Evening star., 1949-11-17
Beating Denver Easier
Than Pruning Player
From Caps Roster
By Bill Fuchs

Second-guessers may get a fine
opportunity to point their fingers
and scream II told you so" next
month.
The Washington Caps are one
man over the 11-man player limit
which goes into effect December l
and at this stage it is rather diff
cult to see just whom Player
Coach Bob Feerick will put Up for
sale.
Even Owner Mike Uline, who
doles out the pay. would like to
keep every. one. who can you let
go?" he asks and expects no
answer.
Feerick, who played some last
night as his team handed the
Denver Nuggets their ninth loss
In as many National Basket Ball
Association games this season,
1890, already has his mind made
up.
Some one is going up for sale
next week." he says, but naturally
won't elaborate.
I'VE wanted to carry IL men,"
says Bob. "All these boys are good
players. We put a lot OF pressure
on in favor of a 12-man limit and
actually thought we were going to
win our point. Now we find out
that the league voted for an IL
man limit"
O'Keefe Clicking Now.
No one can read a coach's mind,
but it is almost certain that Bones
Mckinney, John Norlander and
Fred Scolari will stick around.
Feerick for certain won't unload
the valuable Jack Nichols, the big
center that Bob, himself, brought
into the fold after umpteen dol
lars worth of phone calls and
plane rides. And you can just
about scratch Dick OKeefe. an
other Feerick find, who is enjoy
ing his best season with the Caps.
OKeefe had a big hand in set
ting down the pesty Nuggets last
night, accumulating 19 points, in
cluding 9 straight free tosses.
What is so surprising about
OKeefe?" asks Feerick. "Dick
always was a good player. He was
captain and high scorer at Santa
Clara in his senior year when his
team won Is out of % games.
And he is a good defensive player.
1.-THE only thing he lacked be-
fore with us was confidence and
he has plenty of that now. He'll
do all right"
The Caps, who now have won
five of their first eight games,
will entertain the Chicago Stays,
the team that beat 'em the other
night in the Garden, Saturday
night at Uline Arena.
We'll be a better ball club
against the Stags," promises Bob.
"a lot depends on whether Bones
Mckinney and Fred Scolari can
play well for a reasonable length
of time"
Sailors Sparks Nuggets.
Bones started last night-his
first league. game of the season
after suffering a knee injury in
an exhibition.
Bones saw little action, but
enough to hook in two shots. He
admits he isn't in shape yet, but
should be able to play more Satur-
day.
The slimmest crowd of the sea-
son 1,463 fans gathered at
Uline and watched Washington
get off to a 1921 flrst-quarter
lead. The Nuggets never gave
up, but they never caught the
Caps.
Kenny Sailors sank 26 points
to take scoring honors.
FREE THROWS-Denver start
ed off the season with a 14-game
road trip and counting last nights
game must play six nights in Sue
cession. Coach Jim Darden
says Denver is the hottest basket
ball town in the country and the
Nuggets will draw at home wheth-
er they have a winning team or
not. Amateur basket ball, he
says, has been deteriorating there
for the last three years. >.
Scolari didn't get into the game
last night, but was there sport
ing a purple eye . he expects to
r,lav SATURDAY..