[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I do not have the 1963-64 rule book in front of me (yes, I really do have a copy of it) and unfortunately I do not have a copy of the 1962-63 rule book.

Prior to the 1963-64 season the rules (Rule 2, Officials) specifically allowed the officials to either stop the game or prevent the ball from being put into play to allow a player to tie his/her shoelaces. The rules deletion was made starting with the 1963-64 season. The Rules Editor made an editorial comment concerning this deletion. The comment specifically said the the deletion was made to prevent officials from either stopping the game or preventing the ball from being put into play to allow a player to tie his/her shoelaces.

The fact that it was once in the rules and then was deleted along with an editorial comment regarding the deletion is the reason that one will not find the rules reference in the rules book. The only reference to not allowing officials to stop play or withhold the ball from play with regard to a player's shoelaces in the NFHS/NCAA rules books is in the NFHS Basketball Handbook (go the section of the book that gives a year-by-year synopsis of the rules changes).

Contrary to popular belief, an untied shoe is not a safety hazard. A player is responsible for his equipment. If that player wants to tie his shoe there is nothing in the rules that says he cannot tie his shoe while the game is being played. To stop the game or withhold the ball from play for even ten seconds gives a player's team an unfair advantage that the rules do not want the team to have. And stopping the game so that a player can tie his shoe is not the same as an official stopping a game to tie his shoe.

Play: Team A likes to fast break every chance it can. Team B likes to press every chance it can. B1 scores, and B2 wants to tie his shoe. The official stops the game so the B2 can tie his shoe. Team A loses its chance to start a fast break before Team B can set up its press defense, and Team B gets to set up its press defense. This is the type of advantage by Team B that the Rules Committee wanted to prevent.

I am going to take a lot of flak for what I am about to say, but I cannot remember ever having one of my shoes come untied while officiating, and this is my 31st year officiating basketball. I am not going to say that a player's shoes or an official's shoes should never come untied during a game, but when shoes are tied properly, they should not come untied. My sons are 9 and 12 and have been playing basketball since they were five years old, and cannot remember the last time one of their shoes came untied during a game and I have seen all of their games this season.

The fact of the matter, is that the Rules Committee does not want officials to stop the game to allow the player to tie his/her shoe. There is nothing difficult about enforcing the rule.