The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-09
AT
 SIMPSON GOOD Champions Of 1923 Have Good Chance To
 Repeat

winners of the southern and Alabama championship in the prep basketball world last year, look like possible re- peaters again this season, although Coach Dick Webb has lost the major portion of the great machine which carried the colors of the local prep school to the highest in the southland ill '23
 Only two of the championship basket eers are again cayorting under the Simpson cOlors, but one of these, Curdy Byrd, was named all-southern prep center last year and we'll deserved the honor. Albert Vincent is the other member of the duo who will again toss in the baskets for the Tornado. Around this neucleus, Coach Webb will attempt to build another title con- tender. A couple of practice games with local Sunday school quintets shows that the Junior Partners will again be in the running, but just how strongly remains to be seen.
 An Outstanding Star
 Curdy Byrd, the all-southern center, will probably be the best basketball player in local prep circles this season, if he lives up to the great reputa tion he has made on the court. He is a veteran of three seasons in high school basketball, and each year has been one of the Magic City's stars. Around the star shooting pivot man will the Junior Panthers be nodded.
 Albert Vincent, although rather er- ratio, turned in some mighty good games last season, and should be one of the mainstays of the quintet this | year. He alternated with Ellis as a | forward on the championship five, and should go good as a regular this year. Sam Burns, fast and accurate bas ket tosser who played with Snead semi nary last year and was one of their outstanding stars, is doped to make the other forward berth at Simpson and | will form the third member of a high scoring trio who should lead the Tor nado to many victories this season. He has showed up well in practice and in the two games played thus far and should be valuable man on the team.
 Lott Is Good.
 Chink Lott is forward whose speed should come in handily on basketball court, and he may land regular berth Lott is hard fighter. and there's all ways a big chance of him busting some body out of place. Bert Sager is bat ting for a place, while Fulton, Jones and Florence, forwards on the squad, played with Sunday school outfits last year and are likely prospects.
 Curdy Byrd will, of course, play cen ter, but Coach Webb has a fine substi- tute pivot man in Denson Reid, tall youth who handles the post well and has a good eye for the netting. Reid will play quite bit this year, and may see some service at forward. Bill Thomas is another center on the squad.
 Bob Suddith, a sub for several seasons on Simpson basketball squads, seems to have come into his own, and looks like the best prospect in camp as defensive player. Suddith is one of the fastest prep schoolers in the Birmingham dis trict, being star track performer, and is utilizing his speed to advantage on the court this season. He will likely play back guard.
 Other Guards.
 John Mills is another mighty good man to use as a guard, and has started the two practice tilts staged by the Simpson clan thus far. He works the floor well, but will have a strong con- tender for regular honors in Brand Currie, who played center toward the latter part of the season on the football squad. Brand will be used considerably at least, according to indications. Red Douglas rounds out the guard availables on the squad.
 The guards seem to be Coach Webb's chief worry at present, as he has vet erans to handle the forward berths. If the Simpson defense can round into championship shape, the Purple Tornado will give opponents for state honors a hard tussle. The guards are bettei shots than last years pair. but there will never be a better defensive duo than Milking and Martin Ferguson on prep quintet in long time. The de. fensive end of the game will be worked on considerably in the workouts before the holidays.
 Teamwork will also play conspicu ous part in the Simpson five this sea son, as the Junior Panther mentor is working hard to have smooth playing combination which can make up for the individual brilliance of Charlie Vincent, Ferguson, Milking, Ellis and company who were lost by graduation