Evening star., 1935-01-27

so 1t was not surprising that
Mike should be able to deter
mine Just when Borleske was
about to spring something in the way OF an
idea which was calculated to extend Warwick'S
athletic reputation,
For several years past little Warwicks ath-
letic reputation had been nothing about which
sophomores wrote home. The big colleges and
universities had got too big. and the little ones
had discovered that athletics could make enough
money to pay the profs-if you had a fairly
honest business manager.
Yet this season something seemed to have
happened to naive Warwick All unannounced,
half dozen brawny farm hands had matricu-
lated and been drafted promptly into the
foot ball team. They knew few rules and less
technique, and the result was chaoS-for the
opposing elevens
So Coach Borleske was smiling these days,
with a foot ball title all locked away in the
gymnasium, and Mike Flaherty saw with trep-
idation that the coacb's smile was directed
toward the basket ball season.
Mike" said Borleske dreamily, we've got
to follow that foot ball team with a winning
basket ball outfit. Basket ball has always been
Warwick's game-and if We fall down this
year it would spoil what we've done already"
Don't look at me-" said Mike uneaSily II
amt eligible this year. I'm behind in my geog-
raphy."
I'm serious Mike
F1aherty shifted, i'll at ease. When Borleske
said he was serious it meant dirty work at the
crossroads for Mike Although he quit regu-
larly four times a year. Mike would have fol-
lowed Boreske to the tiniest cow-college in the
remotest corner Of the globe.
\ IOBODY remembered how he had attached
himself to the coaching staff at Warwick,
for he had neither athletic record nor a
college degree. But somehow all of 20 years
ago, he had decided he was going to assist
Borleske. Two presidents, q board of deans and
more than one overseer had been unable to
prevent him.
'"This year." Borleske went on, I'VE want
come along second or third best We've got to
have q player that can find q basket all by
himself. We got q good lineup for team
work, but want q boy who can do things by
himself when the unexpected happens, and the
team-play gets smashed"
"You mean snatch a player from the uni
versity? guy like this Haskell?"
"A guy like Haskell. yes. But you know cock
eyed well don't mean to snatch him or any
body else from another school"
yeah" Flaherty agreed in disappointed
growl. That's the trouble. You never want to
swipe players Now. to my mind, that's what
makes a collitch sport interestin'-and we got
aWmnl VINO q De RlaQ 10 pay daSkellS expenses
over here at Warwick"
II know we have. That's one reason why I've
only little hair. No. Mike-I mean player
like Haskell, all right but we've got to get him
from some high school, Since our limited en-
roment lets us play man his first year at col
lege, what we've got to do is find q high school
graduate who for some reason or other didn't
start to college last Fall. If he's got the stuff
we'll snap him right onto the floor against
State"
Mike scratched his head. "You said we got
TO find him. suppose that means me?"
"Well," grinned Borleske, II can't get away.
You can use my car, and I've arranged with the
bursar for your expenses. See the high school
coaches in every little town. Ask em about
likely boy that can hit basket and decided he
wouldn't come to college this year."
Don't tell me that Santa Claus really left
Warwick College a paid-up education for a
good athlete!"
We'll" Borleske admitted, II did find a
scholarship that wasn't working. and we can
give it to this kid, whoever he is"
Which was how, on q certain chill morning,
Mike Flaherty found himself cringing beneath
the frigid covers Of a bed in the Acme Lodging
House, good 100 miles from Warwickton. In
a moment now he would have to get out from
beneath those covers and dress; and the Acme
Lodging House was singularly innocent Of any
thing resembling heat.
"One two . . three!" said Mike and
then, just for fun, he added four five and six
and made the leap He had to do it. He had
to do it for Borleske and Warwick College I'D
freeze to death for the old awl matter" chat
tered Mike getting dressed.
For yesterday afternoon the coach and prin-
cipal of Acme High School had informed him of
one Sloan Slack, the son of farmer who lived
with his father 8 miles from town. Sloan had
graduated from Acme High School the previous