The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-12-17
STRONG TEAM is PICKED
TO PLAY THE COLLEGIANS.
History Of Basketball
Game Told by Mefzger
Floor Game Has Become Very
Popular in the Last Few
Years.
BY SOL METzGER,
zach Washington and Jefferson
~. 49, Ill H.. 49, ....- ------

By SOL METEGERy
Coach Washington and Jefferson
Football Team.
The opening OF the intercollegiate
basketball season Saturday night with
Princeton playing Cornell at Ithaca
once more centers attention upon this
splendid indoor sport which is prov
ing more popular each season among
the various colleges. Indeed basket
ball is crowdtng baseball. rowing and
track IN point OF interest; strange
condition when Its brief history is re-
viewed.
The game was invented IN 1891 by
Or. James A. Saismith. now Of the Uni
versity OF Kansas and member Of
the joint committee OF basketball rules,
when he was an instructor ut tho
Young Mems Christian Association
Training School at Springfield. This
accounts for the interest taken In It
by the Young Mems Christian ARBocia-
ton. and its adoption in many foreign
lands. No competitive sport, not even
ever grew so rapidly in popular favor
in its first few years Of life.
Recognized By Colleges.
1t was not until ten years after its
invention that tho game was given
1901-O2 the first intercollegiate league
was formed in the East. with Harvard,
which has since dropped the game,
member. In 1905 the Western Confer
ence organized its league. About 500
the present number Of competitors
five to q team, was finally agreed upon,
though formerly as high as twenty
men were on a side, the number being
determined by floor area, for the most
part
So widespread has been the interest
in the game that It may be RaId that
tho rules governing its play have but
recently become standardized. In fact
the 1915-1916 code was the first uni
/ form one adopted and 1t met with sue
cess. Previously it was case OF first
half your rules, second half ours. or
I play our rules or lose your guaTan-
I.tee." But the main effort OF the rule
makers has been to eliminate rough
ness and unclean tacttcs-tho task OF
all rule makers In all competitive
games where personal contact cannot
be avoided-and the rule makers have
here succeeded.
Three Interests Represented.
There are three interests represent
ed In basketball-the colleges, the
Young Mems Christian Associations
and the Amateur Athletic Union. On
top or this there are good many
fourtshing professional leagues over
the country. Those three interests
have a Joint COMMITTEES on making the
rules and now that they have been
standardized the game Is on the eve
OF great development Hitherto. the
lsschoolboy entering college had played
q game differing from the one taught
at college Confusion was the result
With fundamentals agreed upon team
work. to greater degree, Is bound to
result and no other sport, excepting
football, is more appreciated by both
player and spectator
Basketball is an essentially simple
game to understand. The speed. skill,
lsalertness and team work displayed are
quickly recognized and appreciated by
the spectator. intercollegiate contests
pack every available seat and as little
financial outlay is required to main
tain n team the game is showing a
profit to atIetic associations.
Many Thrilling Games.
It will be long time before the
Eastern intercollegiate League cham
| tpionship OF last winter will be forgot
Il ten. Pennsylvania and Princeton com
4 pleted the regular schedule on even
i terms and on the playao OF PennsylVau-
ia won 1914 In a. game marked by hair
L#raising stunts all the way through. IN
the Western Conference Wisconsin.
the winner. came within one game Of
.IHrepeating the feat Of Illinois the pre-
Il Yious season OF winning all Of ite
4 twelve games. In the Pacific north
west Washington State College was
the winner, while in California. st
NTary's had no difficult IN taking the
"a title from both. California and Stan
ford.
Prospects Are Bright
The outlook for the present season
+ lin the Eastern intercollegiate League
& lis particularly bright for another stid
hight for the championship. Pennsyl-
lIvanta, title holder, Will be again coach
led by Lon Jourdet, q graduate. who
Twill have to I'LL three vacancies as Cap
i.tain 8fcNtchoI guard, and Jchord. cen
Tier, are the only regulars back. Mar
Tin, forward, may become eligible after
1.-THE mid-year examinations but then
1.-THE race IS half run. Connolly Is the
imam looked upon to fill Martins shoes
las he played the position capably
against princeton in the play-on last
bsprfng. Evans, forward two years age
but sick last year, is anot Their man Out
for a place. John Clark. center Laytr
forward. Of last years freshmen;
Emory. guard. and Williams, Var
land Eble and Ivory; varsity subs, are
the men who will fight 1t out for place
Penn should be in the running this
year. Il.
Princeton ooks Good.
Princeton under Coach. Fred Leuh,
ring has bright prospe cts as the tear
i.1Eill be made up from the following
Icandid dates Captain Hass. forward ol
guard y: Paulson. forward Rahill
lguard Cuneo. guard and Foster for.
lsward or guard & all Of last year: 8 var:
igsfty. IN add lion r rmele, forward;
5iSFoddy. guard Fl inn. forward or center
and eGT15s glia