Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-12-08
BYRNSTAD HAS FINE
PROSPECTS OF TITLE.
BASKE TBALL TEAM
SWAMP LEGION FIVE, SO TO fs,
IN PRACTICE GAME AT SCHOOL
GYMNASIUM LAST NIGHT
FIRST GAME TO De PLAYED ON
FRIDAY. DEC. 16, WITH MAR.
SElLLES HIGH.

Probably one OF the fastest basket
ball uuiulets ever turned ont of OF.
tawa for a number of years, and one
that viii no doubt be q championship
club this year, is the one that Coach
L. Byrnstad Is panning out over at
p, V. IT, G, Prospects Of winning
team 20 represent the south side in
stitutiOu are mighty good looking and
Hyrnstad is very much pleased with
the way his material has been step
ping off Last night Byrustad's clan
took Iitter's legion five into camp
for the second time this year, 30 to
Is, in practice game at the south
side gymnasium and right then and
there thoy evidenced the fact that
they possessed title ability and that
they are going 20 travel q merry pace
when the season starts.
Because of the Illness of Gordon
Varlaud, crack right forward on the
"Swede' team, Coach Byrnstad has
been caused 90 make slight change
in his lineup Narlanl has been out
for the past week or more and Byrn-
stad has aoen greatly handicapped by
his absence Last night he was
forced to put Ole Nelson in Narland's
place at forward while Dewey played
the opposite forward position.
Nelson, who has been playing left
guard. was substituted by Stubjkar,
=. y, /. {. football star
This morning Coach Byrnstad stat
ed that when Gordon Narland was
able to get out again he would be
forced to change the lineup At the
present time Bill Johnson, a long
lanky, lean six.footer, is the most
likely prospect for the center posi-
ton, but it is his first year and he
needs considerable coaching yet be
fore he will be officially installed as
center.
Truman Varland, who has been
playing that position, will be shifted
to right guard as soon as Byrnstad
decides to make the changes. Last
year Varland played right forward
on the team and proved very valu-
able man. This year he has had sew
eral tryouts at guard. As his broth
er, Gordon, and Dewey, have made
good at the forward position. Tru-
man will no doubt play a regular
guard position while Nelson will he
shifted back to the other guard. BY
these changes, Gordon Varland and
Dewey will play forwards, Bill John
son will be the regular center, and
Truman Varland and Nelson will be
the regular guards.
With the men lined up in those
positions Byrnstad is confident of
team this year The
men have been drilling hard for the
past month or more. Last Friday
night they evidenced constable speed
when they trounced the high school
lads in a preliminary game at the
armory, and basketball critics who
attended the game stated that Byrn-
stad has excellent material to pick
from this year and that it looked as
though he was going to have title
team.
The first game played by the r. V.
L. G. team on Friday night Dec. 16,
at the college gymnasium when they
encounter the Marseilles high school
team. On that night both the first
and second teams Of both schools will
play.
Byrnstad further added this morn
ing that if the players consent his
team will play the Spring Valley
team on the following night. Byrn
stad wants to schedule a game with
Spring Valley and the only date open
for him is Saturday, Dee. II. But
unless the members Of his team give
their consent and are willing to play
two consecutive nights the game with
Spring Valley will not be booked.