The “Rebounder” Rim
- George Konstantinidis
- Jan 31, 2024
- 2 min read
One big change that made basketball more fun was the Breakaway Rim. It lets players do dunks without breaking the hoop or backboard. Fans love watching these awesome plays.
But the hoop in basketball was not always like the modern days. It has changed a lot over time, making the game better. When basketball started in 1891, they used peach baskets as goals. But it was a problem because every time a team scored, someone had to climb up and get the ball. It slowed down the game.
In 1892, they removed the bottom of the peach basket, so the ball could fall through after a score. This made the game a bit smoother, but players still needed a long stick to get the ball out, which was annoying. Then, they added metal hoops and nets to catch the ball, making the game faster.
The Breakaway Rim was a big improvement in the 1980s. It bends and comes back into place when players dunk or put force on it. This helps avoid injuries and damage to the backboard. It also allows for more exciting plays near the hoop.
Back in the early days of basketball, dunking was seen as not very gentlemanly, and it was rarely done outside of practice. A broken backboard or bent rim could stop a game for hours. But in the 1970s, players like Julius Erving and David Thompson made dunking popular, increasing the need for flexible rims. (source wikipedia)
A guy named Arthur Ehrat, who didn't know much about basketball, is credited with inventing the Breakaway Rim. His nephew, a basketball coach, asked for help in designing a rim that could handle slam dunks. Using a spring from a John Deere cultivator, Ehrat made a rim that could bend and come back after 125 pounds of force. He called it "The Rebounder." (source wikipedia)
In the end, the changes in the basketball rim design have made the game safer, faster, and more exciting. This has played a big part in making basketball the popular sport it is today.