Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-08
SPOTLIGHT
SPORTS
The Hazards of Letter Writing
By MERRELL WHlTTLESEY

FUNNY HOW MUCH trouble fellow get into Just
by writing letter.
Take Hal Bradley for instance Seven eight years
ago. he coaching basketball at Hartwick College in
upstate New York. winning average OF three out OF four
Then he started writing letters.
One of them to Duke University, just friendly
note to say there coaching vacancy he was
interested He didn't know anybody there In fact Roy
Clogston North Carolina State the only person he
knew the schools that comprise the Atlantic Coast
Conference
year or so later had reply. Duke had vacancy,
and would Bradley fly down in hurry, for interview?
The basketball about to start and Duke was
losing its coach because Of illness Hal got the job.
Now instead coaching in the peaceful little town OF
Oneonta, N Y where basketball just game he's coach
ing in Durham N. c. where from December through the
first in March, basketball is life death
Bradley the most composed coach in the conference
during ball game, is quiet fellow, A years old, and
probably gets less publicity than any coach In the ACC
because popping off Is not his nature.
FEW HOURS before his Blue Devils played Maryland
Bradley relaxing in his hotel room yesterday.
Could his team hold first place in the conference and
then win the tournament in March? Bradley asked
Hal said he thought Dukes chances of winning the
reguarseason round robin good as anybodys But
as for the tournament, who could tell? In onegame
elimination N c. State Duke North Carolina, Wake Forest
Maryland could win. That discounts only Virginia
Clemson South Carolina. He'd have to like N c. State
the because it's the Wofpacks home court
few hours later there was hint Bradley merely
being polite in including Maryland in the potential %ourna
ment winners.
What the reaction to Duke leading the conference
at this moment when it supposed to be State or
Carolina?
Bradley stroked his chin looked out the window and
agreed that State the Tar Heels the
choices but it's real surprise to him to have beaten both
WE ORIGINALLY WERE supposed to have been
good this year the other Carolina schools Hal SAID but
then lost captain-elect Dan Tobn, because of
scholastic difficulties That left us without leader
But our boys matured between seasons" Bradley
tinued THAT the that sophomores coming
through made the difference"
We've been lucky with the sophs" the coach
pointed out because with schedule we don't have
much opportunity to test the reserves"
had point there what with Dukes schedule calling
conference games plus Kentucky George Washing
ton, Pitt, Penn vanova the Dixie Classic and Others
A GLANCE AT DUKES starting lineup showed two
Carolina boys and each from Pennsylvania Indiana
New York That led to look at the other Big Four
schools ALI five of North Cardinals from New York
Jersey States top five two Pennsylvanans
and one each from Colorado Ohio and Indiana. Wake
Forest had two from Carolina two Illinois and one Kentucky
How come? Bradley was asked.
you have to go where the players are" Bradley
replied Right best freshman is from the State,
only in the last five that North Carolina high
school basketball has started to grow up
ITO get players to meet the type of competition we face
it's necessary go all And he unused, everywhere
we go, N. C. State is there, too"
AFTER HAVING SPENT four hours hanging around
the Raleigh Durham Airport for plane that didn't depart
and the rest of the night on sleeper Bradley was be-
ginning to look longingly at his hotel bed.
Just one more question. Didn't the coach agree that
rather absurd eight teams to spend most of the
playing balanced homeland home series OF IA
games each and then determine the champion and the
conference representative in the NCAA championships in
elimination tournament?
Eyes, and no." Bradley replied ut would appear the
real champion would the regular winner But
the other hand people Carolina look forward all year
to the tournament They their money for it, take
vacations to get to it, talk about it, It's big to them And
last year it showed net profit of $1,000. think
tournament is here to stay"