The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-14
Leagne Season Opens
in This City With
Il Fast Game.
FATHER MATHEWS DEFEATED.
Lyceums Win Despite {
Bad Mistake by
Sheehan.

No lover of basket ball could wish
for better contest from a spectators
point of view than the game between
the Catholic Young Mems lyceum and
the Father Mathew teams in Father
Mathew hall. last evening. 1t was the
opening game of the season Of the Cen
trail Massachusetts Basket Ball league,
being the home game for the Lyceums.
1t was hard-fought, cleanly played
game, with a close score, and was
finally won by the Lyceums by a score
of 10 points to g. The contest lacked
much in scientific play, team work be-
ing seldom seen. There was much bril-
liant individual playing, too much in
fact, and it was for that reason that
scientific play was a minus quantity.
Each team showed several individual
players of good ability, but every man
labored under a deluson that the I'LL
innate result depended entirely on his
efforts. Instead of being a help to his
fellows and looking to them for as
sistance, he tried to do it all aloE ,.
Such playing made it more difficult to
obtain results, as the rival players him
dered the man from accomplishing
much.
The number of fouls called was large,
but it doesn't mean the game was I'M
usually rough. Charles e. White of
Millbury, who refereed the match, can
see more fouls than a Georgia chicken
thief on a moonlight night, and he
doesn't hesitate to call them. White
is eminently impartial as an official,
but he shows a weakness in calling
fouls. OF the Is called, 10 were called
in the first half. The second half was
fully as fast as the first and appar-
emily as full of the kind of playing
which Mr.. White designated as foul,
but he let the men go and there was
more satisfaction all around.
A prominent feature of the game was
the accurate throwing for the basket
on free tries. Koran, the Lyceum CEN
tire, was valuable man for his team
last evening. He had six free throws
for the basket and he Gagged the ball
every time. Hehir did we'll for his
team, but not as we'll as Koran did.
He had seven throws four of which
he turned into goals
The Lyceums got two goals from the
floor, while Hehir was the only Father
Mathew player to put in the ball from
the field. Sheehan of the Lyceums
made an unusual play caging the ball
in his own goal, giving two points to
the Father Mathew team. 1t was a
peculiar play and the Father Mathew
men showed their appreciation by pat
ting Sheehan on the back.
There was one very bad feature,
which was the only point in connec-
ton with the match to be regretted.
The secretary Of the league, John F.
Cronan of Millbury, who was present
at the game, kept informing Lyceum
players toward the close of the near
ness of the playing limit, which caused
= al, 70 1,,yI, Ill
lay the game. While they did it legiti-
mately and were perfectly within their
province In doing so, it was very bad
taste for a league official to trangress
and show partially for either team
His action was unfavorably commented
upon by impartial spectators who wit
messed his acts.
There was a large crowd, hardly a
vacant seat being seen anywhere The
crowd would have been much larger
but for an objection Manager ]. H.
Thompson of the Father Mathews
made the day previous to playing the
game. Undoubtedly, scores remained
away under the impression that no
game would be played. While it was
the first league game, it was the third
meeting of the teams and the rubber
game, each having a victory to it's
credit.
The crowd was mainly Father
Mathew. 1t showed it's sympathies
many times. Horan's magnificent goal
throwing was the more praiseworthy
in the face of the jeering of the crowd.
When he set to toss the ball the spec
tators howled fercely in an attempt to
rattle him. They must have inspired
him to more accupate throwing.
Wiseman, centre of Father Mathew
played a magnificent game. In the
previous contests with Lyceum, Koran
has undoubtedly outplayed Wiseman,
but last evening the latter outpointed
Koran handily Koran did not appear
to play his usual game and wasn't
quick to start into plays. Hehir of the
defeated team did excellent work, the
best he has shown this season. Prob
ably a goodly portion of his brilliancy
was due to Sheehan's failure to play up
to the mark, leaving Hehir uncovered
much of the time Bradley also played
a good game. Capt. Holmes of the VIC
tors didn't play as strongly as usual.
Dorman played in good form, and Con-
nelly put up his usual good game.
The first goal was made from the
field by Dorman of the Lyceums in a
minute and halfs play. Connolly had
possession of the ball near the Father
Mathew basket Bradley and Smith
went after him, Smith thus leaving
Dorman uncovered. Connolly passed
out to Dorman, who had practically
free try and made it. Koran tossed
goal on free try from Cullen's foul,
and little later Hehir got one on a
free try. After seven minutes of play
Koran got another. Bradley inter-
fering with a centre up, which gave
Lyceum a free toss.
Father Mathews first goal from the
field was made by Hehir in the prettiest
piece of play done up to that time.
Wiseman got the ball in the centre of
the hall and lodged Koran AS Holmes
jumped in front to head him off he
passed to Cullen, and the latter shot it
to Hehir whom Sheehan left unguard-
ed. Sheehan dashed for Hehir, as he
swung low to shoot the ball, and made
a pass at it to knock it from his hands.
He went wide, and his impetus carried
him several feet beyond Hehir. The
latter had time to spare, and made an
easy goal. The game had been in prog
ress lin. S0s. when the ball was basl1-
eted. A moment later Holmes fouled
and Hehir made the basket, making
the score five in all, For shouldering
Wiseman hard, Koran was penalized,