Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-18
By KARL LEE.


years all-state basket ball team. Ath-
letes of thirteen teams came in tor
nine having representa-
ton. Selections followed strenuous
season intermitantly tragic and sensa-
tional. Upsets were continually inch
dents of the hour. Despite this pecu-
liar condition, the 1917 championship
tourney goes on record as the greatest
in history.
Basket ball did not take permanent
hold until after the opening Of the
mid-year term. Graduation of veterans
and the enlistment of other men, ef-
fccted a reorganization that greatly
altered the prospects of leaders. New
man Grove, a touted contender, lost
the backbone of its pre-holiday fast
FIVE and suffered a reduction in stand
ing, Fremont was materially strength
ened by the return Of Dana, Fitzsirn-
mons and Eidam, who had been with
Uncle Sans legions on the border.
Omaha lost Paynter and gained
Logan in the same breath.
Thirty In Lead.
Thirty teams led in the final classS
fcation. A dozen were touted as lead
crs, with fve-Omaha, South Side.
Fremont, Lincoln and University
Place--titled main contenders. An in
terchange of victories among these
five heightened the anticipation. The
drawings were disappointing. They
demanded the elimination of either the
Packers or the Methodists in the first
round, destiny being in favor Of the
latter. Omaha defeated Fremont in
the third round, while Lincoln gained
victories over University Place, and,
finally, Omaha in the finals.
The tourney saw three men OF sem
sational caliber at their best. These
were Dick Neuman OF Columbus,
Leonard Frundcll OF Crete and Clyde
Smith of Lincoln. All three were
mainstays Of their teams, whose cool
ly calculated daring both surprised
and amazed the wise heads who were
taking in the sights with speculative
eye. Smith played with team of all
stars, while Neuman and Frundell
starred with green mates, who were
first water fighters nevertheless,
which accounts for the eventual high
standings of the two fves.
Well Oiled Machines.
Prominent in the category Of
of tournament events is the perfec-
ton with which the Lincoln and
Omaha teams operated Mulligan
and Reese had well-oiled combina-
tons in the field. All honor to Mully,
who effected a change in lineup with
the return of Paynter to the squad
ten days before the opening Of the
championship competition. The Cap
ital City played ragged ball at times.
It was the finely gagged shots of
diminutive Hank Albrecht and SPLEEN
did guarding of Captain Smith that
saved the team in threatening pinches
in the games with Arlington, Geneva
and Omaha. Oppositely the Central
athletes failed to Sustain themselves
in the final period of the title mill
when the calling Of few fouls was
permitted to sap their offensive
genius.
The dominant leadership Of Floyd
Paynter in the last half of the
Omaha Fremont game, marking a
victory for the metropolis, is per-
haps the most significant occurrence
of the three days. 1t forecast an
initiative that was truly of champion
ship caliber and left but a single
thought in the minds of spectators
that Omaha as champions was at last
on the way to the goal.
Guarding as presented by leading
coaches proved the outstanding fea-
ture Of the season. AT the state
tournament this was strongly en-
phasizcd Games were won BY a de-
fensive alone and in this the cham
pions excelled.
Leading vast and varied field Of
forward men, Leonard Frundell, all
state forward of last year, is selected
to renew his old place at right for
ward Deadlocked to a team that
failed in presenting the punch to win,
the Cretan proved his true worth.
Next to Neuman he was the most
sensational man on the tourney
floor.
Patty is another floor man of fine
caliber whose eye is not quite so keen
as his chosen betters. Graham of
South Omaha, another sharpshooter,
like Albrecht, has seldom been known
to miss. Martin of Geneva, veteran
Of three years, although his tourna-
ment record would not so indicate, is
an absolute shark on any kind Of
goal either from the foul line or the
field.
The selections thus made are high
ly competitive. So close are the de-
cisions that the writer would fain
wager on either were they to be lined