The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-02-11

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Ten years ago in what was then
q small commercial school these
young ladies got their first linking
into the science of basketball or
rather, the girls who were students
at that time, for the personnel OF
the grads has changed consider
ably since those early days. Year
after year, teams from the EdmOn.
ton Commercial High School made
their mark in local and provincial
competition, but It was not Until
the spring OF 1922 that the team
went after national honors.
Lacking financial support, but
urged on by the same dauntiess
spirit which has always marked
their games, the Commercial girls
supplemented the Eastern guaran.
tee by their own earnings and set
out for London, Ontario. in quest
6f the Canadian championship. It
wa 4 prodigious undertaking for
q team OF young ladieeinvolylng
4 round trip Of over 1000 miles, and
because Of financial difficulties,
making the journey without
The outcome OF the series In
Isondon-the first Dominion cham-
pfonship-was brilliant triumph
Tor these girls of the Far West,
and from that point onward heir
record has been one continuous sue
cessfon Of victories. Edmonton had
its first opportunity Of witnessing
4 Dominion final the following year,
when the London "ShamrOcks
again won the Eastern Canadian
title. and then came west to dispute
the Grads, right to the Canadian
chan1nfonship. The result was even
more decisive than in the previous
year. the Grads winning the two
game series BY comparatively one.
sided scores
Kcnrnurarna b. their success
a~asrrf eI,e H6sf teams In Oamadn.
- Edmonton girls looked tDr
fNrther fields % conquer. and
500 4 challenge 70 the Cleveland
Fayorite-K nita. = clever American
team which claimed the worlds
IN championship. After negOtia.
lions, involving 3 guarantee OF
eoSnetling like 8, 900 for travelling
eRnenses. the Cleveland quintet
mkcenked the Cahuckss challenge
and Mayed tWO-game fixture I'm
the Edmonton civic arena before
. crowd Of over $500.
This series. which resulted in the
downfall OF the American girls. viii
20 down in basketball records as
one OF the highlights Of the game.
practicable every known form Of
Basketball strategy was introduced;
the two teams moved about the
floor with q precision that would
have done credit to any male ag-
gregation that ever tread the maple:
the shooting was remarkable; The
passes bewildering.
The clever quintet from south of
the line gave everything they had,
but they finally went down before
q relentless attack the like Of which
they had never previously faced.
When the first game ended. the
score board read 81 to 20 with the
Grads on the long end Of the score,
and although the CIeyeIanders
fought like the game young PLAYERS
they were, the Grads held them
safe during the final game, and
added another six points to their
already commanding lead.
The crushing and unexpected de-
feat Of the classy Cleveland team
brought the Grads into the lime
light with q vengeance, and cfal-
a.
all directions. Just as rapidly as
arrangements could be completed,
every challenging organization was
taken on and every one Of them
went back home with an entirely
different conception as to just how
the hoop game should be played.
With a regularity that was amaz-
Ing, the Grads turned back cham
pionship teams from practically
every section Of Canada, and the
northern and eastern states. and
in only one casa series with the
Chicago "Brownies"-was the score
even reasonably close.
Although the Cleveland. "Favorite
Knits" had claimed the world
championship, and the Grads by de-
feating them were not the logical
claimants to that ambitious title,
the Edmonton girls felt that to
assume such an honor would be out
of place without first disposing of
the championship teams Of Europe,
and unbelievable as 1t may seem.
the Grads actually invaded the old
land and defeated every all-star
team that could be framed up to
meet them, eliminating in the COM
olete rout of the European cham
donship team. at Strassbourg, by
he score of 81 to s.
This trip, costing over $11, 900,
vas financed entirely by the Grads
themselves as q result Of their
Earnings from games played I'm
the Edmonton arena. Not q single
: rent was advanced from any other
sOuDce-an undertaking that will
go down in the history Of sport
Jas the most stupendOus Of It's
Kind ever undertaken.
As a result of their victories II
Keen Y0usr SeaIn