Paul D. Estlund

From Hoopedia

Ken and Paul Estlund with their invention, the Break-away Basketball Goal, US Patent No. 4,534,556.

Paul D. Estlund was the co-inventor of the Break-away Basketball Goal. The original goal was donated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The invention was made in 1976, but it wasn't until August 13, 1985 that United States Patent No. 4,534,556 was issued to Paul and brother Kenneth F. Estlund.

Francis B. Francois wrote a book about the experience of acquiring the patent for the invention that saved many basketball courts from having broken backboards or bent rims. The invention also likely made it easier for the NCAA to decide on the re-introduction of the slam dunk as a legal move in college basketball, after it had been banned in 1967.

Many claim the no dunk rule was implemented to keep Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from dominating the college game, but Coach John Wooden said, in an interview with the UCLA Bruins student daily paper, "(Alcindor) didn't cause the change. The NCAA Rules Committee outlawed the dunk because of hanging on the rim, rims bending back, boards breaking and glass down." With the advent of the break-away basketball goal, this was no longer an issue.

The invention is now in widespread use in the NBA, NCAA and in high schools and playgrounds around the world.

In 2008 Francis B. Francois published the definitive book on the Estlund brothers' invention, Two Guys From Barnum, Iowa And How They Helped Save Basketball: A History Of U.S. Patent 4,534,556 : Paul D. Estlund And Kenneth F. Estlund, Inventors.

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