The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-01-11
s s:s. Centre SPORTS aG; ;ss 7 %:s

Tapping coat tails. Dismal
picture? But the boys go
for 1t. 49,.
The prophets are calling bowl
ing the game Of the hour, and with
a long range outlook are calling 1t
the game of the future. It's true
that in these precincts, where not
even one alley rattles with clank-
ing pins, the game has become the
real recreation for dozens Of sports
minded fellows. Bowling has hit
a stride here that is unpaced in
any sport for the average run of
the mill sportster in recent years.
And the nearest spots to play
are Melrose and Alexandria. Men
aren't the only ones who have fall
en- hard for the game. The ladies
think it's ducky too. And in both
towns teams of women have their
night. It's this angle that has CIV
en- the alleys such tremendous pop
ularity in the past few years. The
angle of competitive playing, spon-
soring leagues has strengthened the
following to the alleys. And though
talk has called the turn for alleys
here, nothing has materialized yet.
But the ghost of this popularity
will pop into some kind of real
form another year passes Wen
wager.
The angle is that with winter
outdoor sports such as I'M
known quantity, the pursuit Is
going more and more toward
indoor recreation. And the
towns equipped to meet the sit
uation, are going to get 1t.
Ping pong took a mildly SEN
sational burst few years ago,
but it doesn't have the stay
ing powers that bowling has
we're told.
Well, they're talking of changing
DR.. Nasmith's brain child again. :.
The suggestions that come up each
year to change basketball are float
ing the rounds. This year it's CEN
tered around two major premises.
One to eliminate the backboards;
the other to bring back into the
fold the center jump. d. In the
first they argue several points. That
the blackboard is about as useful
as a fistful of peanuts without any
salt. They say that its elimination
will be a physical evener between
the tall and small man. They say
too it will make sharpshooters of
the boys. :.
These things may be, but the on
ly test is after they're put into OPP
Grafton. Several points seem in
evitable if the backboards are elm
mated. One is that that basket
is going to be an awfully insignifi-
cant looking hoop to toss ball
at. It'll end the under the basket
covering and rebound work so i'm
portant to a team today. It'll pro-
mote floor work, and the long shot,
already on the way out in prep
basketball, will find virtual extinc-
ton. Floor work, plays and skill
in moving the ball nearest the bas-
ket for the best vantage at the shot
will rule the day, we believe.
Because it's one shot and it's over.
Whether or not it will eliminate the
physical differences between teams
is something more dangerous to
tamper with. I firmly believe that
these differences can't be wiped out
by technical changes. That they
are there and endure through all
these changes. For a time in
the adjustment it may be an even
err, but I don't believe it can last.
MY reasoning is In this manner.
Watch a tall man shoot. Take
Pangburn, McGinnis, other tall
boys you've watched in the last few
years. Those close in shots that
they became so famed for were
shot not at the blackboard but at
the rim. Virtually the back
boards in disuse at any rate. Don't
mistake IIl6. uOLl CdiC ~ VIC
backboards are there or hanging
in the alley. All have to do is
watch and keep awake. But l
do argue with proponents of tech
nical changes designed to even the
game one way or another. -.
Well, they're talking too that
now the game Is too fast and
they want to put back into the
game the center jump. May
refer you to above. As I recall
1t, they hollered ioud and long
that elimination of the center
jump would not only pace the
game to a faster speed SO the
fans would have more to get
heart stroke about. But 1t
seems to me that one of the
biggest ballyhoo points was the
fact that the little guy had too
little chance In the center jump.
|. Now that point was true.
In the old center jump game,
the tallest man, after tallying,