New Britain herald., 1925-01-19
 
LAHAR AND TAYLOR
 WIN FOR LOCALS
Their Great Shooting Defeats
 est Sides 47-S7

In a game that contained more thrills to the sixty seconds of each of the 4o minutes Of playing time than any other played on the armory floor in a long time, the National Guards Saturday night made mag ullic.ut stand, swept from behind and in The last ten minutes of play deCiSncly defeated the Hartford West Sides 47 to 37. In this game If games every single player is en- tincl to indjvidual credit for the Win for indifferent playing by any would have spelled defeat; but while j, Is hard 10 single out one or two men, 1t is no more than right to say actual winning of the game was ac- complished hy the dark haired Paul LaIlar and the blonde Mert Taylor. Flashing into unusual hrilliancy in the closing period of the game, these two forwards ran the Hartford team dizzy, sent in some dazzingly spec tacuIar shots and run the score up N'l Al Ft.'i lI GDs u NtlS lIdI1tI $ W Ull e de~ul fold goal that put New Britain in the lead for the first time during the game, and 1t was another wonder shot by Taylor that put them in the lead again after the West Sides had crawIed up on them And still again it was another shot by LaFar from sclimmage that put the locals in the lead for the last spurt, while Taylor finished the final slaughter with series of one and two pointers.
 Hartford Takes Lead
 The West Sides came down here determined to win, and th9 team they brought, be 1t noted, need he afraid of nothing that the Hartford City league can offer. the Dixies in- cluded. With a squad Of ten men, including the Dazzling Darlington, Harmon Smith, last years captain at Springfield college, "Butsey" Strum, Jack Heating, the former Trinity flash, the wizard floor worker, Cum mings. the well known Murphy and Sturn, the West sides presented the most formidable opposition the locals have vet faced and it is doubtful if they will meet more determined, scrappy bunch again this season.
 Things looked bad for New Britain from the start. Play had not pro- grcssed a minute before the elusive Cummings had dodged away from Johnny Sheehan and dropped one in. The next instant however. Red" Reynolds broke away from the speedy Darlington for double decker. One by Smith gave Hart ford a two point lead, but this was matched when Taylor duckel Sturm and scored. sturm here was fouled. and made good, putting Hartford in the lead from which they were not displaced until well toward the end of the game. smith shot another basket, increasing the lead and the remainder of the first half was simply q procession of tlashy shots, dazzling floor work and close guard ing by the visitors. Smith account od for four field goals. Murphy rang in two, Darlington got one and "Butsey' Sturm, who was ejected after ten minutes of play after four fouls had been called on him, made three foul shots. Murphy made good on a free try too and so. did smith, New Britain looked terrible Tn this period, Their floor work was Ion-eXstant, they missed shct after shot and they surely looked 2 dlsorganlzed and defeated team Trl', Mert Taylor played hls usual brilliant game, but lie could not do it all alone and it was his six field goals alone that kept the locals even within haiilng distance of lie. A that, Mert was off on fouls missing five out of six tries.
 The teams left the floor at mid time with Hartford leaIing 25 and 22, this being the first time this .asou that the locals Lad trailed at thr hajf-Way mark. All during the first half the crowd had shown the usual HarLord-Ncw Britain rivalry and the cheering and shouting made T din in the armory. The first sign ot trouble came when S'urn was put out of the game, He lodged protest and tho crow ] immediately hooto1 Jim. 4 few minutes later Carlo Eestelli and q Hartford player got into jam over possession of the ta.I and in the scrimmagc Inc Iocal boy was snothsrcd on tie floor. It looked like very rough play and GgIt seemed lmminrnt. Al this
 rnction Lldie Icstelt Carlo's bro'Lcr rushed onto tLc noer anI in a ninstant parlisans rom both sides vrrc gathered around tho players, hut Referee Manion smootheI things 5G. without hloodshoI
 New Britain Takes Lead
 j. WIS q recognized New Bri'an t'2m that took fhc floor in tho second half. The lin'ups w5rc n- 'ac'. but tho locals showed team work, passwork and 3 better shoot lnG cyr. At that things looked bad a: rh" start for KilITt fou,oI Nur- phy and tta latter made gooL gjr- ing Hartford q 2s-24 IoaI Then Crow.ev rough"d T9ylor and the -a't~r's shooting eye vas lack for he rang the boil, making the score 26 and c5 in Harttord's favor. Tn the meantime Klldutf had gone out via tAe four foul route anI Weir took his place Ros,elu leo had been taken out atr'r three fouls were called, Reynolds going tn enter and LaHar 10 forwarI. Tn pew combination upset the sturdy Hart ford defense. Almost on the frs, play, l.aHar got the ball on q pass from scrimmagc and with Hart ford man hacking at it, tossed it through the netting for New Britain's first .ead This made Al