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BY BOB BUTCE
(Daily Kansas Telegraph Editor)
Hank Luisett, Stanford's all-American basketball player of 1938, and who stunned Eastern schools with his one-handed set shot, has written an article for Sports magazine, entitled "Racehorse Basketball Stinks."
In it he blasts the present neglect of clever team play, fundamentals of passing, footwork, and dribbling, and the "steel mesh defense," of his day.
He says that if this trend persists, basketball won't continue to outdraw football and baseball.
"The shabbiness of today's basketball is the fault of the rules-makers who have legislated common sense out of the game and the coaches who teach youngsters that shooting is all that counts.
Rules Are Arbitrary
"The rules have become artificial and in some cases downright stupid. Rulesmakers have a penchant for the trial and error method."
Most people probably would agree with Hank on that point—there does seem to be too much needless meddling with the rules. It must be admitted, however, that has tended to place a premium on well-coordinated centers rather than elongated "coons."
"When officials are ordered to blow their whistles on plays which have no bearing on the progress of the ball, then the rules committee is going far overboard. There must be a certain amount of body contact in basketball. Unless it is deliberate or malicious, what harm does it do?"
Concerning his prediction of a decrease in basketball crowds; It may come about, but, using the numerous holiday tournaments as an arguing point, there seems to be little indication of it at the present.
Chooses 5 Top Players
Shifting the emphasis from the game proper to its participants, Hank lists but five players within the past five years who depended on finesse and knowledge of the game to help their teams win. These were Ralph Beard of Kentucky, Tom Gola of La Salle, K. C. Jones of San Francisco, Johnny O'Brien of Seattle, and Jim Pollard of Stanford.
Agreed, these five certainly deserve the acclaim which Hank gives them, but it seems another name could be added to his list—that of Clyde Lovellette.
Many believe Clyde was nothing more than a lumbering ox who scored on tip-ins and an occasional hook shot, but game movies of his final year at KU disprove this. He had, and still has, one of the finest touches the game has ever known.
University Daily Kansan
Law Of Averages Not Enough
This was strengthened by his ability to move around and rebound, despite his size. True, he wasn't a dribbler such as Beard or Jones, but his lack of this one capability was vastly overcome by his other assets.
Law Of Averages Not Enough He says today's game is plagued by the player who shoots in the hope that the day's of averages will allow some of his prayer shots to drop through. He condemns the modern player's repertoire of shots—the hook, fadeaway, and jump, which are defended as being unstoppable.
"Maybe they are, but he better hit the first time, because he is in no better position to recover for a second shot, or a rebound, than the scoreboard boy."
In his charge against faulty defenses, he remarks that if a ball club is hitting from the field, the lack of defense may not be significant, but that there's nothing more futile than a shooting team that can't hit its hat, offensively, with no defensive skill to fall back on.
Who was the football coach who remarked, the best defense is a good offense? It's too bad the same doesn't apply today to the game of basketball.
Littler Called LA Favorite
LOS ANGELES (U.P.)—Defending champion Gene Littler was installed as the 4-1 favorite to win his second straight $30,000 Los Angeles Open golf title as a field of 150 of the nation's best players teed off today in the first round.
The tournament marks the start of the winter professional golf tour.
While most of the so-called "experts" thought that Dr. Cary Middlecoff and Mike Souchak should rate star billing, the odds-men put Littler at the top. They had Middlecoff and Souchak at 5-1, PGA champion Doug Ford, Tommy Bolt and Julius Boros at 8-1; Jerry Barber and Billy Maxwell at 10-1, and Johnny Palmer, Bo Wininger and Dow Finsterwald at 12-1.
Named Northwestern Coach
Named Northwestern Coach
EVANSTON, Ill. — (U,P)— Paul
Shouls today was named backfield
coach at Northwestern University.
He served in the same capacity at
Miami, Ohio University under
Ara Parseghian, who recently was
named head coach of the Wildcat
football team.
Neal Signs With Dodgers
BROOKLYN (U.P.)—Second-baselman Charley Neal has signed his 1956 contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The much-sought Brooklyn farmhand batted .274 and hit 15 home runs last season with Montreal in the International League.
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