Quote:
Originally Posted by PaREF
While it may be that the rule encompasses players removing their uniforms in disgust, the main purpose of the rule was to address players changing from warmups to uniforms at the beginning of games. When the NFHS added this rule, it was added for all sports, not just basketball.
Not that long ago, players often warmed up wearing one shirt while leaving their uniform on the bench. After warmups and prior to the start of the game, they would go to the bench, remove their warmup shirt, and then don their uniform shirt. It seems that there enough complaints from spectators, parents, etc. who were "offended" by the sight of so much skin that the NFHS decided to incorporate the rule about not removing uniform shirts within the visual confines of the court/field.
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I officiated my first games 18 years ago, and played hs ball from the late 80s through early 90s. I have never, not once, seen or heard of a basketball team doing this. By my education, "often" requires at least once. Maybe we have different definitions, or at least different definitions of "not that long ago." But this rule is far more recent than my high school days, so I would need some more evidence to buy into the idea that the rule was for that purpose.