Basketball

“ Weatherbee, we are going to make Jane Allen, Center, this year. And we are going to make our team known all over the college circuit. Basketball is an American sport, and we are back from the war now with reconstruction energy. ”

“ Each of these changes has made basketball more exciting to watch, expanding its appeal to people of all ages and all walks of life. Indeed, few sporting events generate more spirited rivalries than a high school state basketball championship, the NCAA 64-team tournament, or the NBA Finals. Since 1904, when it was introduced as a demonstration sport, basketball has also been a thrilling part of the Olympics. The United States is proud of the many Olympic titles that have been brought home by our American teams, including the 1984 Women's Gold Medal. ”

“ This morning I overheard certain girls planning to go out to the Omnibus House after school to-morrow and dig up the poor hatchet and flaunt it in the seniors' faces the day of the opening basketball game, simply to rattle us. Just as though it wouldn't upset your team as much as ours. It's an idiotic trick, at any rate, and anything but funny. Now I propose to take four of our class, and you must select four of yours. We'll hustle out there the minute school is over to-morrow, and be ready to receive the marauders when they arrive. ”

“ Once played primarily at YMCA facilities, basketball now boasts players and fans around the globe. Breakaway rims and gravity-defying jump shots have replaced the one-handed set shot into wooden receptacles; three-point goals now reward players who can shoot accurately from long range; and more and more women are taking up the game at all levels of competition. ”

“ James Naismith invented basketball a century ago, he could not have envisioned what would become of the simple game he had devised to entertain his students between the fall football and spring baseball seasons. Today the uniquely American game of basketball is one of the fastest paced and most widely popular team sports in the world. ”

“ It’s practice! How can we win? By getting out on the air! Basketball! That’s it. Basketball on the football field. That takes practice, hours and hours of practice. I know what you’re going to say, ‘Where’s the time? All right for you,’ you’ll say, ‘you don’t have to work, Artie.’ Look!” Artie broke short off to allow his eyes to circle the crowd. “Who’s the best ball carrier we’ve got this year? Who’s the artful dodger? There he is!” He pointed straight at Ballard. “Old Kentucky. That’s who it is!” Once again the crowd cheered, this time long and huskily. ”

“ There's a trial basketball game to-morrow afternoon."
"When will there be a real game?" asked Anne. "I haven't heard you mention basketball for ages."
"Christmas and examinations put a damper on it, but now all the girls are anxious to play and we have challenged the sophomores to play against us the second Saturday afternoon in February. I am going to play right guard, and Miriam is to play left forward. A Miss Martin is our center, and two freshmen I don't know [Pg 177] very well are to play the left guard and right forward. We have a good team. Miss Martin is a wonder. ”

“ The girls of Central High will then get a bad name for playing foul—and we can’t afford to have that reputation.”
151CHAPTER XIX—HESTER FOULS THE GAME
Basketball is not an easy game to learn, but it is both a splendid exercise as played under the rules of the Girls’ Branch and a game of skill.
Because of the many rules, and sub-divisions of rules, the players must bring to the basket-ball court the quickest intelligence and a serious desire to excel. No laughing or talking is allowed during play. The success of the game is based upon the players giving to it their undivided attention. ”

“ Scoring in Basketball
A score in basketball is made every time a player throws the ball into one of the baskets placed at each end of the court. In the West Branch High School the gymnasium is well equipped with everything the students need for their athletic contests....
[21]
Better. A score is made in basketball every time a player succeeds in throwing the ball into the basket guarded by his opponents. If this goal, as it is called, is made from the field, it counts two points. Sometimes, however, one team is given a free throw at the basket as the result of a foul’s being made. ”

“ It would take me a week to write you about all the doings, from home room elections and meetings, Girl Reserve programs—under Kathryn as president this year—to the exciting football games of the boys’ teams. Our school won the championship and the boys are working hard to make the basketball record as good.
“Our senior hockey team, of which I was the captain, WON! I certainly was glad of that! I’m not on the basketball team because the folks don’t want me to be, but I’m almost as interested. Both Carolyn Gwynne and Kathryn Allen are playing. ”

“ The third volume of the series, named “The Girls of Central High at Basketball; Or, The Great Gymnasium Mystery,” particularly related the fortunes of the representative basketball team of Central High, and of which each girl now gathered here on the ridge was a member.
Not long previous to this day in the Spring vacation when the seven were tramping toward Fielding, Jess Morse had made a great hit with her school friends and instructors, as well. ”

“ BASKETBALL
THE basketball season opened with much enthusiasm as soon as school began after the Christmas vacation. The attendance at practices was especially good this year, and the members of every class reported regularly. In order to arouse some spirit, each class distributed its colors among its rooters, and there was much competition between the classes in finding original yells. As a result of these efforts the crowds at the games were exceptionally good, much larger than in previous years. The Sophomore-Junior game, the first of the season, was won by the Juniors after a hard fight. ”

“ The closed-bottom basket used in the game of basketball is so high that it is difficult to remove the ball after a goal is made. Generally a long stick is used for this purpose, but I desired to have a better way, and the device shown in the illustration was the outcome. A light iron rod was hinged to the edge of the basket and bent to its inner shape, the lower end resting at about the center of the basket. A rope was attached to the lower end and run up and over a sheave pulley attached to the basket support, then down so it could be easily grasped. ”

“ Basketball practice went on each night after school. And outwardly at least, the Cubs were friendly with the Purple Five.
On the Friday set for the game, the Den 2 boys called a 15-minute practice session after school in the gymnasium.
“We’re only going to shoot a few baskets and run through a couple of team plays,” Brad instructed the group. “I want to be sure you fellows have it down pat. We’ll run through Play B first. Chips, get in there, and start it off.” ”

