Fun With Held Ball Signals ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Have you never started to go up with your "fist" because, in your judgement, you had a Foul only to realize you have a Held Ball?

95% of the time, when I want to stop the clock (fist, or hand) I use my left hand.

And 95% of the time, I'm counting (five seconds, ten seconds) with my right hand.

For me, it's my perfect comfort zone for these signals.

Only exception is when I change counts (five seconds to ten seconds on backcourt inbound; five second closely guarded holding to five second closely guarded dribbling, and vice versa) and change hands (as IAABO mechanics require) when I may end up counting with my left hand.

If a foul, or a violation, occurs during this awkward and uncomfortable (for me) left hand counting, I may use my right hand to stop the clock, leading to another awkward and uncomfortable moment for me, occasionally getting me flustered enough to give an incorrect stop the clock signal (fist instead of hand, or vice versa), most often on a "surprise" (often hand behind head player control) foul.

Oddly, I'm fairly ambidextrous when it come to me chopping in time.

As a child, knowing that it wasn't a left hander's world, I believe that my parents encouraged me to using my right hand. I write (poorly), bat, and eat with my right hand; and throw, and brush my teeth, with my left hand.

My wife and I did the same thing with one of my daughters, which is why she ended up being only a four tool softball player, couldn't throw to save her life, forever relegated to left field, or second base. She became an expert at hitting the cutoff man, her "best friend" in the game. Some good news, softball coach found it very easy to add switch slap hitter/drag bunter to her repertoire.

All four of my grandsons are left handed, or show left handed tendencies. I tell my kids to just leave them alone. Buy them left handed scissors, and left handed spiral notebooks.