What's an "air dribble"?

[EL]

We came across this in our manual and no one could definately say they knew what it was. Would like to hear your best guess or if know for sure, let us know.

[b_silliman]

Wow!

That's a term I have not heard in a long time. So long, that despite spending 5 minutes trying to recover it from the old computer in my head, I can't remember the situation when we would call a violation.

How about the AlaskaRef. Do you remember?

[bob jenkins]

Isn't that the term for batting the ball up in the air (instead of to the ground) and touching it again before it touches the ground? It's a violation, if the pivot foot is moved.

[Tony Stephens]

Isn't an "Air Dribble" what they used way back in the beginning of basketball. They could bat the ball in the air all the way down the court as long as it did not come to rest in the hand. I remember reading that somewhere, you know, studying how basketball got started!

[Camron Rust]

The air dribble:

Back in the early days of the game, players were not allowed to run while holding hte ball (travel). The only known option was to pass the ball. The dribble was not yet invented. Some clever player(s) figured that the could get around this rule and began repeatedly batting the ball into the air in order to run with the ball but not while holding the ball. This would look like a juggler with only one ball. The player would not actually catch the ball, however, as the juggler would. At some point along the way (I'm not sure of the actual sequence) the dribble as we know it was invented. It was, at some point, determined that the air dribble provided too much advantage and the rule was added (as is still listed) to state that the ball may still be batted into the air but the ball must hit the floor before it could be touched again.

[This message has been edited by Camron Rust (edited January 07, 2000).]

[Alaska Ref]

Silliman,

Yes i remember the term, i believe that it was batting the ball and running to catch it again.(i think) Hey before my time!

EL,

I have this old saying, "if you can't explain it don't call it".



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Don

[Jerry McClain Jr]

An "Air Dribble" if there is such a definition would be a legal dribble that is bounced high in the air, probably above the head, and is recovered in a continued legal dribbling motion, just as long as the hand never turns underneath the ball, therefore, you have no violation. This term was probably originated from a fans interpretation of a legal dribble that may have been unusual in a game situation where there was no call. This is my guess.

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Jerry McClain, Jr