13 Rules of Basketball
- Written by James Naismith
- The ball may be thrown in any direction with
one or both hands.
- The ball may be batted in any direction with
one or both hands, but never with the fist.
- A player cannot run with the ball. The
player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be
made for a man running at good speed.
- The ball must be held by the hands.
The arms or body must not be used for holding it.
- No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking
or tripping in any way of an opponent. The first infringement of this rule
by any person shall count as a foul; the second shall disqualify him until
the next goal is made or, if there was evident intent to injure the person,
for the whole of the game. No substitution shall be allowed.
- A foul is striking at the ball with the
fist, violations of Rules 3 and 4 and such as described in Rule 5.
- If either side makes three consecutive fouls
it shall count as a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the
opponents in the meantime making a foul).
- A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown
or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those
defending the goal do no touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the
edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
- When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall
be thrown into the field and played by the first person touching it. In case
of dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in
is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent.
If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on
them.
- The umpire shall be the judge of the men and
shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls
have been made. He shall have power to disqualify men according to Rule 5.
- The referee shall be judge of the ball and
shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs,
and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep
account of the goals, with any other duties that are usually performed by a
referee.
- The time shall be two fifteen-minute halves,
with five minutes rest between.
- The side making the most goals in that time
shall be declared the winner.
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