Allen

Naisnith

Allen

Naismith

Allen

RADIO PROGRAM

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR HEALTH
January 13, 1938

“THE TIP-LESS GAME OF BASKETBALL"

Dre Naismith, I would like to ask you a questione After 45 years
of starting your game of basketball with the center tip, the
rules camittee last April eliminated the tip after field and
foul goalse In your opinion, why did they do this?

Well, in originating the game, after considerable thought as to
how the ball would be put in play, the center tip seemed the only
reasonable way of giving each side an equal chance of obtaining
the ball, Now, the only objection that I ¢an see to it is that
the tall player monopolizes the tip-off because of his height and
the assistance of the referee who tosses it up in such @ manner
that the tall man has a better chance of obtaining it than the
short mane There are several ways in which this might have been
corrected, Now that is my idea. Doctor, what is yours? You
are on the Rules Committee, and attended the meeting in which

the National Rules body voted it oute Why did they do this?

Well, Dre Naismith, I find myself agreeing with you on the

contor tip-off. I have always believed in it, I have always
contended that in football we have tho kick off at the start

of the gamos I feol that the tip-off at the start of the game

of basketball, and aftor each goal, is just as vital because it
tends to give both sides an cqual advantage. At the Rules mect~
ing I foumd myself in a vory great minority, and as is the habit
with all of those committee gatherings, the minority goes along
peaceably with the majority. I felt that if the majority desired
it, it was only fair to give thom a chance without protesting
violontly against it, I still think basketball has onough thrills
for the spectators and the players in the tipless games I found
mony of the rules-makers blaming all the ills of basketball on the
tall man at tho tipsoff,. Really, I think that because the basket
is only 10 foet from the floor that we are blaming a man for bo-
ing too tall under a 10=foot basket, because thoso tall players
can actually dunk the ball into the basket. Some of the tall
playors can actually reach 8 inches above the baskete In my
epinion, the goal should be out of reach of all playorse

Well, the things you have said aro still not a sufficiont
reason to mo to do away with a fair and spectacular method and
substituto one that is less s06

Dre Naismith, I still agree with you 100 per cont, because it is
the tall man that beats you under tho defensive or offensive
baskot by reaching higher than his teammates in obtaining the
ball, No player may pull his opponents' arms down when he has
the ball in his possession, because that is holdinge But,
Doctor, they blame that tall fellow tapping the ball in the