Throughout history, sports have constantly evolved significantly. While some of these changes were merely done to improve their athleticism, some went through major fundamental changes in their rulebook. These changes were done for safety or simply to make the sport more exciting and engaging. In this article, we will tell you about the 4 sports that rewrote their own rules forever, transforming the way they were played.
Basketball
Basketball faced a professional crisis in the early 1950s. Teams would often stall, holding the ball for minutes at a time, leading to slow-paced games, which hindered fan interest. Danny Biasone then came up with a revolutionary idea: the 24-second shot clock. It was first implemented in the NBA in the 1954-55 season, which required teams to attempt a shot within 24 seconds of possession. This rule resulted in immediate and dramatic results, with the average team scores jumping from 79.5 to 93.1 points per game in just one season. This rule is the reason basketball is such an engaging and fast-paced game that we enjoy today, making it top the list of sports that rewrote their own rules.
Football
Football’s rules have undergone several major revisions, each of them fundamentally altering the course of the game. Originally, the game allowed any attacking player to possess the ball, which made it difficult to score. In 1866, the rule was relaxed to slow an attacker to be onside as long as three defenders were between him and the goal. This rule was further reduced to two defenders in 1925, which opened up the game. These changes encouraged more attacking play and higher scores, making it one of the 4 sports that rewrote their own rules.
American Football
American Football’s identification was forever changed by the legalisation of the forward pass. The game resembled Rugby in its initial years, with teams primarily running the ball. The forward pass was legalised in 1906 in college football to reduce injuries and open up the play. Further, in 1933, it was allowed from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage, which changed the roots of American Football, making it a must-have in the list of sports that rewrote their own rules.
High Jump
Sometimes, a single athlete is enough to change the fundamentals of a sport. In 1968 Olympics, Dick Fosbury introduced a new technique called the “Fosbury Flop,” which was so effective that it became a standard practice, and today, all the high jumpers are seen using it. Fosbury’s innovation forced the sport to adapt to his new technique and made it one of the sports that rewrote their own rules.
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