A center snap is colloquially called a “hike”, “snapback” or “pass from center”…. is the backwards passing of the ball in American and Canadian football at the start of play from scrimmage….as the ball begins on the ground with its long axis parallel to the sidelines of the field….with its ends marking each team’s line of scrimmage in American football….when the player snapping the ball….known officially as the “snapper” in rule books….delivers the ball to another player….and that action is called the snap. The snapper may hand, throw, or even roll the ball to the other player…..as the snap must be a quick and continuous movement of the ball by one or both hands of the snapper….and the ball must leave the snapper’s hands. The various rules codes have additional requirements….in which all have the effect of requiring the ball to go backwards to a player behind the line of scrimmage…i.e. in the “backfield”….as the snapper almost always passes the ball between his legs. In the standard gridiron football formation, the center is the snapper and is situated in the middle of the line of scrimmage. Only in arena football is the center required by rule to be the snapper. In other codes, a guard, tackle, tight end or split end can legally deliver the snap….in which such scenarios, known as an unbalanced line, are seldom used outside of trick plays and novelties. This NFL Films special features “the center snap” like no other could do….which makes it another “nugget of gold” in our treasure chest of vintage memories.
