S

Theso two teams were distinctye wmits and in my opinion it is no
exagseration to say that primarily the offensive play of the Western team was
responsible for winning the Eastern Athletic Club championshin and Metronolitan
Club cha:mionshin in 1934 and the E astern Club Chammionshin again in 1930,
There is. no denying the fact, however, that the man to, man defensive goOtTa YY.
of the Eastern group was greatly responsible for keeping the score of the opnosition
down to:a ereat extent. However, observation during this period of time conclusively
proved that the Eastern style of play was already out-moded and it was no
surprise to me that shortly. after Ned Irish oncned up in Medison Squarc Garden’
with: big-tine baskets sal that Western teans consistently, Apfnates. 3 those of tue
Fast. :

The first Metronoliten bie time tean ae in ny op inion, has tamed to Weste
ern methods is N.Y.U. », and, i ‘believe that their record this yoaor is conclusive
proof that the style, of nky is the winning style. Howard Cann, avle N..U. coach
has seen the handwriting on the wall ond: has revised. his systom accordingly. Ford
han, under the’ canable Ba Kelloher,. is turning: to this met shod end their young sop-
homore tea is showing ur mach better. than far nore experienced ommonents ho

cling to the old style of conservative play. 4 don: te believe it. will be long before
almost all Hastern tos: will akope +t he Mide- open. gan

A recent achveke in the: Saturday. ao pet ee by Sin ley Frank, has
cranes a great. | r aout of controversy, in -be 2sketbo all cares es, Frank quotes
Coach Mooney, of Golwibia, to the effect that : the. best wey to prevent ‘lial titucenous"™
players from ruining the cane is to ronove the tack-bo oe end extend the
out-of-bounds lines four fect behind the basket, He further stated that this
was the.system used in the old New . State League, Ho forsot to mention,
however, ‘that | ‘in the- State League, hue Jifis h: nets" ‘surrounded the basketoail
court so that: in ‘effect the | bali could nev: of... out..of Lounds, Uoless a simiter
provision’ is siggested to giinmlonont. Moonoy'! Ss: “sugestion, it OGeurs 4G me tnht tthe
spectatavs willbe handling the -b ball as "often as ‘the. players... i? such <« suge:stion
is made, ther ‘are bound. to. sé. Justifiasle objections. raised in. regard to the
efféct of the player s health, Loud and long were the squarirs raised Dy maeny of
our foremost coaches when a ‘rule was put through to give the o-mosition the tall
out of bounds after a score had been. mole. They cleined. thet this spceded tha gare
up to the roint were the player's heart wicht te affected, Should. it be necessary
to use " fish néts".. “tris obvious that wore vould de absolutely no chance ofa
player getting a. nozents rest. bee CUS. there. would. be no out-or-. sounds plays.

The nost gonad bis: and. locical: sus-estion for ate sination the premium being
placed on the use of extrencly tall olayers seems. to.be to raise the baskets to
twelve feet; If tho running track at. the. old Stringfield "Y", where the gane
originated, | had. been twelre foat. avove: the: floor,. that:is the point at which
the "reach: baskets" would have been. placed ond no cont oversy would ever have
ar isen: The architect of. the “puilding, | however see fit-to put -the track only -
ten feet'nbove ‘the floor, end that is. the only reason wiy the rules todey contain
a provision: that. the baskets. should be ton. fest a nove. the floor.: There is no
doubt “in my mind that the ultimate solution tia. in. simmly roising the basket
two feet. Why penalize a player because he hapnens to be tall- let him enjoy the
sport too- just put the basket out of his reach,

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