Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-12
SEGH AT LARGE
Baylor Appeoses
Basketball Critic
By MORRIS SIEGEE

THE ANNUAL INTENTIONAL disservice to basketball
winch normally occupies this in late February no
longer will appear at that time. 1t appears today
Rather than continue trying to discourage the sport
at the peak OF its season. the current thinking to head
1t off before it gets started If successful might reac-
Vate the phraSemaker who preached that an ounce of
prevention is worth pound OF cure"
Every single previous attempt to foul the double
berS has resulted in overwhelming of no conf
dence against the crusade Despite unreenng appeals Of
critics who regard basketball the serious nuisance
since the withholding tax. it thrives.
If Dr. James Naismith had invented the sport in
Havana YMCA instead of Springfield Mass the old peach
basket ghtfuly could be termed un-American as
well as unnecessary.
EVERY OBJECTION naturally is based on sound log
lcal objective thinking, none more applicable than the
physical discrimination it continues to impose when the
fight for equal opportunity RACES.
The cry for more products Of overactive pituitary
glands has reached such ouandish proportions the round
baer Of the future might find Houstons domed stadium
high enough by design for Mickey Mantle skyscraper
low.
The Importance Of height was emphasized yesterday
by Egin Baylor At 6-feet-6 he regards himself as a
dwarf when discussing Of his peers Wilt Chamberlain
Chamberains height has been appropriated at feet l.
1t must remain rough guess until longer measuring in
strumentS available.
Baylor the naveborn star of the Los Angeles Lakers
was asked how he would relish assignment guarding
Chamberlain whose nightly scoring orgies often are con-
fused for tenpin averages.
TOO tall" Baylor answered quickly
CHAMBERLAIN, IN A RELAXED position, which he
usually is is less than three feet from the basket He's
of the few who has to shoot down at goal when he
jumps
Baylor can Jump even with the goal, but in duel
with Chamberlain for air coverage Of net he is the
every time
The criticism of this something less than 6-foot-6
cync becomes more valid the result of the Baylor
Chamberlain comparison. What chance does an almost
average-size man have in today's basketbal2
Chamberlain is the highest scorer in basketbals his
tory He will remain until ID the baskets are raised or
2) taller player, even closer to the hoop Is Matched
However, the fact remains that no Wilt Chamberlain
team has come close to the pro title despite his one-man
assault the backboards Baylor mentioning in WASH
ington, isn't sure Wilt could make his Laker team
mot unless he would change his style Of play Baylor
said honestly One man can't do everything"
AT PHILADELPHIA AND now San Francisco wilt is
everything And because he u.s. his team never has and
never will win a title, according to Baylor.
THE other players afraid to Shoot" he pointed
out They look for him all the time and pass up easy
shots OF their own Then there's the matter of defense
Anyone as busy as Wilt Is scoring all night can't have
much time left to play defense"
Chamberlain isn't Baylors problem. Beginning Sunday
IN Los Angeles Egn launches another drive aimed at I'M
seating Red Auerbachs Boston Celtics The Lakers and
Celtics have met head for the MIA title 50 often
the past few years 1t waste Of time for the other
teams to play their schedule.
Might this be the year for the Lakers to crash through
because the Cecs for the first time In Is years. will be
without Bob Cousy2
THAT might not anything" Baylor answered
grmly. Look what the Yankees did without Mantle"
The hostility to basketball becomes slightly less severe
after talking with Baylor Actually we anti-roundbalers
are not as opposed to the game we make believe.
We want 1t declared unsafe merely as a health meas
ure At their altitude the tall players are likely victims of
nose bleed.