This post is brought to you by Big Red Sports Network. View the original post here.
This week in the year the stock market crashed and teams across the Northeast experimented with getting rid of the tip-off at center court after each basket. In the past, players met in the center for a jump ball after each basket, which gave advantage to taller players or players who were better jumpers. With the new rule, teams experimented by giving alternate free passes from the sideline at center-court.
Other reasons for eliminating the jump balls included the violent physicality tip-offs used to involve, the inconsistency in the toss made by the official and the frequent violations made and injuries incurred in the action.
Today, of course, after a basket the ball returns to play through a pass-in for the team that gave up the basket from the endline below the basket that team is defending. The first time the tip-off at center was eliminated was in the season-opening game between Colgate and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, but Cornell would be included in the experiment the same season.
