The Washington times., 1917-01-22
THINK NAVY TEAM
IS AHEAD IN EAST
Has Defeated Yale, c. C. N. Y,
Crescent A. c., and
SWarthmore.

ANNAPOLIS, Jan. 22.-Jlm Colli-
flowers basketballers at the Naval
Academy have played an undeniably
good game this winter, and have not
yet met with defeat. On the face OF
it, their record is probably the best OF
the Eastern college teams, and some
of the Navy people are inclined to
hold that it stands at the head OF the
list. Yale. New York City College.
Swarthmore, and the. Crescent Ath-
letic Club have been defeated. as well
as a number of fives of less reputa-
ton, but several hard propositions
are yet to be tackled. Seven straights
have been won.
The midshipmen will meet George
town next Wednesday, and st. Johns
(Brooklyn) next Saturday. Then fol
low the University of Virginia and
West Virginia University contests.
The latter game comes on February
8, and is the last on the schedule, but
the midshipmen are hoping to arrange
to play New York University on Feb
ruary Z. The New Workers were
booked to come to Annapolis last Sat
urday, but the game had to be can
celed, as the midshipmen all attended
Admiral Dewey's funeral. New York
was the only team to win from the
Academy last year. and the midship-
men are particularly anxious for an
other chance.
Have Fast Combination.
Without questioning that the midship-
men have a fast and clever team,
most experts will agree that the fact
that they play all their games on the
home court makes the award of
championship honors to them out OF
the question, even were their record
considerably superior to that of any
other college team
To what extent a visiting team Is
handicapped at Annapolis Is some
thing OF a question, but one visiting
coach put IL as high as 40 per cent
probably too high an estimate. Still,
the advantage to the home team is
too clear for discussion. The psy-
Geological effect of the sympathy of
the crowd is an element OF some
strength in itself, but there are some
definite advantages in the Navy court.
Complain of Floor.
Visiting players sometimes com
plain of the utter lack of slip and
spring in the Navy floor. AS a matter
Of fact, the floor is composed of wood
en- blocks set in nearly a yard of solid
concrete, and the solidity of IL Is gen
orally a source OF discomfort to those
not use to il. Another thing is the
absolute rigidity of the backboards.
They are set against the gallery Of
the armory, in which the games are
played. and fastened with a number
of rigid iron bars. 1t is noticeable
that most visitors shoot a little too
hard against the board, and lose shots
by the ball rebounding over the bas
ket more than it would do on most
courts.
Game Not Thought OF.
However, the courts are perfect so
far as size is concerned and space be-
yond the outside lines. They run
crossways of the building, and there
are half a dozen or SO perfect courts.
| so that that number of practice games
can go on at the same time.
Sometimes visitors ask IL the
armory was laid out with the idea
of having basketball played in IT, As
a matter of fact, basketball was not
thought of at the Academy until long
after Nhe armory was completed.
Nearly all of the teams which are
now the midshipmen's chief oppon
ents had the game well started
before it was played at Annapolis.
Would Meet Army.
Basketball was played at West
Point several years before 1t was
started here, and the mldshipmen
have always been anxious to have the
service teams meet.
| In this wish. no doubt. the cadets
meet them heartily, but the authOri
ties have never permitted it. As a
rule, the record OF the Navy lads has
been much better. This year they de-
| fested the Crescents and Swarthmore.
both Of which won rather easily from
tho anldiera