Chewing Gum

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by scottk_61
To Mark,
In 1980 and 81, I called games in Ohio and gum as well as hard candy was banned.
Looking back through some old stuff, even back then Ohio emphasized the girls fingernails...which was years ahead of most states.
Maybe you weren't aruond then, I was in Southern Ohio then being a crossover official from another state.
There was also an emphasis back then on making the players keep their jerseys tucked in.

I don't know where you were in 80 and 81 but I know where I was.
The issue really stood out to me then, because I was relatively new to HS officiating and I didn't understand the rationale behind some of the rules at the time.
That is when I learned the phrase, "purpose and intent" in regard to rule development.

I have been a registered basketball official in Ohio since the 1971-72 school year and I can tell you in no uncertain terms, that the OhioHSAA does not ban players from chewing gum while playing basketball nor has it ever had such a ban in place in all of the years that I have been registered by the OhioHSAA. Anybody that told you in 1980 and 1981 that players could not chew gum in Ohio was wrong.