The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-03
GREATEST SEASON
FORBASKETBALL IN
THE CITY'S HISTORY
The Resume of Brilliant Work
of Young Athletic
PrOWeSS
GAVE BIRMINGHAM CLAIM
FOR ANOTHER REMNANT
Y. M. C. A., Athletic Club, owenton
and High School Top NoEchers.
Calling Names and Scores
in Detail.
BY BURR BLACKBURN.

/
the old skin will collapse and lie snusly
in its basket nest until another season
rolls round.
Twas a faithful hide that stood the
| battling of the elements during the past
few months. Many have been the
punches and unnumbered the rough falls
and rude slaps that it has bronze. Through
it all the basketball has come stubbornly,
with only now and then a thud to voice
its complaint. until ii is recognized as
the prince of winter sports in Blrming-
ham. the pride of it's stocky teams and
the favorite of all the fairer sex.
A game SO simple that a child can I'M
derstand, and yet SO full of opportuni-
ties for individual work, and athletic
excellence as to excite the keenest in
terest, il has no equal for indoor sport
The rush, and scramble, the high jump
in air, the bul-headed interference, the
quick pass work, the poise in the palm
of an expert hand. and then the suspense
as 1t passes through space, runs around
the rim, and finally drops into the basket,
charm the eye, and excite the nerves
More enthusiastic yelling and roofing
was never done at football game than
at some of this seasons indoor contests.
knsw Their Business.
There is, however one positive requisite
to an enjoyable game. The players must
| know their business. The players must
game is sometimes more interesting than
professional battle, but without some
| show of excellence a basketball game is
as listess, and uninteresting, as boxing
with punching bag.
The place which basket ball has won in
the love of Birmingham people is due en-
| tirely to the strength, prowess and fortl-
| tude of the athletic champions who have
defended the name of their city against
| foreign attacks. She holds in the palm
of her hand four teams which have made
| enviable records for themselves. and
have won for Birmingham the southern
laurels of the season. The institutions
which they represent are:
| The Young Mems Christian association.
| The Athletic club
The Birmingham college.
The Birmingham High school,
Their deeds are their best Recommended
| ton The Young Mems Christian asso-
citation has never been defeated this year.
| The first game with a scrub team of the
| Athletic club was won by score of %
| to Is. The victories in official match
games this season follow:
| Y. M. C. AS Victories.
| Vanderbilt. in Birmingham, q to 20.
| Columbus, in Columbus, Miss, "a to 10.
| Columbus, in Birmingham, 50 to Is.
Southern Athletic club in New Or
| leans, 30 to q.
Southern Athletic club in Birmingham,
| So to TO-
Pratt City, 20 to 10
In each one of these contests the local
! team went up against hard proposition,
| with experienced basketball players The
| Vanderbilt game was a wonderful exhi-
| bition, while, in the first with New Or
leans, the boys showed their nerve, and
| ability to rally.
The strongest point with the assocla-
ton, in which it surpasses all others in
the city, Is team work. The players are
all stars, but none shines brighter than
the other They have brought the short
pass work down TO perfection. A man is
always in his place at the right time.
c. IL. Myers, at center, plays a forward
game, always on the aggressive, and is a
general of the field. Henry Chairsell and
w. +. Price are the two forwards. The
more nagglng by the opposing guards,
the more ease with which the goals seem
to be thrown. Chairsell never fails to
| -.
| Price is wonderful in throwing fouls
The guards, Fee Sherrod and Oscar
| Bullock, fit into their position as de-
Tenders as if it were made for them.
Sherrod, one of the most popular mem
| bers of the association, was unanimously
elected captain and has proved his abil-
ity. James Sherrod and Ed Armes are
the two capable substitutes.
B. A. C.s Great Record.
The Athletic club aggregation did not
begin practice until late In the season,
and at first failed TO show up in good
form. The first two games were lost in
noble fight against Yale and Tulane.
| With considerable practice and change in
personnel two signal defeats were admin
/ stered to Pratt City. after which fol-
lowed the victories that have placed the
team apace with any other in the city.
| They were.
New York, in Birmingham. 20 to 90.
Auburn, in Birmingham, 30 to %.
When the seams were taken out of
New York that squad received the great
est surprise of its life. 1t had Travelled
| all over the country, playing more than
| fifty games and losing less than ten. The
| Athletic club starched and iron it fiat.
Auburn, too, expected easy meat but
went home sorrowfully stricken. The
boys played the collegians off their feet.
Spencer. at center. though not too good
| at goal throwing, is an able defender of
his position, keeping the ball always
bounding back toward Biddle and McKn-
ney the aggressive forwards. These two
boys are the stars of the team and have
| thrown goals under almost impossible
circumstances
Jones, Morris and Johnson are the best
| guards in the club, ard have served as
the backbone for many victories. Nor
ris, late acquisition, plays actively all
over the field
Next on the Ladder.
| The other two teams Owenton and the
| High school, stand next on the ladder of
| basket reachers in the local calender.
| Owenton's chief glory is in the fact that
she has twice defeated the High school
having lost but once to that aggrega-
l-tion Before the league games are fin
ished however. this record may be
| changed.
Owenton was defeated by Gadsden and
Scottsboro but won a brilliant triumph
over Gender, and has since been playing
wonderful ball
The High school wound up a series Of
Victories Friday night when she smesred
il all over the sophomore team from
Tuscaloosa Other than to Owenton, not
| game has been lost this season Every