“ Once these skills are developed, an athlete must then learn to coordinate his or her game with the other four players on a squad. This combination of individual achievement and teamwork is what makes the game of basketball both fascinating and rewarding. ”

“ A basketball is needed for this game. The players, 10 to 30, are numbered and form a circle, one of the players standing in the center. The object is to catch the ball before the second bounce, when one number has been called.
The player in the center tosses the ball high up within the circle, at the same time calling the number of some player. The one called must quickly run and catch the ball on the first bounce. If he catches the ball he tosses it up and calls the number of some other player. If the ball is not caught the first player again tosses it up. The ball may be caught on the fly. ”

“ Ellen Seymour and Mignon La Salle gathered themselves for the toss. Up it went. The two players leaped for it. The referee's whistle sounded again. The struggle for basketball honors began.
A jubilant shout swelled from the throats of the watching freshmen and their fans. Mignon had caught the ball. She sent it speeding toward Helen Thornton, who fumbled it, and losing her head, 122threw it away from, instead of to the basket. An audible sigh of disapproval came from the freshman contingent as they beheld the ball pass into the hands of the sophomores, who scored shortly afterward. ”

“ The latter is a most exciting game, borrowed from the Indians, with more thrills and rough play than our college football. It is a cross between hockey and basketball. A light ball is tossed from player to player by means of a little net on the end of a long curved stick, the object of each side being to get the ball into the opponents’ goal. ”

“ The players stand in a circle facing the center, some distance apart. One player called the "center" stands within the circle. A basketball is thrown from one player to another, across the circle, or may be passed to the nearest neighbor. The center tries to touch the ball. If he succeeds, the one who last threw the ball or dropped it, becomes center. ”

“ The White team won the first two games and the Gold the next two; therefore the final game between the two “A” teams would decide whether the Gold or the White team would win the basketball series. The game was won by the Gold team, 11-8. This game ended the basketball season, which has been an unusually good one. ”

“ The Athletics Committee of Mississippi State University, representing the faculty, alumni, and students, and the Athletic Director have recommended that our basketball team be allowed to compete in the NCAA play-offs. ”

“ Although the Juniors were behind during a good part of the game, they finally won by a score of 11-8. The tournament closed the inter-class games and those of the Gold and White teams began.
In order that more girls might take part in the games, the upper school had been divided into two large teams called the Gold and White. These teams were in turn subdivided into basketball teams, and many games were played between these teams. Although the audiences were not all that might be desired the plan can be called a success since it interested more girls in the game. ”

“ The varsity basketball outlook is much brighter than was the case for football. Six letter men on the squad, four other candidates of outstanding ability, and a coach who says that he will stop at nothing short of a championship. ”

“ All girls like fun; I hope you will find plenty of innocent amusement here. I want all my girls happy and content. Use the advantages of our gym; join the walking club; we make a point of having one of the best basketball teams in this part of the State. Tennis is a splendid exercise for girls, and we have an indoor as well as outdoor courts. ”

“ It requires a passer of special mental type, and one of considerable basketball ability who can dodge and get his pass off accurately even when apparently covered. The ease of choice can be much facilitated by having an order for each play in which the passer is to look for possibilities. The first choice should always be the signal called. That play should always be made if it is at all possible ”

“ All the 1’s go into the center while the 2’s make a rather large circle around them. Three soft basketballs are distributed among the 2’s and at a signal from the leader they start to throw the balls at those in the center, no one being allowed to aim higher than the knees. Anyone who is hit must leave the center and join the circle made by the 2’s. When all of the 1’s have been hit they change places with the 2’s, the 2’s going into the center and the 1’s making the circle. ”

“ Summary: Demonstrates individual player techniques in offense and defense, emphasizing the importance of mastering skills and practicing with the team.
Credits: Educational collaborator, Mildred B. Wohlford.
© David A. Smart; 29Nov48; MP3712.
BASKETBALL HEADLINERS OF 1948. RKO Pathe, Inc., c1948. 18 min., sd., b&w, 35mm.
Summary: Important intercollegiate basketball contests of the 1947–48 season, played in New York's Madison Square Garden, are reviewed. Closing scenes show the national Olympic championship game in which the Bartlesville, Okla., Oilers won over Kentucky. ”

“ Every girl ought to do something for her college and her class, and it's only the exceptional girl that can do more than one thing well. Some make the glee club, some basket-ball, some the crew, some the track team, and some tennis. I've been thinking it over lately and I've decided that you're just the sort for basket-ball. If you don't make the college team perhaps you can make the 1915 team, and its really more fun to make that than the other, for the freshman-sophomore basket-ball game is the biggest thing of the year. ”

“ Another reason why basket-ball has become popular is that it may be played upon any kind of a ground, in-doors or out-doors, in a gymnasium, a hall, a back yard, or a ten-acre lot, on a dancing-floor or a stubble field. I have seen the game played in a room 12x20 feet, and I have known it to be played on a football field. Furthermore, it is allowable for any number of men to join in a game, although the regulation number of players for a team is five on a side. Where a match is not being contested the number on a side may be increased to the capacity of the field, and two balls may be used. ”

“ It is evident that basket-ball is a game capable of great scientific development. It is by no means child's play. It is a sport in which team-work counts fully as [Pg 367] much as in football, and where individual brilliancy must become secondary to concerted effort. This very season, in several important games, the value of team-play has been made evident, and its superiority has been conclusively shown. Basket-ball is certainly a game to be favored. It is the ideal competitive sport for gymnasium recreation ”