensive team to operate in.

At a meeting of the New England College Basketball Coaches
the three second rule was the big discussion. Most very ecach
present seemed to be up in the air on its interpretition. Questions
were asked as follows: |

(1) Could a player stand in the outer half of the foul
circle, without ball, back up for say two seconds in the free
throw area and then step into the outer half of the circle.

(2) Could a player without ball pivot into the free throw
area, holding one foot on the floor in the outer half of the
circle.

(3) Was the three second rule on if a player without the ball
came to a sudden stop inside the free throw lance, then moved.
into the outer half of the circle and reesived the ball innediately.

(4) Was the three second rule on if a palyer cut from the
free throw area into the front half of the circle and then came
to a sudden stop.

To your editor the coaches were trying to meke it difficult
for the officials to interpret this three second rule, and they
said that nowhere in the rule did it explain this; so he explained
to them that unless they took a fair and sane attitude toward
this rule thet it would probably be read out of the rule book in
the very near future.

We all know why the rule was stricken out viz. pecause
coaches did not want the rough-house stopped and officials would
not call a foul on the offensive or defensive man. In some games
everything was allowed from monkey-clinbing by the defensive man
to feeling for the opponent by the offensive man. - Terrible con-
tact but no foul.