1920 yearbook
Source URL
Title
1920 yearbook
Description
Varsity Basket Ball
Coach Mark Devlin
THE bulletin calling for varsity basket ball
aspirants at the beginning of the season
met a ready response, for at the appointed
time some twenty candidates presented
themselves for inspection. In numbers the
turn-out was quite gratifying, but the prospective
boosters were, for the most part, men who had had
no previous experience in college ball. Among the
entire squad there was not to be found a single veteran around whom a team could be built. The
reason for this poverty of seasoned material was the
old reason—the war. During last year athletics in
general were so badly crippled that the managers
could not put out representative teams at all. This
year there was no influx of old-time stars and so
Coach Devlin had the extremely difficult problem
before him of developing a varsity team out of entirely new material.
All these new men, however, showed a great deal of spirit and good will and not a
few were really possessed of unusual ability. The task was to develop them and to
bring out their strong points to the best advantage. This Coach Devlin did remarkably well, for in a few weeks' time a machine was fitted together that could compete
on even terms with the best teams of Iowa and Illinois. Devlin found a plentiful
supply of guards, which fact saved him worry in that direction. Center position was
quite well taken care of, but for forwards there was a woeful lack of material. To
supply this deficiency much extra time was devoted to the development of those men
who had the basket-eye. By the time the first game was due two forwards were discovered who could make field-goals from all conceivable angles. The team was then
ready for action. The first game augured well for a successful season, since it was a
hard-earned Blue and White victory.
Although the record for the season did not come up to the standard of other years,
still that was accomplished which it was intended should be accomplished. Of course,
since athletics were really starting over again after a lapse of a year without any
representative teams, it was not expected that a championship organization would be
developed at the first attempt. The primary reason for assembling a team was to perfect material for future seasons. The work done thus far serves to insure a first-class
team for next year. Prospects are indeed bright for a successful and brilliant record
during the coming season.
Coach Mark Devlin
THE bulletin calling for varsity basket ball
aspirants at the beginning of the season
met a ready response, for at the appointed
time some twenty candidates presented
themselves for inspection. In numbers the
turn-out was quite gratifying, but the prospective
boosters were, for the most part, men who had had
no previous experience in college ball. Among the
entire squad there was not to be found a single veteran around whom a team could be built. The
reason for this poverty of seasoned material was the
old reason—the war. During last year athletics in
general were so badly crippled that the managers
could not put out representative teams at all. This
year there was no influx of old-time stars and so
Coach Devlin had the extremely difficult problem
before him of developing a varsity team out of entirely new material.
All these new men, however, showed a great deal of spirit and good will and not a
few were really possessed of unusual ability. The task was to develop them and to
bring out their strong points to the best advantage. This Coach Devlin did remarkably well, for in a few weeks' time a machine was fitted together that could compete
on even terms with the best teams of Iowa and Illinois. Devlin found a plentiful
supply of guards, which fact saved him worry in that direction. Center position was
quite well taken care of, but for forwards there was a woeful lack of material. To
supply this deficiency much extra time was devoted to the development of those men
who had the basket-eye. By the time the first game was due two forwards were discovered who could make field-goals from all conceivable angles. The team was then
ready for action. The first game augured well for a successful season, since it was a
hard-earned Blue and White victory.
Although the record for the season did not come up to the standard of other years,
still that was accomplished which it was intended should be accomplished. Of course,
since athletics were really starting over again after a lapse of a year without any
representative teams, it was not expected that a championship organization would be
developed at the first attempt. The primary reason for assembling a team was to perfect material for future seasons. The work done thus far serves to insure a first-class
team for next year. Prospects are indeed bright for a successful and brilliant record
during the coming season.
Date
1920
Identifier
http://cdm16810.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16810coll2/id/2290