Endline vs. Baseline

[chseagle]

Thanks to my watching College Hoops, I've been hearing almost every commentator call the endline the "baseline".

By which name should it be universally known by?

Which do you prefer & why?

When I hear the term "baseline" I am thinking that baseball is being played

[Back In The Saddle]

I'm bilingual. I'm good with calling it either.

[chseagle]

So you speak both basketball & beisbol?

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

I'm bilingual. I'm good with calling it either.

[Judtech]

Originally Posted by chseagle

So you speak both basketball & beisbol?

I do speak BaseKetBall!

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

Unfortunately, you were taught wrong. Baseball fields have foul lines and runners can establish their base path but there are no baselines in baseball.

Which is just as stupid since they're actually "fairlines."

[bainsey]

I recently looked up both of these in NCAA, NBA, and FIBA rulebooks online.

The NBA rules uses both "baseline" and "endline." I could only find "endline" in NCAA and FIBA rules. Of course, NFHS just uses "endline."

[grunewar]

I'm an endline kind of guy as that's what I've been taught and that's what our books and manuals say. I was "corrected" for the misuse of the other term several yrs back and have now become a proponent for using the correct terminology - which IMO is very important for officials.

I was taught "there are only baselines on the baseball field, not on the basketball court."

That being said, we've had this discussion before, as officials, we have much bigger fish to fry than this......

[chseagle]

I was curious cause of the so-called "all knowing" commentators using improper terminology (according to the books/manuals).

Originally Posted by grunewar

I'm an endline kind of guy as that's what I've been taught and that's what our books and manuals say. I was "corrected" for the misuse of the other term several yrs back and have now become a proponent for using the correct terminology - which IMO is very important for officials.

I was taught "there are only baselines on the baseball field, not on the basketball court."

That being said, we've had this discussion before, as officials, we have much bigger fish to fry than this......

[Camron Rust]

Baseline may not be the precise word as is used in the rulebook but there is no need to worry about which word to use in this case....it is completely unlike other unofficial words such as "over-the-back" or "reaching". Neither baseline nor endline convey any different meaning relative to the other; they are precise synonyms of each other. EVERYONE knows exactly what you're talking about no matter which one you use.

Merriam-Webster dictionary (and several others) also define it to mean the ends of the basketball court.

Also, one of the sides of a rectangle is properly called the "base". The basketball court is a rectangle.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Merriam-Webster dictionary (and several others) also define it to mean the ends of the basketball court.

Also, one of the sides of a rectangle is properly called the "base".

And the base of a rectangle is dependent upon which side is the base.

MTD, Sr.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I was taught "there are only baselines on the baseball field, not on the basketball court."

Unfortunately, you were taught wrong. Baseball fields have foul lines and runners can establish their base path but there are no baselines in baseball.

[VaTerp]

As a coach we always used baseline. As an official, the correct term is endline but I often hear both used.

In the end, it doesn't really matter since the meaning is the exact same and I have never heard any confusion/complaints as a result of the use of either.

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by VaTerp

As a coach we always used baseline. As an official, the correct term is endline but I often hear both used.

In the end, it doesn't really matter since the meaning is the exact same and I have never heard any confusion/complaints as a result of the use of either.

This is absolutely true. As a player, and later as a coach, the end lines have always been referred to as the baseline. I am fairly confident that MTD is correct in that the origin came from the fact that the rectangular court has a "base" line at its bottom.

As a defender, we never wanted to give the offensive player the "baseline" (i.e. get beat to the basket along the end line). Yet, you cannot find the term "baseline" in the Rules Book.

As has been pointed out, these two terms are synonyms. When talking to fellow officials, using the term "end line" is best. When talking to coaches or players, using the term "base line" is most understood.

Some officials are very particular that we, as officials, use the proper term and it is up to the coaches to figure out the rules book (by reading it). Personally, I have far too many things about which I am concerned to be worried about this particular debate.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

Unfortunately, you were taught wrong. Baseball fields have foul lines and runners can establish their base path but there are no baselines in baseball.

To add to that, there are "baselines" on the basketball court.

[Welpe]

End Line is proper but you probably won't hear it much outside of officials talking to one another. I tend to use baseline when communicating with players and coaches.

I don't expect much in terms of rules knowledge when it comes to common-taters.