Show FRANK FRAN K K BAKER BAKER- Before the local Amateur Athletic Union completes its plans for the annual basketball tournament next year it will be wise to consider the advantages of a single division with perhaps a double elimination brand oJ of competition competitions The committee would certainly save Itself a lot of ot distasteful distasteful dis- dis tasteful work by abolishing the present arrangement q a Junior unior and senior division I Certain authorities have felt that the junior division was necessary if the tournament was to draw sizable field They argued that many teams would stay out of ot orthe the meet altogether r if they felt feIt they would have to go into the same division with the standout teams of this region In Ii establishing the junior division the Union has has' failed tailed to set up a definite standard by which junior and senior teams arc to be rated raed That problem has been left lett too much to the individual judgment of the committee committee com corn whereupon the Union throws itself Itsell open to ac accusations accusations accusations ac- ac of discrimination S S Those who have felt the junior division divisio necessary necessary sary to encourage a large number of fields will probably probably probably ably discover that the double elimination program would serve the same purpose and at the same time excuse the union from the unwelcome task of rating the teams Firms and individuals interested in organizing clubs for A A. A. A U. U play have frequently hesitated on the grounds that the chances of early defeat were too great for all of the effort and expense involved It is really a risky investment both in money and nd work when one r realizes that a defeat in the first round ac actually spoils the whole purpose of entering a team No doubt this desire to capitalize on continued play in the tournament has been partially responsible for the way so many teams really strong enough to go into the senior division have preferred to bid for tor a place in the junior section If the teams Jeams knew the they would get to play two games even if the they lost their first start art they would be befar befar befar far more ready to go to the effort and expense of en entering entering entering en- en the tournament This is particularly true of ot the clubs outside Salt Lake City which have the cost of traveling in addition to the usual expenses of ot outfitting a team eam I A A. 7 single division with a double elimination undoubtedly un un- would offer real encouragement to out-of- out town entries and they are arc after all the spice that is needed to make the tournament grow No tournament can hope to develop that presents nothing better than a last night complex lik like this years year's meet did when nearly half of the men on the floor inthe in inthe the tlc two championship games were University of Utah s students de its man many of them reserve reserve members of the Redskin squad Instead of an Intermountain A. A A. A U. U meet it looked more like an intramural program at the sity No wonder the fans dont don't get overly excited about bout the entertainment prospects of such a setup The competition of college players has long been one of the tough problems of ot A. A A A. A U U. competition both nationally nationally nationally nation nation- ally and locally In fact it has been one of ot the things that inspired the two-division two setup In the local tournament Independent players not in school where the they get regular practice and conditioning drills dont don't ordinarily have an equal chance with the collegian A. A A. A U. U officials hoped to meet this problem by keeping the collegians in the senior group leaving the less experienced experienced independent men In the j junior division Still college teams are not only permitted to compete In the national tournaments but they are actually encouraged encouraged aged to enter I I There is some argument that the college men are the ones to step out of their class in the national tournaments tournaments tournaments tour tour- because the hotshot independent clubs are composed of only the cream of the nations nation's playing talent tal tal- tal- tal ent men cut men who actually are more professional than amateur It is true that most of the thc stars on the standout clubs in a national tournament are arc players who hold jobs simply because the they can play basketball that basketball that durIng during during dur dur- ing the season they spend more time on the court than on their work S I l There is a bit of hypocritical irony in the way tHe A. A A. A U. U bars a coach or teacher from amateur competition corn com coni- coni I petition because he takes advantage of his athletic ability ability ability abil abil- ity or knowledge to earn a living but permits a great basketball player like Chuck Hyatt to maintain an amateur amateur amateur ama ama- standing although Chuck draws a pay check for work he seldom approaches during the hoop season |