The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-02-13
THAT BASKET BALL GAME.
A Few Facts I'm Reply to an
Article In the Hancock
Journal.

Article In the Hancock
Journal.
1t is said that the L'Anse High
School girls basket ball team has
refused to play return game with
the Hancock High School girls be-
cause the latter. they claim, "are
SO awful rough" If they do play,
they will insist on one or two of the
Hancock players being left out of
the team and others substituted, and
10 this, OF course, the local team will
not consent. AS to the claim of
roughness, all who witnessed the
recent contest at the Y. M. G. A.
gym" in Hancock think that there
was as much rough play on one side
as the other, although the referee
seemed to have eyes only for the
shortcomings of the Hancock team
The home players were not on the
average so heavy as the L'Anse
girls, particularly in the second
half, when player was substituted
in the visiting team who lowered
above all the rest. The referee on
that occasion was Mr.. Davis, the
principal of L'Anse High School,
and protests were several times
made against his rulings. This fact
may throw some light upon the re-
fusal to play return game.-Han-
cock Evening Journal.
While the writer has no desire to
enter into any discussion with the
author OF the articles which have
appeared in recent issues of the
Hancock Journal, we would like to
cite few FACTS for that person S
consideration.
In the first place, no one at this
end of the line found any fault with
the Hancock girls for playing rough.
They did not play basket ball ac-
cording to "Spaulding's Basket Ball
for Women" but when the l. 'Anse
players found what was expected of
them they did not find fault. The
Hancock girls got back what they
sent, that is all But so far as we
have heard, no one is complaining
save the Hancock crowd. ~
For the sake OF the argument We
will grant his contention "that
there was as much rou9h play on
one side as the other" aud as to
what he says concerning the referee
having eyes only for the shortcorn
ings Of the Hancock players we
wish to remind the aforementioned
writer that the Hancock team had
NINE free throws for the basket,
while the l. Anse team had THREE.
This is u fact which escaped the
notice OF the unbiased (?) reporter
for the Journal; yet it does not
seem that the 'referee had eyes
only for the shortcomings of the
Hancock players. y Strange how
some people ignore bare facts.
AS for his contention that re-
turn game would not be played un-
less part of the Hancock team was
disqualified or left at home. it is too
ridiculous for consideration. We
defeated them once in their own
ball, why should we do less in ours?
The l. 'Anse girls went to Hancock
and played under the most dis
advantageous circumstances that
can be imagined. They were
hustled off the train, into their suits
and onto the floor before they had
time to breathe. The game was
begun almost the moment the
players were on the floor, and not
two minutes were allowed them to
practice at the baskets. They
played against the interference of a
lot of rowdies under the gallery
who kicked at the ball at every
opportunity, and on one occasion
actually kicked one of the players
and on another pushed another of
the plays over and allowed a Han
cock player to get the ball. To
cap the climax these same people
for whose benefit chairs were
placed on the main hoor-made re.
marks concerning the visiting
players which could scarcely be
called courteous, even by Hancock, +,
and this to a visiting team.
On the field, with the exception
OF the center, the girls seemed to be
totally ignorant of the fact that
there is rule against any player
save the captain addressing an
official, aud that it is punishable by
free throw to the opponents, (Rule
VI, Sec. 81. But for that matter