The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-15
This Sporting World
Kicking The Gong Around
By JOHN A. CLUNEY

When the Connecticut 1nterScho- lastic Athletic Conference refers to the American Red Gross as @ PRESSURE GROUP, someone, inc dividual or organization, ought to TAKE STEPS to break up that lit- tie downstate ROYAL FAMILY so that it can never reorganize. In turning down flatly, the request of Hartford Red Cross authorities for its sanction of a high school track meet, the CIAC, in its letter of explanation" backed, incidentally by pr. Alonzo Grace of the state board of education; called the Red Cross a pressure group" and if they get away with 1t, the SHAME will be upon every legislator in Connecticut, as well as parents of boys in high school and the armed services, especially OVERSEAS.
 As near as can judge, the
 only pressure that ever came
 from the American Red Cross was
 for BLOOD and MONEY to save
 LIVES in the jungles of the South
 Pacific, the ice of Alaska and the
 battlefields of Europe and the rest of the world. This, while the
 self-opinionated members of the
 Connecticut Interscholastic ATH- LErIC Conference, (and not a
 sportman coach or athlete among
 them) sits In round-bellied com-
 fort of its meeting room, count
 ing up the receipts of state
 basketball tournament where kids run their hearts out on a lousy
 basketball court flanked by two baskets that ought to be in the Smithsonian Institution, winding up by GIVING TorTington, the state champs, a LOPSIDED BAS-
 KETBALL as e token of their esteem in playing before l5,000 to 10000 people within week, NOT A NICKEL of which goes to the schools that drew the money.
 VVVVVVV
 The Torrington squad left this aft- ernoon for Providence, R. l., where 1t will take part in the New England tournament opening tomorrow aft- ernoon at the Brown gym. The team was able to go, because of the continued generosity of Tor rington people which raised more than $l,0O0 since last Monday. Why should not the Connecticut Inter- scholastic Athletic Conference which gets ALL the state tourna- ment money, pay the expenses ot ITS OWN STATE CHAMPIONS AND RUNNERS-UP in the New England tournament? The Lord knows, 1t can well afford to, when you consider that some 5000 people paid 85 cents each to see but TWO GAMES, the semi-1inalS and finals at New Haven last week say nothing of receipts in the pre- vious PLAYDOWN games.
 VVVVVVV
 THIS AND THAT Would like some contact with the person who left the information on Cadet BILL GLYNN .. Many thanks to the Shechys of Idylwood avenue for their note of appreciation Did you know that in the past l7 years, Yale has had but two All Americas, Larry Kelley and Clint Frank, and DucKy Pond coached both of them? The Duck Is now Lieut.. R. G. Pond, USN, stationed at the Navy pre-fiight school in Athens, Georgia. On my Sayso. you can put him on your list of SOLID GOLD GUYS right now Brook lyn A. c. Is popping up with in- tentions of entering q team in the City Amateur league, after Q years absence; and donating @ suitable placque or trophy to the city's out standing high school BASEBALL player, to be decided by local sportsWriters and high school s;sSt coaches coioR, BROWN S3 .be was Harse sec ford fights last night for Johnny Brown defeated favored Jerry Maloni in the main go, and Water bury's Billy Brown outpointed Bobby Howard,