OK, the second reason for the "division line" is....

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Does anyone know when the prohibition against returning to the backcourt was put in?

It's possible that that rule predates the 10-second limit, and thus could have been the original reason for the introduction of the division line on the boys side.

If that's true, then in order to Ref Ump Welsch's argument to hold up the backcourt restriction would have to have entered the game post 1920. It's possible that he using the wrong rule from the boys' side for comparison.

I have done some fairly extensive searching on this topic. Thus far, each of the references to the division line, 10-second limit in the back court, and prohibition of returning into the back court appear to have been put in at the same time (I have seen multiple references to 1933 and another one references 1936). All have grouped the 10-second limit and the back court prohibition, together.

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Does anyone know when the prohibition against returning to the backcourt was put in?

It's possible that that rule predates the 10-second limit, and thus could have been the original reason for the introduction of the division line on the boys side.

If that's true, then in order to Ref Ump Welsch's argument to hold up the backcourt restriction would have to have entered the game post 1920. It's possible that he using the wrong rule from the boys' side for comparison.

Nevadaref,
I found yet another "History of Basketball" publication that stated that the division line and the 10-second limit were put in at the same time -- 1933. Interestingly, this publication also indicated that about the same time, the girls game began dividing the court into two sections rather than three.