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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 1942)
Lane county basketball lias bad its first look at “crow’s nest officiating and opinions of its pros and cons are still tillering out of Junction City. Frank Thomas, coach at Junction ( ity, used the novel method of officiating at his game with Monroe Wednesday night, and with very interesting results. 'Crow's Nest' System rl he system as worked out by Jean Eberliardt, and as out liniftt by Dick Strite before Wednesday’s game, is roughly this. I lie two officials are-.placed on platforms, each above one of the baskets. Two linemen work on the floor. The officials in the nests are responsible for calling fouls, walking, or double dribble, and tieups. To the men working the floor befall the chores of calling out-of-bound plays, and handling all tieups. Generally speaking, the fans liked the new method very much but the officials and visiting coaches were very doubtful about its worth. The column was lucky enough to spend one quarter in the nest watching the game. Not being an official, and knowing little about the profession, the most interesting observation we can make is that a ball sure looks funny when you watch it drop through the hemp from above. packing Foul Hard to Catch I>ut Dean Van Lydegraf, the official, pointed out many inter esting phases. Very noticeable was the difficulty in, calling a hacking foul, or when a player strikes another across the arms when the player is in the act of shooting. From the vantage point of the nest your perspective is thrown off enough so that you can’t tell whether the offender really struck the shooting player or just brought his hands close. Another infraction which the officials pointed out would be hard to catch is pushing under the basket, and par ticularly straight out in front. The referee would be unable to see the foul and even if he saw the movement of the fouled player he would not be able to determine whether he was pushed or just stumbled. Several high school coaches were present at the trial: Elden of Springfield, Thomas and Fritz Kramer of Eugene, and they shared the opinion of the refs. The hardest infraction to call from the nest, they all agreed, and most of the coaches got an opportunity to watch it from the nest, was walking and double dribble. The queer angle from the nest throws the ref’s perspective out of line and he can't be sure whether the player committed an infraction in walking with the ball or double dribbling. ineffective in Kough Barnes Bill Robblin, the other official and a veteran in high school officiating, expressed the opinion that the nest officiating wouldn't be effective in a hard fought battle in which personal feuds started brewing, e.g., Oregon vs. Oregon State. Robblin pointed out, the official would have no way of intervening in the disputes. They might speak to the players over their PA microphone, but this would not be effective in squelching the rows. The officials had several suggestions in the way of adding to the system as it has been outlined by Eberliardt. The main one was to allow the nest officials to call the out-of-bound plays on the end of the court. While in the nest the column could easily see,the advantage of this. It’s very easy to see which player touched the ball last. Players Like It As for the players, they didn’t seem to mind the new system at all. They said that having an official peering down at them when they were shooting didn’t bother them. The one factor about it which they liked most was that officials didn’t get ^ittheir way. It was noticeable however, that they were a little squeamish at times about tussling under the basket because they knew the ref was right above them. The first attempt at the “crow’s nest” wasn’t without its humorous side. One Monroe substitute came on the floor, glanced questioninglv at the ref above the backboard and couldn’t imagine who to report to. Then there was Dick Strite, sports editor of the Guard, who called the plays for one quarter from the nest and who, after he came down, said something to the effect, “Gad, I was afraid that thing would fall down.” And every time the ref’s whistle belched out over the PA you could see the players cringe, half expecting the ref to yell their number over the air thusly, “Foul on number so and so—hacking— number so and so take two shots.” It’s embarassing to have your number yelled over the air for fouling. Pleases the Crowd itut as for the spectators—they ate it up and loved it. It gives them a better chance of understanding the game. They know what type of foul was committed and by whom. The system as used at Junction City was far from per fect. The refs weren’t sure enough of themselves as it was I jtalaa 9tem& art . . . 9aim £'Uclz<ian 1 John Erickson, sophomore for ward, hasn’t seen much action this year, but he along with Cliff Anet, brother of the all-American Bobby Anet, have kept Astoria on Oregon’s basketball squad. Erickson didn't compete as a freshman, but landed on the var sity this year. He played with Ru benstein's Oregonians until De cember, and transferred to the varsity. He had scrimmaged v.