12 Sports Aces, January 1943 — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

40 12 SPORTS ACES © © Qe rDer Ber Orr Gre Des Der Oe Der Orr Or: Ber Ger Geo Grr Gee DorGerDes Gee Pee Ger Or Dre Gre Oe Orr Ore Brees Gee Oe Gre He The little Oiler owner had been so swell, Willie could not help but feel that he wanted to squeeze this victory—if only for him. The second-place Rollins team had won the night before. That gave the Oilers a definite chance to knock the Jew- elers off the top rung. But the Jewelers, Willie knew, had something to say about that. The gym was a bedlam,. Willie called for a last-second huddle. Bounce Bender was silent, drawn. Every Oiler was. “Play just like we been playin’,” Willie said, running anxious fingers through his short-cropped hair. “Teamwork. Fast, snappy play. Now let’s go.” Gramatky faced off with Lank Smith, the leather poised between them. Lank was high as a tree, and kangaroos were in his shoes. He was a jumping giant with soft blue eyes. Up went the ball, and Lank tapped it agilely to Moscowicz, Jeweler forward. The Oilers deployed quickly to the de- fense. The Jewelers cracked out a rapid- dribbling game. They shuttled the ball in a lightning criss-cross. Red Dennis hounded Lank re- lentlessly as a pivot play was in the mak- ing. But Lank unscrewed with a hooker at the free-throw line, and in plunked the ball 2-0. Willie called the play on the Oiler’s ball. The Jewelers used a man-to-man “shift- ing”? defense. The ball went to Bounce, But as Bounce moved in to take advan- tage of a screen by Willie, he found a Jeweler right on top of him to tie him up. The Jewelers took possession on the jump and Bounce scowled his disgust. Willie saw Bounce glance up toward the stands where the State Teacher’s scout was watching. A Jeweler guard moved in, made good an opening. It was 4-0—Jewelers! Bounce came into possession of the ball. Willie signalled the play, but instead of following it, Bounce went into a routine of his own. Spraddling out in a sudden stop, Bounce pulled a reverse-turn, elud- ing his guard. Bounce dribbled into open range. For a split-second he was un- guarded, but in poor position. He hurried his shot—but the ball dropped through! 8 Deo O te Dee Ge Doe Gee Go Ger Ger® Willie eyed Bounce, but said nothing. In a few minutes more the Jewelers had rung up eleven points to give them fif- teen. Bounce bagged two more baskets. But he was deliberately running counter to Oiler play! Bounce tried one more wild shot, and missed. Willie went after him. “What's the idea? Don’t you know we’ll lose if you play this game by yourself?” Bounce said, “We're not gonna win any other way. I’m out to save what part of this game I can—for me.” “T’ll bench you.” “You can’t bench me,” Bounce de- clared. “I’m the hottest man on the team. Who'd you put in instead of me?” Willie raised a hand to the referee, spoke a few words, “Bender off,” the referee called. Bounce gave Willie a baleful look, swore under his breath. Little Ellis Jorgens came in. The stands jittered with new excitement, in wonder at the substitution. Jorgens was small, but speedy. Willie shunted himself to pivot, and called the plays around himself. He relied on fast ball-handling and deception, He began to burn up the court, He sank a trio, and made good a free throw. Willie glanced over at the bench. Bounce was ase! to explode. The half ended with the Oilers within four points of the Jewelers, but Willie knew he couldn’t go on this way. For the sake of team discipline, could he rob Bounce of his chance to show his stuff to the State Teachers’ scout in the stands? OUNCE got to Willie on the way down to the dressing room. His fists were clenched. “So you’re still sore about my having got your berth on the Jewel- — ers! This is the way you take it out on me. You bench me so you can A make your- self a star.” ‘Don’t be crazy !”" “You can’t keep me benched!” Bounce shouted. “The boss won’t stand for it. If. you think you can bench me just to wet the inside track on the State job—" Willie stared at Bounce, studied his tight face. One of the many things he’d COPNICLOOOKS - (E@