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B*. DR. JAMES NAISMITHV '•Father** of iho Gtnethe role of center today is the hardest tosuccessfully ftil— in fact far more difficult than that of forward or guard. For the center, besides doing his part In starting plays when the hail is tossed up in the middle of th*' floor, must he both an efficient guard as well a possessing the basket-shooting qualifications of a forward.In match games the forwards' positions are under thy basket or in the vicinity, the guards* place ?* at lit* opponents’ goal, but the center must be everywhere. Besides guarding his individual opponent he must aid in preventing others of the opposing team from s* oring and when the ball is in the territory or his own team, he must be around the goal ready to try for baskets as opportunity demands.Thus in these plays which I am presenting here, it will be seen that these are the first formations in which the center Is the objective point. These are known as “forward to center in the opposite forward’s position.** If you have several candidates for center position on your team and would ascertain which is fastest, try them oiit individually at this combination. It Is the best test I know* for speed, because of the fact that the center after “jumping'* the sphere to hisIf there was such a resolution it was made only to be broken, for his bout with Wolgast on Friday night at Los Angeles appears to have been his worst case of buncoing the public. '— S-Sydney Synod May Be Wrong.The cable dispatclies -ay tirn the ‘ . Synod, which Is presumably abunch” of ministers, has filed a protest against the coming fight between Jack Johnson and'Tommy Bums, it w*U take something stronger than ^ protest to convince a great majority of American fight fans that these iwlt;* worthies hare any Intention of fighting.The center holds his position to the right of th** goal, after attempting to score, forward No. 1 takes a place direct!v front of the goal, thus covering all points toward which the sphere mav bounce after a possible failure in the center effort to lodge the leather within the-t.It will be noticed that jn these plans for defense after the try for the goal hult; been made the player who passes the bail to the basket-thrower from the farthest point away from the net. takes up the position nearest him to save loss of time.As a consequence in this da gram the forward who throws tiie hall to th* center, in t’ge defense plan takes up a ppftitlofi directly In front of the goal. I have evolved the.se formations in that manner in order that there may be no unnecessary waste of effort or precious time in reaching positions oU vantage after the proscribed formation has been carried out.One plan which I have Injected into the arrangement of these plays is the everpresent feature of being able to carry the formation a pass or two farther, if necessary. Supposing the center is blocked in the effort to score by an opposing guard or bis own individual opponent. It is an easy matter teo shoot the sphere to forward No. 2. on the opposite side of the goal, or to forward No. 1, who is running down the floor to take his position directly in front of the basket. I? forward No. 2 is blocked after catching the sphere be may shoot the ball to forward No. 1 on the run. thus working the plan of defense to advantage as an offensive tactic. Constant defensive sides, etc.. mav be relied upon to put a team in great shape for the opening of the basketball year.In these two plays where the centerfigures most prominently there is no better ?elt;*t 0f strength, endurance and spe*d brought forth. There arc many qualifications necessary in developing a center Ir the first place, he should be tall and able to jump high into the air. Second, he should have exceptionally fine wind. ’ and third, an accurate eye for baskets HetCopyrignr. 1305. W Joseph B. Bowles.)• m *• •• Tg o «* •3—CENTfcR IS HARDEST POSITIONWhen ! evolved the game of basketball many years ago, three men played the center position, but committee* «»f which 1 have be?n a member, since Thai time.have seen fit to lessen the congestion ofthe playing area and as a consequence the center of today does the work of all the men eliminated, originally th* re were nine men upon teams -three centers, three forwards and three guards. Then one forward and owe guard were taken from the line-up and finally the teams reduced to quintets by having but a ‘•ingle center.Of course even in those days when nine men cjmposcd basket ball trim* the center jumped for the ball in the middle of the Honor, the other men playing at his side being known as center-forwards. Because of the elimination of these positions,forward must be exceptionally fast to getaround his man and be in the opposite forward's place at the same instant that forward No. 1 (as in the diagram to the left) shoots the ball in his direction.In the first play denoted by the diagram. the center slaps the ball to forward No. 1 at his left-hand side. T]*enthe center spurts* for the position of forward No. 2. where he arrives at the same instant the ball does and attempts a goal, the sphere having been passed diagonally across the floor. The instant the center knocks the bali to forward No. 1. forward No. 2 vacates his position and takes that which, until a moment before, was occupied by No. 1. That defends the goal in case of a carom from the basket or board back of It to the left-hand side.
Newspaper Details
Salt Lake City Herald
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Sun, Dec 20, 1908
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WV, USA 02 May 2020
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