\C: the Webfoots several times and Hobson noticed that he was fast and a good ball handler. A talk with Rubenstein convinced them that Erickson belonged on the Oregon team. His height of 6 feet 4 inches will probably prove an advan tage to the Ducks in the next two years. He hasn’t seen much action this year because of lack of experience, but should de-.. vei'op into a valuable player. He, along with the other soph omores and the freshmen, should make Oregon's prospects bright in the years to come. Erickson said, “I think we ought to have a good team next year and a lot better one the following year if we all get to stay together.” Erickson is truly a veteran of state basketball tournaments. He played center on the Astoria squad his junior and senior years in high school and went to the state tourney both years, 1938-39. The fishermen didn't fare so well the first year, but came home with a third place plaque in 1939. John'was born in Astoria and has lived there since. The Scan dinavians are said to be fish ing folk, and Erickson lives up to this tradition during the summers. He works in the As toria salmon canneries during his vacations. Asked whether the Ducks would pull out of theeir slump and win the remaining three games this week and next Mon day, he replied, “I think they will' do all right." John’s major is architecture. He is specializing in designing buildings, and doesn't seem to be much interested in the interior design end of the business. Sigma Nus, ATOs, Fijis Record Wins The regular IM basketball sea son bowed out in a blaze of glory. The Sigma Nu “A”s warmed up for the finals running over the PiKaps, 37 to 14. The ATO “B”s ran in two alternating teams to finally tire a surprising Sammie team, 23 to 18, to get set for the Sigma Chis tomorrow in the play offs. Other teams were just en joying themselves. Kirkwood opened up in the second half to trounce Sherry Ross, 23 to 10; the Fijis worked hard to beat Gamma hall, 18 to 10, and in the last “B” league game, the Kappa Sigs came back to edge the Canard club, 16 to 14, in a game that featured a one man show’ between Jack Lansing and Carl Back strom. The Sigmg Nus are terrific. They’ve got Bubalo. Williamson, Whitman, Nowling, and Orth, boys that are chock full of power plus. The PiKaps were game, and they never quit. But the Nus walked away with the ball game, 37 to 14. Johnny Orth left his play making duties to tank 14 points. Johnny Bubalo got 12, Whitman a few, but they all looked good. Tommy Roblin single-handedly tried to keep the PiKaps in the ball game, but al though he never gave up, it was a hopeless attempt. He was lim ited to five points, but Sandy Duncanson again kept coming to make the rest. The score was 18 to 2 early in the fray. The Nus slacked off somewhat in the sec ond to prepare for their encoun ter with the Phi Delts in the playoffs. This should be some thing to see. The slow break, sure style of the Phi Delts versus the “hell bent for election” style of the Sigma Nus. Come out and see some great basketball. Buchwach Bounds A new name enters the IM honor roll. Buck Buchwach, new Sammie “B” forward, nearly up set the championship hopes of the ATOs. Buck garnered seven points and audaciously stole the ball from the confused ATOs, but they rallied to get past the Sam mies, 23 to 18. Mild Gene Brown proved to be a Tau ball of fire, canning 10, and stopping SAM of fensive drives. Bocci and Chick Cecchini, of all-star fame, headed the two ATO teams that wore the Sammies down. Carl Backstrom got 12 points to Jack Lansing's 10, but Lan IM PLAYOFFS TODAY 4:00, court 40, Beta Theta Pi (A) vs. Awful Awfui's (A). 4:40, court 40, Sigma Nu (B) vs. Beta Theta Pi (B). 4:00, court 43, Phi Delta Theta (A) vs. Sigma Nu (A). 4:40, court 43, Alpha Tau Omega (B) vs. Sigma Chi (B). sing had the better support, and the Kappa Sig “B”s cli maxed an uphill battle on his cripple in the fading seconds to win, 16 to 14. Canard led un til the closing seconds, but the slam bang Kappa Sigs had a little too much for them. The Kirkwood “B”s rose from the depths to push Sherry Ross back to the bottom. They won, 23 to 10. It was close until the middle of the third quarter when the co-op men suddenly opened wide to leave Sherry Ross in the dust. Leo Welch and P. Wilson were instrumental in this big flare, while for the left behind Rossman, Donnell Smith and' Bob Blair stood out offensively and defensively. Fijis Close on Top Pete Stinebaugh again was the big Fiji noise, potting 12 to lead his gang to an 18 to 10 win over Gamma hall. The Phi Gams had 'a lot of trouble from the scrap ping Gammamen, but they were always in control. Bob Vernon was the only Gamma basketeeer that had any success hitting the bucket. He garnered eight. Oregon Said (Continued from Pape four) state guard from Klamath Falls, to the lineup. The opening quin tet will probably include Mickey Brophy and Ethan Dale, for wards; Erland Anderson, center; and Hal Martinson and Reginato or Dick Kohler, guards. The Frosh tapered off with a light drill at the Igloo yesterday, and were pronounced ready by Warren. NO REPORT As the Emerald went to press last night there were still no results received as to the outcome of the University of Oregon,-San Jose swimming meet. Tonight the YVebfoots swim against the strong Stan ford university team. the first time thev had worked a game from the nest. Future games, using the system and with officials who are used to it, will determine its merits more successfully. Hobson lias hinted that lie would like to use it in one game against Idaho here. But even if it fails as an officiating device, it could be a boon for the coaches. It’s a wonderful place from which to coach. You can see the plays open up—you can pick out weak spots in defense—well, you can see darn near every thing. Eastern School Offers Women Scholarships Katherine Gibbs school, of Bos ton, New York, and Providence, is offering two memorial scholar ships, awarded annually on a competitive basis to college or University seniors. Consisting of full tuition for a special course for college women, and a cash award of $300, the scholarships will be granted to the two applicants whose academ ic record, personal qualifications, and fitness to profit from secre tarial training shall recommend them most highly to the schol arship committee. Applications must be filed with the memorial scholarship com mittee not later than April 1, 1942. Four protessors of physics at Cornell university have left the campus to take defense positions. USED TIRES AND TUBES at POMEROY'S llth & Hilyard While They Last LENGTHEN THE LIFE OF YOUR CAR By good care and careful attention to your oil and lubrication job. We spe cialize in expert care for all parts of ypur. car. VARSITY SERVICE 13th & Ililvard ; ■ ? It's Spring So drop in any time for that coke, sandwich, or milkshake which would tas+e good - on a warm spring afternoon. Robinson’s CAFE 550 13th East