New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-20
COLUMBIA FIVE
DEFEATS CORNELL
Drags Ithacans Out of the
First Place, Putting
Tigers in Lead.
ROUGH AND TUMBLE
TACTICS THE RULE
Upstate Team Weakened by Loss
of Star Guard, but Puts
Up Hard Fight.

Columbia pulled Cornell from first
place in the intercollegiate Basketball
League race and fought its way to
within a few inches Of the topmost
rung by trouncing the Ithaca five in a
rough and tumble in the Columbia
gymnasium last night by the score of
25 to 16.
The game and the style Of play were
something of which neither team could
be proud, for banishments for infrac-
tions of the rules were of momentary
occurrence, three Cornell and two CO.
lumbia players being disqualified in
the course of the fray.
Cornell was undeniably weakened
by the absence of Ashmead, the star
guard, who was placed on probation by
the academic authorities just before
the team left Ithaca, and the playing
OF the team reflected the demoraliza-
ton caused by his loss. The blow was
particularly hard for the visitors, for
victory over Columbia meant undis-
puted right to first place in the league
race and an advantage which would
have been hard to overcome.
The Columbia men, however, were
just as keen for glory as the contin-
gent from upstate, and with the full
strength in the field the home five
fought stubbornly from the whistle.
In the first half the Cornell guards
were all powerful, but in the second
half Columbia uncorked one of its
wonderful lightning charges that
sweep all before it. With the crowd
of more than three thousand screech-
ing encouragement in one long, un-
ending shrill yell, Columbia's five
fought like Tigers, and point by point
the tide rose against the visitors, leav-
ing them hopeless!y behind when the
final whistle blew.
Within q minute of the opening of
play the contest was raging fercely,
and Columbia Melted its first point on
foul. Thereafter fouls followed in
quick succession. Cornell was the
greater offender, no less than twenty
four illegal plays being charged on
its side of the ledger, while Columbia's
total was seventeen. Neither was a
respectable sidelight on the game. Ben
son converted eleven of Cornell's Of
fences into points for Columbia, and
the Ithacans profited to the extent OF
six points on Columbia's illegal plays.
Columbia jumped into the lead in the
early minutes of the contest and led
by to 0 before Cornell got started
Then a foul and a basket by Sutterby
put the Ithacan men on even terms.
That marked the beginning of battle
royal, and the score mounted point
at time, first on this side and then
on that, Cornell just squeezing into
the lead at the end Of the half at
IL to 8.
Benson's fouls put Columbia ahead
in the early minutes of the second
half, and, with the count standing at
IA to 10, Columbia began to draw away
and never let the Ithacans get close
enough to make the result doubtful.
Lee was the first man to leave the
game, being banished in exactly ten
fer having committed four
personal fouls in that time. His place
was taken by Kornsand, and Columbia's
defence seemed to suffer little. There
were no more disqualiications until
the second period, when Jandorf, Will
son and Lunden, of Cornell, had the
way to the door pointed out. Dryer. of
Columbia, fell into disrepute by slam
ming the ball 20 the floor with such
violence following the calling of foul
on him as to knock the referee into
the crowd. For that the player got
summary dismissal.
Larry Waterbury, Of the famous "Big
Four; Charlie Sands, Of court tennis
renown; Eddie Butler, the old Cornell
football captain, and host numbering
more than 5000 sat, or rather stood on
tiptoe, through the game. Waterbury
said when it was all over that twas
a pity they didn't play basketball in
his day, because as pastime it is al
most as gentle as polo.
Lunden played a spectacular game
until his retirement, but the passing Of
his team was below par. Columbia
passed none too well in the first half,
but overcame this in the final period.
The summary follows: