Pick A Ball, Any Ball ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I once started a girl's game with a boy's ball. A player complained between the first and second period. I was the referee, and the tosser, and I was very embarrassed.

Knowing that it happened in both an NCAAW Division I game and NCAAM Division I game makes it a little less embarrassing for me, but only just a little.

Back in ancient times, when the smaller girl's ball was first used, the first local guy to mix up the balls was a friend of mine, a great official. Even without any internet back then, word spread very quickly. He never lived it down. We were all still discussing it at his wake.

I recently told this story to a young official. He was completely unaware that in ancient times there was only one size basketball for both genders.

I'm getting old.