Mechanics History Question

[PG_Ref]

Originally Posted by LRZ

As I remember, you always worked with the play to your right. In Billy Mac's diagram, the lead would key off of the trail, who would switch back to the left side of the court when play allowed.

WOW ... that really takes it back. I haven't heard a reference to reverse mechanics since I was in officiating kindergarten.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by LRZ

As I remember, you always worked with the play to your right. In Billy Mac's diagram, the lead would key off of the trail, who would switch back to the left side of the court when play allowed.

That's not really what I meant. But yes, it was that way when I started officiating back in the stone ages.

[LRZ]

Originally Posted by Rich

That's not really what I meant. But yes, it was that way when I started officiating back in the stone ages.

I understood, Rich, I was just adding that, when we worked that short bump & run, we also had the reverse mechanic situation.

Are we that old? Well, maybe, but I never wore long sleeves. Now, that's before my time.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by LRZ

I understood, Rich, I was just adding that, when we worked that short bump & run, we also had the reverse mechanic situation.

Are we that old? Well, maybe, but I never wore long sleeves. Now, that's before my time.

Not old, but I just finished year 27. Would've never guessed I'd be at it this long.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by LRZ

As I remember, you always worked with the play to your right.

Originally Posted by PG_Ref

... a reference to reverse mechanics since I was in officiating kindergarten.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The oldest book in my library is the 1996-97 NFHS Mechanics manual, and that's (above) the way it was done back then. I believe that it was done that way all the way back to 1979, when I started.

Originally Posted by PG_Ref

Anybody recollect what year the NFHS 2 person mechanic was changed to ..."when the ball goes out of bounds on the Lead's sideline above the free throw line extended, the L will move up to become the new T and the T will move down to become the new L"? My archive doesn't seem to go back that far.

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

Sounds good to me. Where's MTD, Sr when we need him?!

I started officiating boys'/girls' H.S. basketball in the 1971-72, women's jr. college and college basketball in the 1974-75 season, and men's jr. college in the 1993-94 season.


Therefore, the short answer () to PG-Ref's question is:

That it was the required mechanic for boys'/girls' H.S. and NCAA Men's (and NCAA Women's since the mid-1980's) since at least the 1971-72 season until the early 2000's (I am not going to climb up into the attic to search for the exact years) when the NFHS changed its throw-in mechanic; there was not need for the NCAA Men's/Women's to change the mechanic because by the time the NFHS made the change the CAA had stopped publishing Two-Person Mechanics manuals for the NCAA Men's/Women's basketball.


The NFHS changed its Front Court Side Line Throw-in mechanic in the early 2000's and it is still the mechanic today:

1) If the Throw-in spot is on the L's Side Line below the Free Throw Line extended the L will administer shall administer by using a bounce pass to pass the ball to the Thrower who is at the Throw-in spot.

2) If the Throw-in spot is above the Free Throw Line extended then the officials will rotate with the old L becoming the new T and the old T will become the new L.


I should further note that in the late 1980's women's college officials (meaning the rank-and-file and not the NCAA and the CAA) adopted an unofficial mechanic for the Throw-in situation in PG-Ref's question:

1) If the Throw-in spot was on the L's Side Line below the Free Throw Line extended the officials would rotate with the old L becoming the new T and the old T becoming the new L.

2) If the Throw-in spot was on the L's Side Line above the Free Throw Line extended the old T would go across the Court and become the new T.

3) If the Throw-in spot was at the Free Throw Line extended: (a) if the L wanted to administer the Throw-in he would immediately move to the Side Line to become the new T; and (b) if the L did not want to administer the Throw-in he would stay on the End Line thereby making the T go across the Court and become the new T.

Of course "bald old geezer" like men, when we were the L, would always stand on the End Line and count the rafter situation (3b), ! To this day, I still use the unofficial mechanic and have taught it to Mark, Jr.


If anybody has questions about "left-handed mechanics", "Cadillac", "reverse mechanics", and "right-handed" mechanics, you will have to buy my $50 dissertation, .

MTD, Sr.