The "over-the-back" issue

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
Personally, I have never seen a match inside a cage (other than WWF), but I do remember the center jump after every basket.

Mark, did you get your basketball start as one of the guys who retrieved the ball from the peach basket after every score?

[Doug]

I was reading in a book that Joe Naismith (sp?) invented the game of basketball, just thought this was interesting, wonder if he knew what the effects of this would be, that it would be so popular. Just thought it fit well w/ the peach basket response to this post.

[Edited by Doug on Jan 22nd, 2002 at 07:37 PM]

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by Mark Dexter

Mark, did you get your basketball start as one of the guys who retrieved the ball from the peach basket after every score?

No. I started playing before peaches were invented. Many of you do not realize it, but the first basketballs were made of pterodactyl hide. Referees would paint stripes on their bodies with berry juice and the penalty for a technical foul was being hit on the head with a club (twice in NF). The first organized game ever played was between "The Guys From Og's Cave" and "The Guys From The Other Side Of The Glacier." Both teams wore "Air Og's". There was no final score because no one could understand the concept of counting. However, after the game, we all went to Starbucks, which was quite new at the time.

OK, I'll stop now.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Doug
I was reading in a book that Joe Naismith (sp?) invented the game of basketball, just thought this was interesting, wonder if he knew what the effects of this would be, that it would be so popular. Just thought it fit well w/ the peach basket response to this post.

[Edited by Doug on Jan 22nd, 2002 at 07:37 PM]

You mean James Naismith?

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
The first organized game ever played was between "The Guys From Og's Cave" and "The Guys From The Other Side Of The Glacier."

On a side note, today's coaches are directly descended from these two teams. By some oddity, none of the members of these families have evolved.

(In fact, some of the "howler monkeys" have actually de-evolved.) (Even though there's no such thing.)

[Doug]

the thing i was reading says joe, but I looked in other sources and you're right, it is james.

[Mark Dexter]

Could have been worse; you could have called him Joe Namath!!

[Doug]

Basketball is one of the most popular team sports in the world. Skill, not strength and speed, is the key. People of all ages play the game in school gyms, local men’s and women’s clubs or on outdoor concrete courts located in parks, in backyards or on driveways. Those with physical disabilities play wheelchair basketball. Men and women play the game professionally, some earning millions of dollars a year. This is certainly a far cry from James Naismith’s expectations when he nailed two peach baskets on opposite walls of a school gymnasium.


Canadian James Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, and was a graduate of McGill university and the Presbyterian Theological College. In 1891 one of the various courses assigned him teaching at the International Young Men’s Christian Training College in Springfield, Massachusetts, was physical education. Summer was over and he

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needed a way to keep a group of bored, trouble-making young men interested in their gym class. In those days phys-ed consisted of callisthenics, gymnastics and repetitive drills. Naismith, who was a true advocate of the adage, “healthy body, healthy mind”, was quite determined to get the young men in his class actively interested in

sports by coming up with a new indoor game for them to play.


At first he tried modifying aspects of soccer, lacrosse and football,but without success. He sat down and analysed what he would like to see in an indoor sport. Since he wanted no out-and-out rough-housing on the hardwood floor, he decided using a large ball about the size of a soccer ball would work. Next he decided that players would not be allowed the run with the ball, and that an elevated goal would make the game that much more challenging.


By December 21, 1891, Naismith had compiled a rough list of 13 basic rules, posted them on the school bulletin board and with the assistance of the janitor, nailed two peach baskets on opposite ends of the gymnasium. He even managed to convince the janitor to climb a ladder and retrieve the ball each time a player successfully landed it in a peach basket.


Students loved the game and it wasn’t long before schools and colleges across the country caught basketball fever and introduced the game to their own institutions. The last thing Naismith did was invent a name for his wildly successful game. A few of his students suggested Naismith-ball, but he decided that would never work and they eventually settled on basketball.


One of the greatest stories in basketball history is that of a Canadian women’s team called the “Grads”. The Edmonton Commercial Graduates were champions of the game from 1915-1940. Arenas all around the world were jammed when these six women came to play. During the years they ruled the courts they won an incredible 502 out of the 522 games they played. They claimed the title of world champions in a surprise victory over the Cleveland Favorite-Knits, then were North American Champions from 1923 - 1940. They played

in 4 Olympics winning all their games. The Grads overall winning average was calculated at an amazing 96%. These ladies greatest motivation was simply the pure love ofbasketball. As James Naismith stated, “they are the finest team that ever stepped out on a floor”.


James Naismith was eventually inducted into the Springfield Basketball Hall of Fame and received various other accolades for his achievement. A man of strong religious principles and one who loved sports, he could have never have envisioned what he gave to the world by inventing his simple game called basketball.

[BktBallRef]

What has any of this got to do with "over the back?"

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
What has any of this got to do with "over the back?"

Nothing; isn't that the point.

But, to get back to OTB . . . I've been trying the following semi-Davism lately:

A1 goes over B1 to grab a rebound but there is not enough contact for a foul.
Player/Captain:"Over the back, ref!"
Me:"No such thing."
P:"What do you mean, 'no such thing?' It's a foul!!!"
M:"Find it in the rule book and I'll pay you ten dollars."

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Doug

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Mark --

Does this guy work for Spitz, too?!

[daves]

I'm glad they didn't name it Naismithball. Can you imagine on a foul on a made basket? "Count the Naismith"

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by rainmaker

Mark --

Does this guy work for Spitz, too?!

No, he just spits.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
Actually, I started following basketball in the late 1950s when I used to watch the NBA on ABC (yes, they were on ABC in those days).

And they will be again next season, Mark. ABC and ESPN have part of the new NBA contract starting next season. Apparently, Disney had $6 billion it didn't need, or some ridiculous amount.

Why do you think they used to refer to basketball players as "cagers"?

Actually, this is true. Back in the early part of the 20th century, many games were actually played inside a wire cage (not on top, just the sides). That way, the ball never went OOB. Players would wind up with indentation marks all over their arms after the game.

The UMASS-Amherst teams played in a gym that was officially called the "Curry-Hicks Cage" until Calipari convinced them to build Mullins Arena about 10 years ago. Just thought I'd share

Chuck