Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-12-07 | Page 12 | Backseat Driving

By t TOMMIE PORTER i. i I During Frank Bakers Baker's absence to the Ute Hawaiian island with Ith tho the thoi i l Uto football team this column wll wil bo ho conducted alternately by Bill BillI I V l' l McCrea and Tommie Tomme Porter Forter r 1 p High school basketball teams in all parts of Utah arc are warming up for the 36 1935 5 3 6 season with a series of preseason preseason preseason pre- pre season season skirmishes which has guns popping backboards shaking and backers shouting over the entire front The teams swing into league action duri during g the first week in it January pointing toward the eighteenth annual state tate conducted by the state association in March with the championship champion i ship now held by Jordan high as the ultimate goal of the entire group I Basketball has tr traveled veleda a long road since its beginning a asi as asan I an unorganized scholastic sport 34 years ago Latter-day Latter Saints Saint i uni university Brigham Young college old Salt Lake high school I All Hallows college the University of Utah and Brigham Young Youn university played more or less at random until 1908 with various teams ams' ams claiming the state crown Ii h Granite high coached by James E. E Moss 1055 defeated the thc outstanding claimants to prep honors in the Salt Lake valley vaHey In 1908 and Lehi was rated the best high school team in the the- central part of the state B By mutual agreement these teams with Lehi winning of Utah the 1 met for championship The cage sport at this time was almost unheard of ofin in e eastern stern and southern sections of the state state and where the game was Y played any team could claim a share of the state laurels laurels' by playing five games no matter who the might be The rules of those days provided for two halves of 20 minutes each and a ball which was ws two inches larger i in circumference than the thc present sphere Teams were limited to the use of eight men in a game A player who received a pass while running was penalized unless he was able to stop immediately where present-day present are allowed a two count rhythm In today's game a player is charged with a foul loul for charging tripping or other rough play pia but such a af f foul loul when the game was yet ct new nev to sent the offender ignominiously to the showers if showers if his club was fortunate enough to have showers The sport progressed progressed- rapidly i in Utah and 1909 saw the first definite attempt at organization of competition The state that year ar was divided into two districts with Box Elder Granite Salt Lake and Weber Normal in the northern group and Lehi Springville Springville Spring- Spring ville yule and Heber in the southern Granite and Lehi Leh won their distrIct district district dis dis- titles and the defending champions retained the state championship at Lehi J J. J A constitution for the infant organization was drawn up in 1910 by Wesley Vesley K Ie Barton and Fred University of Utah coach was named president L. L D. D S. S U. U captured the title tide that year and B. B Y C. C was winner win win- per ncr ner in 1911 when the first tournament was held in the Y M. M 1 C. C A. A now A.-now now Salt Lake City's public safety building gymnasium with gymnasium with Lehi Branch A. A C. C B B. Y C. C and 9 eber playing What has become the classic of high school winter sport moved to its present battle ground the Deseret gymnasium in 1912 with universities colleges and high schools alike represented represented rep- rep resented and Brigham Young university gained the state crown cro After six years of trial during which the state tournament was wa's was held at B. B Y U. U Brigham City Logan and the University of Utah the present state high school athletic association officially I took charge and Weber college won the state title in the first tourney tourney tourney tour tour- ney sponsored by this body defeating Bingham high 44 25 at the Deseret gym Davis County downed Bingham 29 27 to win the 1920 title after which the crown traveled to all parts of the state being held by Logan Lehi Springville Panguitch Dixie L. L D. D S. S C. C Minersville Hinckley Murray Ogden Jordan and Granite the latter being the only school to gain the top two years in a row Pr Preseason season results this year point to strong contenders from Provo Og Ogden en Parowan South Cache Jordan and Murray with several schools as likely dark horses