The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-29
Small Gym Is
Pet Peeve of
Purple Coach
'DepIorab|e,' Cries Jones, as
Cage HopefuIs Bang
Into Wall.
BY TOM OCHyLTREE

BY TOM OCHILTREE
If you are in good health and
want to stay that way, it wouldn't
be advisable to walk up to Rowland
H. Jones, master mind of the Wash
ington High School basketball team,
and say:
How are you today, Mr.. Jones,
and how is the GYM"
Because Mr. Jones feels so upset
about the whole thing he is liable
to bounce a basketball off your
bugle.
In fact, Mr. Jones, would like to
put in a loud beef to one and all
about the athletic facilities at the
school,
Davies Joins "DepIoring"
Even his able assistant, Cleon o.
Davies, would like to go on record
as characterizing the situation as
most "deplorable."
1t seems that Washington doesn't
have any real basketball floor at all.
The Jones boys go through the mo-
tons on the stage in the school
auditorium. but if they run very fast
they go flying among the spectators
or knock themselves groggy against
one of the walls.
The stage is II by 40 feet, and the
brick walls are about three feet back
Of the baskets. These have been
padded, but every year some lad
gets nicked up when he goes under
the hoop on a fast breaking play.
Spectators Can't See
To top it off, there are 228 lockers
for the $40 boys taking physical
education and basketball.
I'VE get along by assigning two
men to a locker, but the dressing
room and showers aren't big enough
to swing healthy cat in," Coach
jones lamentS.
Worst of all, Washington has been
unable to schedule first-class teams
in recent years because mentors are
afraid to have their charges play
on the floor
spectators can't see the games
we'll. and that has hurt our attend
ance," Mr.. Davies said. Last year
we were drawing standing crowds
on our road games, and yet we
couldn't fill our home auditorium.
Wall Taking Hammering
IF we ever are going to build up
a reputation, we probably will have
to schedule big-name teams and
play majority of games away from
home every year." he added.
AS in the past, Coach Jones ex-
poets to have small but fast team
this year. Riley Lasley, center; Ed
ward Kasnak, guard, and Herschel
Sartor forward, are the only letter.
men left from last seasons city
championship team.
There were 81 boys out for prac-
tice today, and as yet the squad has
not been divided into varsity and
a "B" team. With two, and maybe
three positions open, the newcomers
are playing to the limit and not
caring how often, or.how hard, they
bang into the wall
Among the players who probably
will see action in the opening game
against Mooresville Dec 6 are
James Hardin and Phillip Shoe
maker forwards, and Richard Pot
tenger and Donald Dean, guards.
No Lineup Yet
II haven't decided on a starting
lineup however" Coach Jones said,
land some of these boys who are
showing such fine spirit may make
the grade The team won't be as
good as last year, 1 don't think"
Here are few pertinent facts
about the man who has coached
Washington for nine seasons.
He's a most personable gent.
Blondish-with a powerful chin and
nice smile. He knows basketball,
especially the ding-dong Indiana
variety, and is a great handler of
| youngsters.
Six times he brought strong
teams to the sectionals, and every
time the tournament winner elimi-
mated them
Likes Free Throw Rule
AS for strategy, he hasn't had
much time to figure it out this year
The boys have been out just two
weeks, and Coach Jones wants to
get them we'll grounded in funda-
mentals before he teaches them
plays.
The new free throw rule ought to
liven up the game some," he said
This year when your opponent
makes a free throw, you gain pos
session of the ball out-of bonds
under the basket you are defending
A fast team ought to be able tc
work quick breaking scoring play
from that spot"
He isn't worried much about the
opening game.
Il saw Mooresville play Plainfield
the other night, and they missed a
lot of shots. They will have about
/ seven games experience on us
though, and that is worth a lot"