Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-01-03

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gratitude, and assure you that
shall not forget YOU"
VISITORS REFUSE TO PLAY
Portland Basketball Manager Orders
Team of Court.
Refusing to recognize the right OF
Walter Ballantyne, last years stu
dent of Dallas College, to play with
this years team in a contest against q
basketball team of the Portland
Young Mems Christian Association
the manager of the Portland "Spar-
tans' ordered his men from the court
in the college gymnasium, Saturday
night, after the preliminary warming
up" and just as the referee was pre-
pairing to blow the whistle to put the
ball in play. Deaf to the pleading OF
friends of both teams, the Spartans
manager refused to reconsider his de-
cision and the large crowd which had
assembled to witness the game filed
out of the building grievousiy disap-
pointed. The Portland team left for
home on the early train Sunday
morning.
Claude Shaw, manager of the Dallas
team, places the blame for the fail
ure of the teams to meet entirely upon
the Portland manager He says the
Dallas boys were unable to play their
regular team on account of the alb
sence of Norval Gates, and adds that
the manager of the Spartans was not
only aware of the proposed substitu-
tion of Ballantyne but that he offered
no objection until after both teams
had appeared on the gymnasium floor.
Manager Shaw contends that mas
much as the Spartans are not official
representatives of the Portland Y. M.
c. A., and have played teams other
than college and association teams
this Winter, they had no right to OBJ
ject to a substitution of players on
the Dallas team after they had been
duly notified of the proposed change
before appearing on the gymnasium
floor. The Dallas manager submitted
to the Observer the following signed
statement for publication:
Manager Shaw's Statement.
'As a number of Dallas basketball
enthusiasts probably have not learned
why the game arranged with the Spar
tans was called off Saturday night,
after the teams were on the floor,
these considerations, being to the best
of our knowledge the salient facts in
the case, are submitted:
"The Spartans is the name of a
team composed of men who are affil-
lated with the Portland Y. M. C. A.
They are not recognized as the rep
resentatives of the Portland associa-
ton, but are, so far as that organiza-
ton is concerned, self-chosen and self
managed.
''They are subject to no restriction
as to scholastic registration or stand
ing, and hence have much more free
dom than have college teams in rela-
ton to other college teams.
They arrived in Dallas acquainted
with the fact that one of the regular
members of the Dallas team was not
to be in the lineup and that in his alb
sence, (Which alone was the reason
for the change), a member of last
years team had been secured for the
game.
ITO this proposed change in the
the Spartans interposed no OBJ
lection whatever, either at the Gail
Hotel or in their own dressing room
previous to going onto the court, in
both of which places they were in con-
versation with the Dallas manager.
But after going through their pre-
liminary warming up and having
some discussion with few Dallas men
who seemed particularly interested in
the Spartans as a winning team, the
Spartan manager objected to the Dali
las lineup. and. on being unable to
pull things through his own way.
withdrew his men from the court.
THE inconsistency of the Spartans is
ldE AiltI ciAbMh III NAAf 1NeNANAAAN'N N'A---
that they are playing only Y. M. C. a.
and straight college teams. Question
ed as to what kind of team they
played at Silverton, the Spartan's
manager answered that it was Y. NJ.
c. A. team. But Silverton's team Is
of an athletic club.
The disagreement and the conse-
quent calling of Of the contest are 10
be regretted sincerely. but personally
/ feel there was very slight excuse Tor
the obstinacy manifested by the Wis
itors Saturday night.
In our games with the other coll
lege teams. we intend to abide by
the regulations governing the same,
and I'm case Of any but a college team
being played hereafter, to avoid all
Of a disagreement by a
frank understanding before the teams
go on the court. II occasion should
ever demand the use OF any other than
college players We felt certain that
the Spartans would offer no objection
to our lineup. under the existing cir
cumstanees. but unfortunately We
were mistaken
These statements are made frankly
as an explanation and in nOwise as
criticism Of the greatest OF all mems
organizations. Of which the spartans
are members
C. L SHAW.
d. C. y. y. Team
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