The ball goes out of bounds when it crosses the line drawn about the field of play. When this happens it is returned by the side first holding it. The man who "throws" it in may do this by bounding the ball in, or by throwing it to some one on the field, or by rolling it in. He is allowed five seconds in which to do this, and if he holds the ball longer, it goes to the opposing side. If the referee is in doubt as to which side first held the ball, he throws it in himself.
A goal is counted when the ball is thrown or batted from the ground into the basket directly, or by a rebound from the sides, and stays there. If it bounces out there is no goal; but if while the ball is on the edge of the basket the basket is moved by an opponent, a goal shall be scored. The time of play is forty minutes, divided into two halves of twenty minutes each, and the side scoring the greatest number of goals in this time wins.
The officials of the game are a referee, two umpires, a scorer, and a time-keeper. The referee is judge of the ball, and decides when it is in play, to whom it belongs, and when a goal has been made. He also appoints the time-keeper. The umpires are the judges of the men, call fouls, notify offenders, and have the right to disqualify players. A foul called by one umpire may not be questioned by the other. A great deal of responsibility thus rests upon the umpires, for it is in their power to keep roughness out of the game, and to see that science rather than brute force becomes the chief road to success.
It is evident that basket-ball is a game capable of great scientific development. It is by no means child's play. It is a sport in which team-work counts fully as much as in football, and where individual brilliancy must become secondary to concerted effort. This very season, in several important games, the value of team-play has been made evident, and its superiority has been conclusively shown. Basket-ball is certainly a game to be favored. It is the ideal competitive sport for gymnasium recreation; and for dwellers in cities, who must nowadays get most of their exercise in a gymnasium, it ought to be welcomed with enthusiasm.
At Andover there seems to be some hesitancy about joining the interscholastic league newly organized by Lawrenceville and the Hill School. Andover's objection seems to be valid, being based on the fact that she already belongs to the New England I. S. A. A., and is in a dual league with Worcester. This brings Andover also into the National Association, and a large faction in the school considers that those applications will furnish all the opportunities for contests that the team will be able to accept.
The Graduate.
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.