Air ball

In basketball, an air ball is an unblocked shot which misses the basket, the rim, and the backboard entirely.[5]

Origin

The Oxford English Dictionary cites earliest printed use of "air ball" in a 29 January 1967 article from the (Hayward, Calif.) Daily Review, which reads: "Cal State, four times lofting air balls at an orange basket that may as well have been painted invisible."[6]

An air ball by an opposing player during a competitive game will usually prompt fans (primarily in the college game) present to chant “Aiiiir ball! Aiir ball!” repeatedly in a continuous drone to humiliate the shooter. Since the 1980s, it has become common to restart the chant the next time the shooter touches the ball.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Air Ball". sportingcharts.com.
  2. ↑ "Definition of air ball". merriam-webster.com.
  3. ↑ "air ball". oxforddictionaries.com.
  4. ↑ "air ball". dictionary.com.
  5. ↑ Definitions:
    • SportingCharts: Unblocked, doesn't touch the rim or the backboard.[1]
    • Merriam Webster: Completely misses the basket, rim, and backboard.[2]
    • Oxford: Misses the basket and backboard entirely.[3]
    • dictionary.com: Missed shot that fails to touch the rim, net, or backboard.[4]
  6. ↑ "air, n. 1". OED Online. Oxford UP. Retrieved 1 December 2012. (subscription required)
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