Evening star., 1939-03-05
Metro Title Struggle
Starts Tomorrow
On Tech Court
St. Putrick's Is Named
To Complete Field
In Girls Division
By ROD THOMAS.

A high school basket ball boom
begun by Director Burch Bayh's
change in system of conducting the
District public school series. in
which the four top teams clashed
In an elimination following a round
robin will reach a crescendo to-
morrow night with the opening at
Tech of the annual Evening Star
tournament for the metropolitan
interscholastic championship, strict
ly knock down and drag out affair.
st. Johns College, which yester-
day retained the city parochial
school title by defeating Gonzaga,
will hurry to the defense of the
metropolitan crown, being opposed
by Jefferson High of Falls Church,
champion of Fairfax County, in the
first game of a double-header to
start at 730 o'clock.
The second contest will bring to-
gether Eastern, District public
school champion, and George Wash
ington of Alexandria, each of which
has beaten the other this season by
a lopsided score.
st. Patrick Girls Selected.
On Tuesday night Mount Rainier,
perennial winner of the Prince
Georges County title, and particu-
larly strong this year, will meet
Tech, runnerup to Eastern in the
District series. and Montgomery
Blair of Silver Spring and Gonzaga,
both appearing for the first time
in Star tournament, will oppose
in the second game.
Survivors will play the semi-finals
a week from Tuesday, and the final,
preceded by girls championship
game, will be fought the following
night.
The girls metropolitan title lies
among George Washington, Mont
gomery Blair, Mount Rainier and
st. Patricks. the st. Pats hailing
from the Catholic Girls League.
St. Patrick's was chosen last night
to complete the field 1t will meet
Holy Cross one day this week for
the league title and receives the
tournament spot. win or lose, mas
much as Holy Cross schedule would
prevent it from participating. A
double header. day and place to be
settled tomorrow. will be played this
week. with the winners to clash for
the title.
Six of the topflight referees of
metropolitan Washington were
named last night to handle the boys
tournament. They are Dallas Shlr-
ley, Shag Shaughnessy, Dave Keppel,
Joe Mitchell, Maurice Enright and
Spencer Chase.
Admiral McIntire Head Judge.
Heading the committee to select
the most valuable player and the
best suburban team will be Admiral
Ross T. McIntire, physician to Presi-
dent Roosevelt, basket ball star in
college days and now close student
of the game. With him will be Bill
Reinhart of George Washington
University, Fod Cotton. C. u, and
Burt Shipley, Maryland, all varsity
basket ball coaches. Elmer Ripley,
Georgetown coach, won't be in town
for the tournament duration.
-Four teams involved have accepted
invitations to play in a!l-star tour
naments elsewhere Eastern will
compete in the Duke University
event opening March II and St.
Johns, Gpnzaga and George Wash
ington will try for the South At
lantic interscholastic title in the
Washington and Lee tournament at
Lexington, March 10 and II.
Advance sale Of tickets, at two bits
apiece, promises tournament at
tendance record, with the suburban
fans keyed especially high. Mont
gomery Blair issued snappy spe-
cial edition of its school paper on
the tournament.
Bill Coyle, The Stars radio direc-
tor, will be master of ceremonies,
assisted by popular Jack O'Connell
and music will be. furnished by the
crack Elks Boys Band, directed by
James L. KidWell.