Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-17
ARE NOW CHAMPIONS
Washington Light Infantry Basket
Ball Players Win Again.
SEEK WIDER FIELD OF CONQUEST
All the Infantry Players Are Husky
Young Athletes.
SOME OF THE EXPERTS

BY winning the championship of the Dis
trict Basket Ball League for the season
tust passed the team of the Washington
Light Infantry has a just hold on the title
of champions For four successive years
they have finished at the head of the col
umn when the season closed, and for the
past three years the team has proud rec
ord OF victories without any defeats. Dur
ing the season just closed there were four
teen games played, and in every one the
soldier boys succeeded in winning out in
an easy manner. Barring accidents to the
players. 1t almost certain at the be-
ginning of the season last fall that the
team would win the championship, and that
the only thing left for the other clubs in
the lee que was to hustle TO get a position
as near the top Of the list as was possible
The record made by the team is one of
which the entire organization is proud, and
Il speaks well for the athletes who are in
the rank and file of the infantry. The
team of this year. If anything. is the
periOr Of any team that has vet been placed
in the field by the organization. The play
ing of the game has been brought down to
a fine science. and formerly where muscle
was everything. skill now takes its place.
Another thing which makes the victory the
past season all the more creditable is the
: fact that the teams in the league We're per-
haps the best that have ever been gathered
together, and a fine game had 10 be played
to insure victory. The players fully dem
onstra-ed their proves by securing the
championship.
All Weu-Trained Athletes.
The members of the Washington Light
Infantry team are well-tralned athletes and
an aggregation of team workers, factors
that are hard TO beat. as was fully demon
strated IN every one of the fourteen games
that was played the past season according
10 the schedule. The highest NUM- Of of
goals made by any opposing team in any
game was eight. and this honor belongs to
one game played by the Washington Ath-
letic Club. In one Of the fourteen games
played the crack team of the COrcOran Ca
de-s was shut out by a score of 16 TO 0.
The total number of goals scored by op-
ponents in the fourteen games was sixty
three, TO 2u2 made by the champions. This
record Is one that cannot be beaten by any
basket ball team in America. Il has often
been charged against the players of the
team that they won many of their games
by rough playing, and not by science but
the facts do not bear out this allegation.
During the entire season they have not had
single player removed from the game for
rough playing. This is more than a good
many other teams in the league can claim.
The champions are now looking after
other soaps. Negotiations are now pend
ing for a match game with the New York
crack teams, the Baltimore champions hav-
ing Declined a challenge. Manager Neu-
meyer has made repeated efforts 10 get
game or a series OF games with the crack
Y. NJ - A. team of Baltimore. regarded
as one Ot the most scientific teams in the
country. but The Orioles refused to meet
the husky athletes of the infantry ranks
With this refusal regarded as final atten-
ton was turned TO New York and Brook
lyn teams, or any other team with aspira-
tons for the championship of America On
that score the efficient and genial manager
Of the team, --r. Neumeyer, has this to
say:
FayOrs a Series of Games
II am IN favor of series of games for
the championship of America to be played
by the crack teams Of the United States
There is such great and almost universal
interest in the sport that ] am sure we
could make enough money out Of the series
win winch 10 pay all expenses. The Wash
irgJon Light Infantry team would gladly
enter the competition. Ii is our ambition
al present 20 get on games with some of
the crack clubs outside of Washington the
Y NJ. G. A team Of Baltimore preferred
The Baltimore team came to Washington
anu played the COrCpran Cadets one of the
teams In the District league that did not
expect 20 land the championship. I think
game WITH US would have been more APP
propriatH"
The success of the team this wear is d,a
largely 70 the efforts of z. H. Neumeyer
tr-. who was elected manager last fall and
who has faithfully and ably filled the duties
o. ms once Tie succeeded to the position.
which was formerly held by s. Porter
House. one OF the leading members of the
infantry corps. Mr. Neurneyer is an en-
thusiaS; Of amateur sport. and in this con-
recJiCn Is widely known. While a member
OF the Light Infantry Club. he belongs to
several other clubs. He was at one time
a member OF the Queer Wheelmen before
that orga niZation expired. and was for sew
eral years the manager uf its basket ball
team. IL was account of his experience
In this resuect that he was elected manager
OF the Light Infantry team. and he has
niled all expectations. For the past two
or three years he has served as an official
In almost all of the bicycle and athletic
meets that have been held IN this city his
knowledge Of sports in general fitting him
FOR any such positions. At present he is
employed as 4 salesman for the HaIlwood
cash register.
The members OF the champion team Of the
past season. with their weight and position
are as follows:
Name Weight. Position
Percy Renian- .-.----.-. 1ssI lbs ....... CSnter
r. Y. RHrnett. 10000. $50 his F1cn,y's goal