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Show M CHANGES ; IN HOOP RULES Alterations Will Make Game Faster: Dribble Meets Revision Several changes were made in the 1920-21 basketball rules al the annual ' meeting ol the rules committee. The altering lends to make the play fast er and glws the officials a better line on calling fouls. One of the most important changes occurs m the dribble In the past the athlete with the ball has taken two or I three short stepR before Ftarting the dribble and it has made it difficult I for the official to decide whether ll I was a dribble or If the player was running run-ning with the ball DRIBBLE IS CHANGED There wont's be anv opportunity tor the official to ;iet into this fix this 'year fcr the new rule Igys: "A player who Is standing still when he r c lv !he ball may -tart a step In snj dlteo lion, but he must dispose of the ball before that foot touches he fldbr," (that is, in starting a dribbl the ball I must leave the possession of the player play-er before he has taken a step. A mollification in the rule covering advancing the ball is. "A player who ( hnnues his position without apprecifl I bly advancing the ball in m direction shall not be considered as running ' with the ball " The basketball rules commit iee of which Joseph E. Raycioft is chairman, has Issued Its report Bnd has been published in the annual A G Spalding ' Brothers' guide, copies of the 1920-21 , book having been received In Ogden ibis week BLOCKING RULE STRONGER. The rule against blocking is to b-; strongly Interpreted and enforced the coming season on the following basis: "The defensive player has no right to place bis hand upon the person wnom he is guarding In order to keep more closely in touch with him and so as to be able to anticipate and check the legitimate le-gitimate play of his opponent No-has No-has he the right to dance in front of him in order to obstruct bis progress He may run Alongside of him in an effort to get the ball first, but neither player in such a contingency has the right to crowd the other away from the direct line to the ball ' Provision has been made "for the throwing up on the free throw line a ball that is declared held under the basket or in the space behind the blackboard and between the fcul lines This will prevent a certain amount of crowding and Jockeying, which has become habitual In connection with balls thrown up close to the goal " This year a player ma re-enter the game after having been taken out as tho following will testify: "A player who has left the game except for dls qualification for four personal fouls or for other disqualifications, may re enter the game once This is In line With the practice that has been found so useful in football, and tends to make it easier for the team that is traveling with a small number of substitutes." RULES EXPLAINED Wlun a referee feels that ihe other players are crowding in on the two athletes jumping for the throwup ball, he has the authority to declare an "open zone" so thai tho two players may be' able to get the ball cleanly Into play. Chairman Raycroft, in his explanation explana-tion of the rules, says: "It is strongly desired to check the growing tendency on the part of some officials to overlook fouls that are cleverly commit com-mit ted and that are not always ap-parent ap-parent to the ordinary spectator, but : which serve lo give Ihe player com-' com-' milting the foul an Illegal advantage lover his opponent It is relatively easy I for an official to call a foul that Is open and flagrant, and the temptation ' Is strong to Ignore those that are elev-I elev-I erly concealed from all but a few who ' sre favorably situated and watching I closely. Nothing is more Important from the point of iew of good sport and tho ' best interests of the game, than that i the official should fearlessly combat this growing tendency by the prompt and strict penalties. Officials can depend de-pend on the heavy co-operation of the rules committee In their el forts to stamp out this illegal 'inside play'." |