1917 Yearbook
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Title
1917 Yearbook
Description
THE showing of the basket-ball team was one grand surprise.
At the first part of the season prospects were very poor, and
Mr. Jones and the members of the athletic board debated
much about the advisability of having a representative
team. They proposed to form a league among the students
of the various classes, and thus prepare material for
the following year.
Coonan, an all conference man of the previous year's team and captain elect, had sustained a fracture of the right hand and would be unable
to play. Ryan, then, was the only member of the famous Jerry OToole
tossers left with us, and the prospective material among the students was
far from promising. But when Mr. Jones, at a students' mass meeting,
made known the intentions of the athletic board, the students were up in
arms. The idea of not having a varsity team didn't make any appeal to
them at all, and they showed their opposition in a very forcible manner.
The athletic officers, unprepared for such spirit, abandoned their intention,
and to the joy of the loyal rooters, arrangments were made for a good
schedule of games. Candidates were called and eagerly made their appearance. Every evening a stiff workout was given and soon two strong teams
were developed. Aspirants were so enthusiastic and anxious to make the
team that selection of a five was extremely difficult. Instead of the inferior
grade of basket-ball they were expected to display, the players showed
more pep and winning spirit than the '15-'16 aggregation. Every game
played was worth seeing, and the record of winning six and losing five was
an excellent one, considering the age and experience of our men compared to
that of our opponents.
The defeats by the St. Louis University, Dubuque, and Illinois Wes-
leyan were by no means ignominious—while our men, in their victories
over Williams and Vashti, the Cheyenne Indians, Carthage, and Lenox put
up some real and classy exhibitions of basket-ball. King, Fitzgerald, and
O'Connor, at forward, brought many hearty cheers from the crowd, by
At the first part of the season prospects were very poor, and
Mr. Jones and the members of the athletic board debated
much about the advisability of having a representative
team. They proposed to form a league among the students
of the various classes, and thus prepare material for
the following year.
Coonan, an all conference man of the previous year's team and captain elect, had sustained a fracture of the right hand and would be unable
to play. Ryan, then, was the only member of the famous Jerry OToole
tossers left with us, and the prospective material among the students was
far from promising. But when Mr. Jones, at a students' mass meeting,
made known the intentions of the athletic board, the students were up in
arms. The idea of not having a varsity team didn't make any appeal to
them at all, and they showed their opposition in a very forcible manner.
The athletic officers, unprepared for such spirit, abandoned their intention,
and to the joy of the loyal rooters, arrangments were made for a good
schedule of games. Candidates were called and eagerly made their appearance. Every evening a stiff workout was given and soon two strong teams
were developed. Aspirants were so enthusiastic and anxious to make the
team that selection of a five was extremely difficult. Instead of the inferior
grade of basket-ball they were expected to display, the players showed
more pep and winning spirit than the '15-'16 aggregation. Every game
played was worth seeing, and the record of winning six and losing five was
an excellent one, considering the age and experience of our men compared to
that of our opponents.
The defeats by the St. Louis University, Dubuque, and Illinois Wes-
leyan were by no means ignominious—while our men, in their victories
over Williams and Vashti, the Cheyenne Indians, Carthage, and Lenox put
up some real and classy exhibitions of basket-ball. King, Fitzgerald, and
O'Connor, at forward, brought many hearty cheers from the crowd, by
Date
1917
Identifier
http://cdm16810.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16810coll2/id/2109