Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-30

AZ 40 - AAAAAS A%AAA &N&A8~
doubled over with laughter.
clutching his middle as If he
had been plugged by the shot.
This is part Of the promo
ton" for Baltimore's new entry
In the National Basketball As
ISOLATION and it may be bitterly
symbolic that they're firing
blanks. After four home dates,
the attendance has been listed
successfully as 1900, 1900,
$500 and 2,452.
This is hardly the type trend
that Dave TRACER, the insurance
man from the Midwest, finds
enjoyable. He moved his fran
chise to what was advertised
as the land Of pleasant living.
The Bullets, formerly known
as the Chicago Zephyrs, are a
young team with more Of a fu-
ture than a past. They have a
young coach, 31-year-old Bob
by Leonard, and the last two
rockies Of the year-Bellamy
two years ago, Terry Disching-
er last season.
Anybody who see us knows
what our problem is" Leonard
said recently.
The Bullets didn't have very
good guards. Red Thorn, the |
No. 1 draft choice from West
Virginia, had to work so hard |
bringing the ball up-court |
against the press that he forgot |
how to shoot. There is q sus-
picion that 81 Green. the other
guard, never knew how.
But yesterday the Bullets got |
Gene Shue from the Knicks and |
now suddenly the club has
some balance. Gus johnson, a
6-foot-6. 235-pounder, collab-
crates with Dischinger in the
corners. A rookie from Idaho,
Johnson has amazing leg spring
and could be a surprise. He
bagged "a points against st.
Louis the other night.
That's the starting cast and
1t isn't too bad, although there
is little to behold on the bench.
After six games, the Bullets are
"a with both triumphs coming
over the Knicks.
Fortunately for the Bullets,
and some folks hereabouts who
appreciate pro basketball in
their midst, the fact that Bel
lamy is under contract provides
a legitimate hope. Pro clubs
need the big man first. The
other pieces usually can be
found in time, like Shue.
Bellamy looks Z feet tall,
even sitting down. He has a
gold tooth that shines when he
smiles and a pair Of hands that
makes q basketball look like a
grape. He is off to his best
start as a pro with a 29.1 aver
age and there are some who
even think he might lead the
league.
Bellamy is not one who nee
essarily shares this opinion. He
has noticed that Wilt Cham
berlain, now a playmaker I'M
der new coach Alex Hannum,
has been feeding off more and
sometimes scoring Just 81 or
% points a game. This has
made Bellamy suspicious. He's
waiting for the other shoe to
drop.
mo coach is gonna sac
rifice the greatest scorer in
the game" Bellamy insists.
Chamberlain may be a play
maker now. but I want to see
him play 80 games that way"
1t is significant, perhaps,
that the largest Bullets home
crowd so far was drawn by
Chamberlain's first visit.
They'll come out to see the Wis
ting stars, but the local club
has yet to capture even a
shred Of the adolation Of the
Colts, the Orioles or even the
hockey Clippers.
The management recently
sent coupons to all Baltimore
high school students emitting
them to q reserved seat for so
cents. More than 10000 cou-
pons were sent out, but only
$500 customers came in. That
included the kids.
It'll take a contender to |
make the turnstiles spin, plus a
genuine hero or two. The club
could hit it lucky on both
counts. Big-scorer Bellamy and |
now local-boy Shue, plus Dis
chinger, Johnson and Thorn. |
That's not too bad, and neither !