But, ...but...
 

...Approved mechanic pictures show the right arm goes up.
How do you get to the end of the tournament with mechanics like that?!!!! ;)

Being Left-handed, I struggled for a while, but I attribute the right-handed strike, and out, as the reason for my right arm being dominant on stop-clocks and fouls.

Reporting, directions, spots, timing and chops are pretty much ambi-handed.
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Never go across the body with a direction signal, without kicking yourself in the behind.

I've been a baseball umpire for a long time, so I like the freedom to raise whatever hand I want when I work basketball.

I always raise the "correct" hand on an out-of-bounds play -- that habit was drilled into me. By correct I mean the one that lets me use the same hand to point the direction without coming across my body or looking awkward.

Fouls? Both hands. Don't know which I use most of the time. Bad habit of not birddogging in NFHS games, so I can't even know for sure which I use most of the time.

Rich

Re: But, ...but...
 

mick,
It's a mystery isn't it?
After all of the strikes and outs that I've called, you'd think it would be easy.
I just can't get that arm up there for some reason. Luckily the "end of the tournament" people havn't noticed my handicap.

Tony: Thanks for the info re: NC. You are right, we only stopped the clock. Kind of funny the first time I used it because we had to "tune it" to the sound of the Fox 40. Tested it in the gym a couple of times before the game to make sure it picked up properly.

I use either hand depending on my location on the court and the direction we will be going. I am right handed but I learned to use my left quite a bit about 5 years ago when I had a cast on my right wrist (slipped on a bad floor in a private school gym). You learn to use your left hand because you don't want to signal player control with a cast on your wrist.

My personal preferences...

Use the outside hand to signal OOB and don't "traffic cop" (switch hands) on any OOB calls.

On fouls I try to pop the fist up with the hand away from the lane as lead or away from the foul as T or C.

I report to the table with my left hand, NEVER with both. Just take your time and use good verbage on dupicate numbers like 55, 44 etc..etc..