The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-12-16
TRIM IACONIA
IN BRILLIANT
CONTEST 1928
LegiOn-CO. ID Basketeers
Pull Sensational Vic
tory Out of Fire

fixed to Laconia at the Armory
Thursday evening was crowded
and crammed more bristling, scin'
tillating action than the average
fan is wont to expect from the
disbursement of the small sum oi
35 cents. The same was the sti-
pend, established by Manager
Harold r. Caswell, who brought
together two of the best basket
ball quintets seen on the local
court in many a moon. Into that
SO to % overthrow of Laconia
went the ingredients that make up
wonderful game-accurate
shooting, fierce but clean guarding
and snappy passing. These three
elements were there in force
throughout the contest.
Several hundred fans saw a Wis
iting team, apparently trimmed to
a standstill in the first period with
but one field goal to its credit, re-
turn to the contest in the second
period, and outplay the fast local
team, seven baskets to Inree.
Then, these fans saw the conlbin-
alton Legion-Company ID bas-
keteers fight with the backs to
the wall, while a single point sep
arated the clean playing quintets.
Finally, to their great satisfaction,
the home fans saw the local boys,
filled with a pluck spirit that could
not be overcome, gradually weal
down and then sweep aside and
obliterate the stalwart defense of
Laconia five, until Referee William
Boisvert blew taps over the Wis
iting players still struggling des-
perately against the Sc to % score.
Tuesdays basketball game with
Bellows Falls was a corker. But
Thursdays strategic court tussle
= had the former beat going and
coming.
Strategic is the word-because
it is evident that some presiding
genius was directing the play of
the local boys. That presiding
genius was Coach "Chick" Burch.
You have to delve deeper into the
study of a basketball game than
to merely enumerate the field
goals scored by a player when
awarding praise. Burch did snare
six goals s1d two throws from
ing. He did more than that. He
coolly sized up the next move of
the floor. He led his men in scor-
ing. He did more tina that. He
cody sized up the next move OF
his opponents from his own back
field, and steadied his pals, when
they gave evidence of permitting
the excitement Of the play to run
away with them.
For the Laconia five there was
really no outstanding star, They
were all stars, and in addition to
their rare ability to perform on
the floor every visitor displayed
a keen knowledge of the court
game. Seymour and Simpson
were the speedy forwards, each
of whom tailed a trio of goals.
O'Shea and Murray, the big
guards, each secured three bas-
kets apiece. Waller, who started
the contest at center was shifted
to left forward in place of Simp-
son, who led Marshall a merry
chase for honors during the re-
mainder of the game.
The shot that brought forth
the most applause from the loyal
but fair-minded crowd was a long
arch from the center of the floor.
The goal came from the hands of
Seymour, and was the longest
successful score of the evening
Around the rim the sphere rolled
once, bobbed up in the air and
then settled neatly through the
mcshes.
Fritz Marshall his head patch
ed up as a reminder of a collision
with brick wall, played his usu-
al fast game. The schoolboy cen
ter did not suffer by comparison
with some of the fastest basket
bail men in New England. The
Laconia five is remembered as
the state champions of New
Hampshire last season.
All the local boys, "Lucky"
Fisk, "Whitcy" Dumas, and
"Puss" Connor played fast games.
"Puss' who played during a large
part of the game with a spraincd
wrist. contributed two unusual
back handed tosses into the mesh
es that brought the crowd to it
feet.
FIRST PERIOD
Fisk missed a shot as the game
got underway Waller took the ball
down the entire length of the halt
but failed in his attempt 10 cage
it. Connor started the local ma
chine going when he numbered
and tossed the bail through the
hoop for the first score Of the ev-
ening. Now Burch and Marshall
began to pepper the basket with
several shots, but these went
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