Above the Rim The Beginning

BASKET BALL FOR TRINITY

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A Challenge Has Been Received From Manager of Wake Forest Team.

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Much Good Material Now in College

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An Exceedingly Interesting Game--Rare Treat for Many--Contest Probably in March--Preparations Made in Gymnasium

It is well nigh a certainty that Trinity is to have another game added to her list of athletic sports in the near future. The game in question is basket ball, one of the most fascinating and most intensely interesting indoor games known today. Next to football probably it holds the constant attention of the spectators more than any other game. Anyone having witnessed it will never forget it. The play is extremely fast and vigorous, yet open enough for an onlooker to follow every movement of the ball and of the players. While the game is very popular throughout the entire United States, it has been largely confined to the gymnasiums of the Y.M.C.A. in large cities, and in the South none but the Y.M.C.A. teams have played match games.

Many preparations have been made within the last few days in the gymnasium with the view of starting practice as soon as examinations are over. Iron guards have been fastened around the electric globes and detachable goals have been constructed. Unlike base ball, the game is played most often at night.

In it a man of small stature has about an equal chance with a larger man; yet, of course an extraordinarily quick, large man has somewhat the advantage over an opponent of smaller size. This, however, is not true of basket ball alone; it holds good in all sports.

Basket ball should appeal to a larger number of students than does base ball, for although it requires a great deal of skill it more readily adapted to unskilled players than is that game. Yet not everyone is successful basket ball player, for everyone does not possess great activity, nerve and endurance, the three prime essentials of a good player.

The game is played by ten men, five to a team, with an umpire, a referee, a timekeeper, and a scorer, and is divided into twenty minute halves, with a ten-minute intermission, the goals being changed in each half. The positions played by the different members of team are: Two guards, two forwards, and a center.

As soon as the game has progressed far enough, a captain and a manager of the team will be elected, and Director Card and Dr. Hendren¹ will coach. Trinity has already received a challenge from Wake Forest wishing to arrange dates for games to be played at Durham in February, but it is doubtful if the team can get practice enough to be in readiness for a match contest before March. About February 5, Wake Forest goes to Charlotte to play the Y.M.C.A. team of that city and their team will probably play other games. There in much good basket ball material in college, and for those who have not seen the game a novel treat is in store.

¹ Linville L. Hendren (Class of 1900) was an adjunct Professor of Mathematics.