The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-01
TWO SECTIONAL
JOURNEYS FOR
TITLE ARE URGED
Lafayette Writer Urges State
Be Divided for Basketball
Play.

Play.
LAFAYETTE, Ind, Jan. High
school basket ball in the Hoosier
state has developed in recent years
until IL now is the most prominent
branch OF sport on the athletic calen-
dar. AS it has progressed the methods
of deciding the championship each
year have been changed, each time
putting the teams on a more equal
basis--but the system as it is now is
not as proficient as the brand OF ball
played by the high school tosSers and
it could be greatly improved with but
little trouble and at the same time
would make conditions more agreeable
both fer the teams and their followers.
4 new plan Is being discussed In
this section OF the state. Instead Of
having various sectional meets and
one tournament, why not have two big
sectional meets and then let the Win
ners play each other in the champion
ship battle or series Of contests.
possibly two out Of three games. one
10 he played on the floor OF each con.
restan. and the third, if necessary, on
neutral ground. The state could be
divided into a northern and southern
section, with twelve or sixteen dis
tricts in eacn section.
TWO Big Journeys.
District winners would play at Pur'
due and Indiana Universities for sec
tional championships. Each sectional
champion. would have chance to rest
before the state title game or games,
and their rooters would have chance
10 get to the scene of action for the
deciding contest il it was played on
neutral floor, or to see 1t II one OF the
series was played on each home court.
II would eliminate deciding the champ
ionship with a single combat and be
less of a physical strain on the com
hatants.
This would be an ideal condition.
The winning teams would not have to
play so many games to win the right
TO represent that district in the sec.
tional tourney. The winning team In
the sectional meet--a sectional meet
Tor the northern section OF the state
at Purdue and the southern section al
Indiana-would not, have to play a
large number of games and 1t would
be a gradual working up process until
the best team from the north and the
best from the south would meet.
Teams Set Fast Pace.
The pace Of advancement set by the
high school teams on their road &c
present conditions has been wonderful
and is worthy of review. Until 1911
the championship of the state always
was disputed, as the team to set on the
throne at the end of each season was
chosen by the comparative score route
or on the percentage basis. Both 81
the methods were unreliable, because
often a quintet would finish season
without defeat, as it played only In
ferior teams. Ill t~gA -
In l911 Indiana University SAaugu
rated a plan which has proven quite
successful That year the teams O
the state were invited to participate
in a big tournament held in the ole
gymnasium at Bloomington Teams
from all over the state flocked to the
downstate town and the affair was
big success. The tournament tina
wear was won by Lebanon, the team
which now has the title, having woI
it for the second time last March.
The tourney was staged on "the-sur
vival-of.the-fittest' plan and as team
was defeated it dropped from the race
The contests began on Thursday ant
the teams played that day and thu
day following until the semifinal
we're completed and then the two un
defeated teams rested on Saturda,
and played the deciding contest OF
Saturday night. 1t was strenuous
ordeal for lads of high school age, ou
was continued until 1915.
The Wingate Giants.
In 1912 Charlottesville won thu
pennant and then Homer Stonebrake
and his crew OF giants put Wingat'
on the map by grabbing the BUNTING
two consecutive years--in 1915 and l.
1914. The fact that Wingate won tWic'
in succession proved that a chang
was necessary. There were man,
good teams in the state, but the play
ers from the city districts did not hav
the Drawn of the urbanites, and tn
giant Stonebraker practically pushe'
his team through winner both years
The Wingate team won because 1t wa
the best team, but it went to show tina
change was necessary, because tn
Wingate players went through TN
strenuous ordeal without fiinchine
while 1t was too strenuous for the ma
iority of lads of high school age.
In 1915, the year Thorntown VOL
the title OF state champions. the stat
was divided into districts. This wa
move of progression. The Jesse
lights in the high school athletic worl
were eliminated and the sixteen bes
teams in the state journeyed to Bloom
ington to decide the championship.
The plan has been continued and
in use at the present time. In 19lt
Jefferson High School OF Lafayett
won the title. Last March Lebanol
won, although hard pressed by Emel
son and Gary in the closing game
Lebanon won the deciding contest. 3
10 &c Last year. and it is presume
the authorities intend to do the sam
THIS year. there were twenty distrlc
Journeys and twenty teams compete
for the crown in the meet at Indiana
This, to be sure, is big improvement
over the old system, but the winnin
team still have very strenuous tash
II must win four games in two day