Since the appearance of the BAA (former name of the NBA) in 1946, personal fouls are counted and are distinguished from technical fouls. After six, a player is automatically excluded.
Certain rules unknown to everyone (or almost) have nevertheless led to crazy situations, such as when Robert Sacre continued to play despite his six faults, in February 2014.
Indeed, the NBA regulations stipulating that there must always be 10 players on a floor, the one who was then playing for the Lakers was forced to stay in play because his franchise had only four “valid” elements. The only constraint in this case: each additional personal fault committed by the player supposed to be expelled leads to a technical fault (and therefore free throws).
A “garbage time” in which everyone is distracted
On November 13, 1999, Cal Bowdler would, however, exceed the authorized threshold of six personal fouls, setting a record since the establishment of the 24-second clock, during the 1954-55 season. And it wasn’t due to a lack of players – but rather an error in counting by the referees and scorer’s table officials. Without suspecting that their interior would write its name in the history books, the Hawks moved that evening to Oregon to challenge the Blazers.
Already bent at halftime (76-44 in favor of Portland), this meeting allowed the usual Atlanta substitutes to benefit from much more playing time. Among them, we therefore find Cal Bowdler and this one will deliver a terrible copy in almost 15 minutes. Naively exceeded at each of his interventions, the 17th choice of the 1999 Draft accumulates personal faults and offers several “and-ones” to his opponents, including Jermaine O’Neal and Joe Kleine.
Entering the game 3 minutes 30 from the end of the third quarter, the rookie takes his first whistle a minute later. He then started the fourth quarter with two new fouls in two minutes. Then it’s the turn of Bonzi Wells and Greg Anthony to blame the strong winger of the Hawks who now has a total of five.
2 minutes 50 from the end of the match, Jermaine O’Neal causes Cal Bowdler’s sixth foul and gets the “and-one” as a bonus. Supposed to be excluded, the interior of Atlanta finally takes advantage of the lack of attention of the referees and the officials of the scorer’s table to stay in the game! Before concluding his “masterpiece” with his seventh and final foul, still on Jermaine O’Neal, two minutes later. He leaves the floor for good, 50 seconds from the end of the game.
A precedent to note: Don Otten
Upon arrival, Cal Bowdler finished with an improbable stat sheet: 2 points, 2 rebounds and 7 fouls, in 15 minutes. In history, no one counts as many faults as the former strong winger of the Hawks, since the 1954-55 season and the introduction of the 24-second clock. “Since the 1954-55 season and the introduction of the 24-second clock” because, in reality, a player has done even better before: Don Otten.
On November 24, 1949, the man who then wore the tunic of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (which would later become the… Atlanta Hawks) actually committed eight fouls against the Sheboygan Red Skins (now defunct). By taking advantage, this time, of this point of regulation authorizing players supposed to be expelled to continue playing so that there are always the 10 required on a floor.
Either way, these two records – differentiated by the presence (or not) of the 24-second clock – will probably never be broken, unless referees and officials are again distracted…
