'

=e

The higher goal will incroase spectator onjoymcent, and will decrease in-
juries under the goal from accidents by players when driving in hard for lay~inse

We have scon tall players in many team line-ups who were born without any
special gift in basketball, but who were on the team solely on the accident of

‘extreme height. Some juior high school coach discovered this altitudinous

Brobdingnagian, skyescraping stepper oozing ethereally down the hall and straighte
way the coach made for him with a vair of shorts, the stimulus being mainly his
altitude and not his ability. Only a severe cardiac insufficiency will permit
that basketball monstrosity to escane the coach's tentaclese Therefore, it is
beyond reasonable doubt but what we can oxpect players of this 6'10" altitude to
become so numerous that they will be the rule rather than the oxceptione

An eleven=foot basket would not be out of reach of the exceptionally tall
playorse. <A twelve-foot basket would forever guarantee non-interference of the
basket rim by players. In addition to this, the tyelve-foot basket would contri-~
bute markedly in clearing up the congestion under the goal by increasing the arc
of disbursement of the rebound of the ball much further out on the court and
away from the basket. A11 modern gymnasia and auditoria have high ceiling clcar-
ances, but in schools that do not have high cciling clearances ground rulos could
be pormitted which would allow the use of the lower baskets until conditions could
be correctede

In 1934 Kansas State and Kansas played a homeeandehone series using the
elevated 12-foot basket. Neither team had practiced previously with the 12=foot
goal, but the players seemed to have little difficulty in making goals and the
spectators enjoyed the game very much. The players’ only complaint was tha t they
couldn't drive in and make their lay-up shotse On the other hand, they reacted
quite favorably toward the clovated basket.

At the coaching school the following sumer conducted by Allen of Kansas
and E, Je Hickox of Springficld, Professor Hickox eleveted the basket to 12 fect
and the boys in the coaching school, without any practice whatsoever, played a
match games We asked Professor Hickox to write his impressions of that gamee
It scemed to be his opinion and that of the sroup who watched the game that the
players had little difficulty in finding the range of tho basket.

It scoms to be a fair conclusion that certainly no one should criticize
the elevated basket until he has at least tried it oute There are so many
benefits and so few drawbacks that this experiment should be indulged in by more
coaches than those who have tricd it. It also seems roasonable that it might
be fair to all concerned that if the 12—foot basket is found to be practical to
advance the time of its possible adoption over a two yoar period so that none
of the tall players now in college would be injured, but those oncoming players
would have notice of its This perhaps would remove an objection from coaches
who might have tall men noWe

The following are a number of reasons sect forth in favor of the twelvoe
foot baskets:

le Are of disbursement is greater, thus freeing congestion under baskete

2 Guards are foreed further away from baskcots to get rebounds

5e Forwards are forced further out from basiets to obtain rebounde

4. Will encourage more shooting accomt greater valuo of ficld goals.

5. Will definitely reduce foul shots because of no drive-in necessitye

6. Shots are easier made 8 or 10 feet out from basket instead of directly
under.