Boxing Bevy

The term “box” is bountiful in sports. The word is used profusely in almost every athletic game we play. Since today is Boxing Day, let’s revisit the boxes we encounter in our favorite sports.
First, there’s the actual sport of boxing. The combative fist-fight competition is one dating back to ancient history. When I think of boxing, I think of red Everlast gloves, bloody noses and knockouts (KO’s). I think of jabs and uppercuts, Rocky movies and Ali’s rope-a-dope. Boxing was as American as any other sport in its heyday. Boxing developed an international following because fans embraced contenders like Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson and The Manassa Mauler, Jack Dempsey. The interest is waning in the sport today. Manny Pacquiao is the king of the sport in this 21st century society. I’d like to see boxing revived because it’s a true combat sport that requires physical skills, balance and good reflexes.
Box out is a term frequently used in basketball. Coaches team the proper technique of “boxing out” because defense and rebounding are imperative to the game. Boxing out requires a defensive player to make contact with the person they are guarding. Boxing out is protecting the hoop by drawing the player away from the basket. Good body positioning and pivoting are key to a successful box outs.
Most professional hockey players are familiar with the penalty box. It’s the area on the side of the rink where players who commit penalties must sit for a set number of minutes during a game. The infraction could be for hooking, tripping, cross-checking or interference. Nobody wants to be in the penalty box because it leaves your team short-handed on the ice unless both teams commit penalties.
The service box is of upmost importance in tennis. The left and right service boxes are divided by a center line and bounded off by the service line. Any serve landing within the box is playable. Players must aim their serve into the opposite diagonal box and avoid hitting the net. Service placement is so vital to being an effective tennis player.
Eight in the box defense is common in football. The alignment consists of eight of the eleven players near the line of scrimmage. Defensive lineman and linebackers are usually considered in the “box”, normally occupied by seven players. Coaches will call for an “eight in the box” defense against a strong running team to make a solid defensive front. It’s typical for a safety to leave his post and line up near the line of scrimmage in this formation.
The batter’s box is 36 inches wide. It’s the area where the batter must stand when receiving a pitch in a baseball game. When I played Little League, there were several kids who had trouble staying in the box. Many feared getting beaned, but stepping out of the box during a delivery is not permitted. As soon as a batter steps out of the box, the ball is dead and the batter is out. As you can see, the batter’s box has gigantic implications.

Parting Points: Cowboys lose a tight one on Christmas night…

Book for Sunday- “The Imperfectionists” by Tom Rachman