The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1961-02-17
SPORTS of TIMES
ReUenge
Is Sweet
BY LOU FABRo
Times Sports Editor

Firespouting Coach Branch McCracken and his
Indiana basketball team, which was left dead at St.
John Arena last week, have a big score Q0O-65) to
settle when the Ohio State Wonders" launch their
invasion on Hoosier territory this Monday.
IN FACT, THE INDIANA coach proably yearns
for victory over the Bucks as badly as Coach Fred Tay-
lor wanted one over the HooSierS. McCracken is still
haunted by last weeks spectacle of his squad getting
riddled to death by the Buckeye sharpshooters while
OSU fans roared for more like Romans in the Colos-
scum.
During the massacre, McCracken appeared about
as helpless as General Custer must have been at the
battle of Little Big Horn. Unlike Custer, McCracken
did hear a bugle call, which in western movies, an
nounces the arrival of a rescuing calvary unit. But the
bugle call McCracken heard, came from the Ohio
State band to which OSU fans responded with a thun-
derous roar of charge" The fans were having a
grand old time.
DESPITE JUNGLE" M~ecRAcKEN's feverish de-
sire, and although Indiana really does has one of the
finest teams in the Big Ten, and there will be a jam.
packed army of partisan Indiana fans on hand Mon
day, prospects for a Hoosier victory range from "slim
to none"
A victory for Indiana, however, isn't an impos-
Slbllty. The Buckeyes, even though they form the
greatest college cage team ever assembled in the land
aren't invincible.
Harken back to last year when Ohio State won
the national championship. Jerry Lucas & Co. buried
Michigan State under an 111-79 score at st. John
Arena in the first meeting between the two teams.
But it took a last second basket by Lucas to allow OSU
to escape with an 1888 win in the return match at
MSU.
a LOT HAS BEEN SAID and written about the
Bucks massacre of the Hoosiers. In these parts the
general opinion is that "McCracken had his coming"
Most say he has no squawks because he allowed his
team to stomp the Bucks 1922 two years ago. The
impression is that it wasn't very sporting of McCrack.
en- to run up such a big score.
And it wasn't.
If this is so, however, isn't it also "unsporting' of
Ohio State to do the same thing? Humiliating a team
that's decisively beaten tit was 7940 with 10 minutes
left by leaving the starting five in until SO seconds
remained, clearly is no way to teach craftsmanship.
TAYLOR HAS EARNED a fine reputation dur.
ing his coaching career-both freshman and varsity
at Ohio State. He handles his players wisely and skill
fully and he works hard. Unfavorable criticism has
been a rarity. Because of his outstanding reputation,
II was a big surprise to watch Tayor sit grim-faced as
his players hurried the Hoosiers out of the Arena.
It's to Taylors credit that he admitted on his TV
program that maybe his starters did stay in the game
a little too long" He added, however, he still remem.
bers that 1922 beating.
Taylor certainly was within his rights to keep his
starting unit in but it would have been commendable
on his part had he stopped the slaughter earlier.
MecRAcKEN. n DEAN of Big Ten coaches,
won no sympathy around here when he said TAYLOR
had earned a reputation for running up scores. Facts
simply don't support his view. John "Hondo" Havlicek
has played the most but he averages only 80 points per
Big Ten game.
This comment of McCracken reached many areas.
A Minneapolis sports columnist was prompted to write
an article in which he said "the complaint is lin the
Big Ten) that Taylor has become a '%pourit-on' coach
who seems to delight in tormenting his opponents by
leaving his team on the floor at full strength long
after the victory is ~clinched."
Like McCracken, this particular columnist was
spouting off opinion without facts to support him.
WHILE ON THE SUBJECT Of facts, Columbus
sports writers have been saying that McCracken didn't
substitute in last weeks game, indicating the Indiana
coach never lost hope for victory. McCracken. how.
ever, did call on two subs as early as the middle of
the first half. He also used two other subs during the
game.