The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-01
TURNED MANY AWAY
Basket Ball Season
Opens With a Rush
at the Armory.
TWO FAST GAMES PLAYED.
Emmett Guards Beat Bat
terry B and City Guards
Down the Wellingtons.
TWO FAST GAMES PLAYED.


brought a bigger jam at the door, as
was seen last evening, when the bas-
ket ball season opened. For more than
an hour there was a line from in front
of the door to the other side of the
street. 1t looked like a column of
tours in solid formation. Sentinels
posted at the door kept the crowd back
for the ticket seller could not take
money fast enough. There was such a
jam that several young ladies became
exhausted in the crush
Hundreds We're turned away. Every
seat was taken and a large number of
persons stood back of the chairs. When
there was room for no more without
crowdirg too much, orders were given
to close the DOORS and hundreds were
sent away.
There were two warm games of bas-
ket bail, each of which delighted a
crowd OF nearly 1000 people. The EN-
met Guards team defeated the Battery
b nine by a score of four points to
nothing, and the City Guards won from
wellington rifles by a score of 2 to O.
Everything went along finely and the
management had reason to feel proud
of the successful opening. The crowd
pleased. 1t could not be otherwise. Con-
sidering the pressure brought to bear
on the management under such condi-
tons, the handling of the immense
crowd was admirable. The playing was
excellent. Not once during the game
was there even a suspicion of rough
ness. There was little fouling, and, al
though two men were put out of the
game for committing two fouls each,
prif pi
fouls were accidentally made and but
for the stringency of the officials
| against anything that bears indications
of foul the plays would have passed
unnoticed. The determination of the
league TO entirely eliminate fouls,
causes q strict observance of all rules
relating to such playing.
The games were entirely different.
Both were fast, but the first one be-
| tween the Emmett Guards and Battery
| B boys was mild compared with the
match between the Wellington Rifles
| and City Guards. The winning teams
| showed a decided superiority. The
Emmets played all around their OPP
| ponents. They won on their own good
| play, for the Battery men also put up
| a good game. In the other contest the
| City Guards played a much better
game than their opponents. The Well
! iEgtons failed to cover their opponents
| The slowness of the Wellingtons was
noticeable and was in a large measure
responsible for the fast appearance of
| the City Guards play.
The games were Of two halves of 20
minutes. The halves were played al
| ternately.
| The Emmets and Battery men played
| first. The Emmets forced the play and
| kept the ball near the Battery goal by
| far the greater part of the time Keane
| of the Emmets played a magnificent
| game. Several times he carried the ball
more than half the distance of the
| shed by good dribbling. Larner also
| played WELL and Mcguire was an i'm
| portant factor in the aggressive play
| ing. The Emmets played the most sci
| entific game of the evening They
| passed the ball easily and without
much exertion, yet their passing was
very effective They had over a score
of shots" at the goal, but their aim
was bad. Three free tries failed of
landing a goal.
The first goal was scored in Is min
utes Of play by pretty work 1t was
the result of the neat passing that
characterized the entire play of the
EmmC s. Haggerty got the ball near
the Emmets' goal. Being blocked off
in front he passed back to T. ]. Kelli-
her. He turned it over to Keane, and
the Battery goal scientifically. He
passed to Mcguire when Battery men
tried to head him off, and Mcguire put
it in
In the second half, the Battery boys
played better than in the opening pc
riod. Another pretty goal was made
by the Emmets after II minutes of play.
T. f. Kelleher, centre of the team, got
the ball out of scrimmage. Battery
men tackled him. He put the ball
down and rolled it along the floor be-
tween their feet to Mcguire Battery
| men dashed for the latter. He slid
the ball out to Keane. who uncovered
himself from the opposing player and
| made a good toss.
After six minutes and eight seconds
| Of play, Keane again tossed a basket.
In a centre-up at the side of the hall
| near the Battery goal, T. F. Kelleher
| batted the ball to Keane, who cleverly
| slipped his opponent. He got the ball
| fair and directly in front of the Bat
terry goal. Two Battery players rushed
at him with outstretched arms. Keane
ducked and came up under them with
| the ball on the floor. Strengthening
| up, he tossed and landed it.
Mcguire made the last goal two min
utes later, by clever individual play
]. A. Casey got the ball and passed
to Mcguire, who was near the goal.
The latter ducked the charge of two
Battery men, and as they slid past, he
had an easy chance, which he accept
ed.
During this contest fouls were called
on T. J. Kelleher and Powers, and two
on Grady of the Battery team, who had
to leave the game for making two
The lineup of the teams was:
EMMETT GUARDS. BATTERY B.
j. A. Casey (Capt), | f.........r b, French
Mcguire, + ..;..............I b. Gleason
T. F. Kellaher, e.............r c, Jenkins
Keane, c......................... c. Grady
| Haggerty f...:...,...,r +, (Capt) Taylor
W F. Casey b..,.............l f. Traver
| Powers b ...,...,..........,,......g g, Moore
T. J. Kelliher, ...........,......h, Powers
Score. Emmett Guards 4, Battery r o.
| goals from floor Mcguire 2 Keane q
missed goals on free tries, J. A. Casey 2,
Taylor q; fouls 7. J. Kellaher, Powers
Of Emmets !, Grady fia, E Referees, P. W.
| timers. Sergt. Corliss and Priv. McCar-
| thy. Time, 2O-minute halves.
The Wellingtons and Citys started off
fast and rough. There was no question
able playing, however. 1t was rough
| because it was fast, and the men We're
careless of consequences to themselves
| The ball went back and forth during
the entire half without either side scoro
ing. Love and Jordan showed IN
brilliantly on the Wellington side. All
the City Guard men were playing well
They forced the play around the Wei
| lington basket a large part of the time
| In the second half the Wellingtons
went back. They were not near as fast
| as in the opening half. The City Guards
outplayed them several points. They
forced the play about the WelIinRton,s
| basket nearly ell the time The Citys
were practically uaopoosed throughout