The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1906-05-11

Shaken through and through with
wild sObs, alternately broken by screams
and fits of hyste ia, Miss Maize Dean,
manager OF the girls basketball team
from the Everett high school, lay ia the
dressing room in the armOry after the
great championship game last Friday
night and bemoaned the loss Of the con
Cest through what she believed to be her
own fault in playing herself against the
COlfax star, Maud Smith. It required
considerable effort to soOthe her and
convince her that she alone was not re-
sponsible for what, to Everett, was un-
expected defeat. Not one of the Everett
people had believed defeat possible But
the score was II to Is in favor OF COlfax.
With a swish of bloOmers, a plash of
bifurcated skirts, the hOarse call Of the
umpire's whistle and the wild screeches
Of nervous, excited rooters, the big game
was started shortly before 8 O'Clock in
the presence OF an immense crowd which
packed the armOry to ite utmost ca
pacity.
1t was a Heterogeneous gathering of the
best and nOisiest and most fashionable
Of CofaX-a mixture of unadorned,
school boys, leather lunged fans and
rooters, daintily clad society women,
pletboric bankers, mastodonic doctors
and unabashed sports Society was
there along with the common herd. The
pretty women Of fashion stood along
side the colIarless youth from the fl tt
and balanced herself with hand on his
shoulder-Or else used her chewing gum
TO stick one toe to the floor. The
matron was there, proud Of the fact that
her progeny went to school with those
wonderful players. The woman who
didn't know bail from a basket, and
told everyone so, was present, as waf
the man who knew all about the game
and believed bis neighbOrs didn't The
man who yelled ''fOul' when the time
keepers whistle sounded was iuet az
much in evidence as the kid who cussed
and hissed when the foul was on Colfax
About the only ones not there was the
man who runs the electric light plant
and those who hadn't the price. One or
two paterfamilias remained at home to
take care OF the incubatOrs, or rock the
cradles.
1t was a gathering characteristic OF
Colfax. The long tiers Of seats re-
sembled much cursory view OF grand
opera. Prettily arrayed girls, hand
somely dressed matrOns, adorably
gowned wives, daughters and sweet
hearts filed the huge bank OF chairs with
all the gorgeous colors and dainty
shades of exquisite, enthusiastic feminin-
ity. The picture gave q wealth of tone
and harmOny-brOkep splotched-dis-
tOrted-in spOts-by a noisy sweater
done in green-0r a prOtruding Panama
hat above a sOft-cOllared percale.
Rnt they were all there to see COlfax
win-and they hadn't any fear of losing
The players themselves and their train
ers were much more nervous and fearful
But that wore off when the first fierce
rush for the ball came.
The first half WIS the swiftest and
hardest SOFT of playing. Those Everett
girls proved themselves to be players Of
| unusual strength and speed. 1t is
doubtful if another girls team in the
| state could stand up against and sue
cessfuly oppose the fierce rushes and
terrific slugging Of the visitors. But
| thanks to the many practice games the
| champions have had with the boys
team, in which the latter showed them
no mercy, the COlfax girls were accus-
| toned to rough work and sugged the
| visitors to a standstilI.
| 1t was a wild, whirling mass OF flying
| tumbiing forms during the first bali.
| The floor was faster than ever and ex-
ceptionally slippery, which accounted
for more than the usual quota OF spills.
The sturdy, clever work Of Everett
was more than equalled by the speedy
footwork, the lightning team passing
| and splendid interference OF Colfax.