Slapping the Backboard: Historical Inquiry

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

10-4-4-B: A player shall not: Illegally contact the backboard/ring by: Intentionally slapping or striking the backboard or causing the ring to vibrate while a try or tap for field goal is in flight or is touching the backboard or is in the basket or in the cylinder above the basket.

2019-20 above. 1996-97 (the oldest book in my library) below:

10-3-6: A player shall not: Slap or strike either backboard or cause either ring to vibrate while the ball is in flight during try or tap or is touching the backboard or is in the basket or in the cylinder above the basket ...

[BillyMac]

2000-01 NFHS 10-3-6-B: A player shall not: While a try or tap is in flight or is touching the backboard or is in the basket or in the cylinder above the basket, intentionally slap or strike the backboard or cause the ring to vibrate.

Comments On The 2000-01 Rules Revisions

Clarification Of Illegal Contact With The Backboard (10-3-6): Clarified illegal contact on the backboard by stating that a player shall not ... while a try or tap is in flight or is touching the backboard or is in the basket or in the cylinder above the basket, intentionally slap or strike the backboard or cause the ring to vibrate. The previous rule was difficult to understand and consequently was being called incorrectly and/or inconsistently.

Play: A1 tries for a goal and scores. B1 jumps to black the shot but misses the block and touches the backboard after the ball passes his/her hand and into the basket. Ruling: The goal counts. No technical foul is called. The purpose of the rule is to penalize intentional or deliberate contact with the backboard. Contact that occurs incidentally in playing the game is permitted.

[BillyMac]

If my memory serves me correctly, previous to 2000-01, when "intentionally" was added to the rule, officials had to observe and note if the ring vibrated (or not) due to a slap or strike on the backboard while the ball is in flight during try or tap.

Back then, before the rule change, if the ring vibrated, be it by an intentional, deliberate, incidental, or accidental slap, or strike, a technical foul was charged.

Of course, back in ancient times, most backboards were bolted to the walls of the gymnasium, and didn't hang from the ceiling, or from free standing stanchions.

It would take a major earthquake to vibrate most backboards back then.

Am I right Mark T. DeNucci, Sr?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

It would take a major earthquake to vibrate most backboards back then.

More backboard history:

Darryl Dawkins (NBA 1975-1989), the Philadelphia 76ers six foot, eleven inch, 251 pound center, in a game against the Kansas City Kings at Municipal Auditorium on November 13, 1979 dunked and broke the backboard sending the King’s Bill Robinzine ducking away. Three weeks later he did it again, this time at home against the San Antonio Spurs at the Spectrum. Thus, Dawkins became famous for his backboard shattering dunks and is credited for being the player to cause the NBA to introduce breakaway rims. Breakaway rims are now an essential element of the game of basketball. A broken backboard or distorted rim could delay a game for hours. In 1981 the NFHS adopted specifications for breakaway rims.

Shaquille O'Neal (LSU 1989-1992, NBA 1992-2011) a seven foot, one inch, 325 pound center, was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA. O'Neal dunked with so much power that he broke the steel supports holding backboards during games against the New Jersey Nets and the Phoenix Suns while playing for the Orlando Magic during the 1992–93 NBA season. This prompted the NBA to increase the strength and stability of the backboard supports and change the stanchion design for the following 1993–94 season. The NFHS added backboard support specifications to the rules in 1996-97.

[BillyMac]

More backboard history.

My town had the first glass backboards Connecticut. They're still in the ancient building that used to be the high school that is now an elementary school where recreation and travel games are now played.

A teacher colleague of mine played basketball at this former high school. The entry to the gymnasium was on the endline directly under the backboard. As visiting fans entered the gym they would all take a few seconds to look at these amazing glass backboards.

Oddly, only a part of the backboard was glass. It was wood from the bottom of the backboard to the level of the ring. The ring was attached to the wood portion. It was glass from that level to the top of the backboard.