Basketball

As you remember, the Dartmouth basketball team jumped away to a 4-0 lead in the Eastern League before the season was half over. It appeared from a cold analysis of the team that Dolly Stark had a wealth of material, and we were writing words to the effect that this year's team compared as favorably to the 1927 outfit as any Dartmouth five. A group of sophomores had reinforced the veteran members of the team, and while Dolly Stark had no definite line-up, there seemed to be several combinations which clicked well together.

The First Blow

The first blow of the season came when the team went out to Ithaca and returned nursing a 28-27 defeat. True, Irving Kramer was not with the team on that trip, and Kramer is one of the best defensive players in the League, but the real cause of the Dartmouth downfall was in a very fundamental department of the game—foul shooting. The ball simply would not go in the basket from the free throw line, and the Green found itself losing several games while outscoring the opponents from the field.

Even with the League count 4-1, Dartmouth seemed secure of a high place. The team came back to Hanover to face Columbia, the avowed threat of the circuit, inasmuch as the Lions were twice champions and were out for the third title in a row with a veteran combination.

I have never seen such a crowd as attended that Columbia game. The League leadership hinged on this single contest, and the Alumni Gymnasium was literally packed to the rafters. That is in a literal sense, for there were rows of students perched high above the court on the steel beams which arch far above us, and there were more students clinging to every available projection in the well of the gymnasium.

The air was electrified by some unknown emotion, and perhaps the attitude of the crowd toward the Columbia team and the officials was started by that psychology which we call mob spirit, but suffice it to say that it was a raucous gathering, none too kind, and President Hopkins later apologized in an open letter to Columbia. But we are interested in the game itself.

Led by the great Lou Bender, Columbia was clearly the superior team. Dartmouth sunk only four foul baskets for a new low. The Lions showed a fast, aggressive team and piled up a 24-14 lead at the half, which was ample to carry them through, although at one point during the second half a Dartmouth basket would have put the Indians ahead by a single point, such a great rally had been made. The second half brought out hard and rough basketball, and a magnificent spurt by the Green brought the score up to 33-32, with Kramer, Kraszewski and Stangle showing the way. At this point, Lou Bender, the injured Lion leader, took his first cut of the evening and dropped in a beautiful basket from side court, and Colum- bia ran out the game. It was one of those real goals in a pinch, and did more to keep the Lion in the van.

Going Into Decline

Well, the victory gave Columbia first place in the League, and there began a brewing concern over this Dartmouth team which had started out so well. Pennsylvania, which had sunk into the far depths of the League standing, was the next Hanover visitor, and appeared to be a good breather for Dartmouth. The Green faced a hard road trip, meeting both Columbia and Princeton, and no one took the Pennsylvania game seriously.

The sad tale of what happened down in the gym that night against Penn has already been written for the papers, and it is with a reluctance that I again note the game here. Suffice it to say that Pennsylvania, with a ragged team which played very ordinary basketball with few exceptions, took Dartmouth into camp by a 32-22 score and great was the wailing accruing to that game.

Dartmouth outscored the visitors from the floor, and yet did not sink a single foul goal in the entire first half. In fact during the entire game, Dartmouth sank the pitiful total of four fouls out of 16 tries, and there is the explanation of the ball game.

The only high light of the game was provided when Wild Bill McCall wove through the Quaker team to throw a sensational basket which put the Green ahead 14-13 at half time. It .was about the only ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary game.

It marked a new low for the team's showing, and there was a feeling in the air that Cornell might be surprised in the final home game of the season.

The Ithacans had started Dartmouth on the down grade almost a month before, and there was a score to be settled by this Cornell five. Dartmouth remained only technically in the race for the pennant at this time.

Wild Bill McCall stole the show that night, and stole it from a rival football player, Johnny Ferraro of Cornell. McCall gave a marvelous exhibition of shooting which will long be remembered, and his nine points in succession in the second half must be some sort of a League record. Cornell trailed 18-17 at half time, but in the second half McCall broke loose to top all players, including Mr. Ferraro, who had been most annoying during the first half. Bill Britten started his first game of the year against the Red, and performed very well at a guard position.

With this boost, the League race was tightened, with only two games to go. Columbia, Princeton, Cornell and Dartmouth were all possibilities for the title, and Dartmouth faced the hard assignment of tackling the first two on the road to close the season.

Lions Destroy Last Chance

When word came back that Dartmouth had lost the Columbia game in a 32-17 rout, all hope was gone, and it was not surprising that two days later Princeton was the victor over the Green by a 33-27 score, which kept the Tigers in the title race, and forced a play off for the League title with Columbia. It all seemed so utterly incongruous; Dartmouth had defeated Princeton with ease, 31- 13, in Hanover. Princeton gave Columbia her only two defeats of the season, and yet in the final reckoning the Tigers and the Lions met for the title.

The sophomore crew at Dartmouth performed well, and with a baptism of one hard year they should be set for the next League campaign. They have elected one of their number, George Stangle of East Hartford, Conn., as captain, which is an unusual honor for a sophomore. The sophomores who received letters were Stangle, Jake Edwards, Henry Kraszewski and Bob Miller. Junior awards went to Harold Mackey and Jack Smart, while the fellows who have closed their careers are Bill McCall, Irving Kramer and Bill Britten.

KRAMER Graduating center and guard whose steadying presence in tight battles will be sorely missed

CAPT. BILL MCCALL Who has closed a brilliant career as forward and leader of the Green