Evening star., 1933-01-11
FINISH AT TOP ms
OF 5 TITLE ROUNDS
Win Outright in Trio of Bas-
ket Ball Seasons, Tie
in Two Others.
BY EDMUND A. FULLER, Jr.

|
| HOULD Central win the pub
lie high school basket bali
~ championship series this
Winter-and indications now
are 1t will-the experience will
be nothing new for Bert Coggins,
fiery coach of the boys who wear
the blue.
Since the curly-thatched mentor
started coaching the Columbia
Heights school basketers in 1925,
they've won three titles outright
and twice have tied for the crown.
That very first year, in fact, Coggins
Pnoted the Blue to the heights. Cen
tral and Eastern tied for the top spot
In 1925 and then Coggins' pets achieved
undlsputed triumphs in 1927 and 1928.
In 1929, however, Tech came through to
gam the championship in dramatic
style and went on to defend success
fully its title the following Winter.
Central and Eastern again tied in 1881,
then Eastern captured the gonfalon last
year.
Much Of Centrals success has come
after furious struggling punctuated by
all the drama that can be packed into
the game. including even free-for-au
fights among rabid fans.
IN 1925 Central's win was clear-cut
i That year, with Macdonald, Hale,
Banta, Dezendorf and Dean consti-
tuting its lineup, 1t downed Western.
"a to 13, to gain the title. The fire.
works blazed forth, though, the follow
| ing Winter.
After Central and Eastern had fought
through their regular schedule to q tie
at seven wins and one loss, q play-of
| was held, but when hostilities ended in
dispute Referee Joe Deering called 1t
mo contest" The dispute arose after
Cy Hogarth Of Eastern sent the ball
looming into the basket from scrim-
mage to tie the score at II all.
Jack Espey, now counsel on public
relations for George Washington Uni
versity. but then a mere newspaper
man, blew the whistle, ending the game
just as Hogarth shot the ball through
the netting. He had not been pro-
vided with q pistol.
| The officials did not hear Espey's
whistle nor the clattering Of flock Of
water buckets, tables, chairs and other
miscellaneous articles Jack hurled onto
the floor in his frenZied efforts to make
the arbiters realize time had expired.
| When the officials finally grasped the
situation they declared the game q tie
and ordered an extra period played.
The crowd, however, surged on the floor
and made further competition -impos-
Sible. The tie was never played of, an
Central said its remaining heavy sched.
ule would not permit It.
EASTERN had gained tie at the end
~ of the regular schedule by con-
quering Central, % to 22 Then,
too. 1t was Hogarth who came through
with vital points. His two foul shots
brought the Lincoln Parkers victory.
CentraPs combination that year conn
prised Colley, Crouch. Moser, Swift and
Macdonald.
In 1927 Central was declared the win.
ner following disturbance that oc-
CURED after Coach Coggins' BOYS had
beaten Western, 38 to "a, for their fifth
| win In as many series starts. A free.
for-all fight developed among the fans.
The principals, aroused, declared Gem
tral the winner and ordered the remains
der OF the series games cancelled. Tash.
Lemon. Crouch, Swift and Thacker were
mainstays of the Central team that
year.
The 1928 series, also won BY Cen
tral, was comparatively tame. The
blue-clad team downed a gamely fight
ing Business quint. 20 to 80, to land
the title. woodward. Fisher. Burgess,
Burch. Castell, Lemon and Cross were
Central's dependables.