Central High School - Caldron Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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TIGER FIVE WIN MAJORITY OF CONTESTS DURING SEASON Although the record of Central's basketball squad this year does not equal the record made by the teams in former years, the school is just as proud of their fighting team as ever. The team opened the season with a bang, winning their first five games. The Blue and White defeated lo-itland in the opener, 19-15. In the second game Hartford City was :cnt home with a defeat in a closely contested game, 27-25. Central broke a jinx by defeating North Side's Redskins three straight games in one season. In the first city series game the Tigers downed the Red and White 18-16. In the third week of the basket- ball season, Central took' the Ken- dallville Red Devils into their lair 34 to 15. For the next game the Tigers traveled to Columbia City to trounce the Eagles 30 to 19. One must take the bitter with the sweet, so, after winning five con- secutive games, the Blue and White were defeated 17 to 16 by the Rail- roaders from Garrett in one of the hardest fought games of the season. During the Christmas vacation, Central met their second defeat at the hands of Greencastle, 23 to 20. With a band of rooters the Tigers traveled to Auburn only to meet de- feat, the final score being 29 to 23. Central again broke into the win column by defeating Winamac 31 to 26. Winamac later went all the way to the finals in the state tourna- ment. In the next game Central met South Side in the second city series game. Before a huge crowd the Tigers went down in defeat. This was the fourth loss of the season. The final score was 20 to 16. Next week Central traveled to De- catur, only to be defeated 20 to 16. Bluffton came to Fort Wayne and took a victory back home with them to the tune of 19 to 16. In the next game the Tigers de- feated North Side again, this time 27 to 25. This game was a real thrill- er from the fans' viewpoint, al- though the brand of basketball played by both teams was ragged. In the final city series game of the season Central again met defeat. This time the score was Central 24, South Side 22. Central met Central Catholic in a charity tilt. This was the first meet- ing of the two teams in many years. Although Central Catholic had a lead at the half, the Tigers came back into the tilt with renewed de- termination to win. The result was, Central 25, Central Catholic 16. Central defeated Warsaw in the next game 32 to 16. The Tigers have never been able to defeat a southern team, and this year were defeated by the Anderson Indians 30 to 15. Central traveled to Elkhart and again suffered defeat in another heart-breaking tilt, 18 to 16. The Tigers closed their regular season with a brilliant flash of bas- ketball. The game was originally scheduled with Washington of East Chicago, but, as that team was un- able to come, Central met Roosevelt of the same city and defeated them to the tune of 34 to 21. In the sectional the Blue and White met Harlan and North Side in the first and second rounds respec- tively. The Tigers played superb ball and crashed through these two games easily. In the semi-finals Central clashed with South Side. Al- though the Archers led at the half the Tigers came back to tie the score at 18-all at the end of the regular playing time. In the overtime Cen- tral scored the first basket, but South Side followed with another to put the score at 20-all. With 15 sec- onds left to play, Disler was fouled in a mixup. He made the extra point to put South Side ahead 21 to 20. From then to the end of the game Central was unable to gain posses- sion of the ball and the game ended without further scoring. 106

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MAINSTAYS OF THE TIGER TEAM - f' L 5 ,df . xx, Ba ,.,, A .:-1s N ? 3 g '55, w-i'::A:::.T ST' ,- N ..waQ235f,+..X .. . 1 w Red Blanton, guardg Smoky Joe Grimme, guardg Duke Hackman, centerg Flu McDonald, forwardg Pouch Payne, guard 105

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TACKLING, PUNTING, BLOCKING PROVIDE THRILLS FOR GRIDMAN t'Pooch Payne Thrills in a football game are as numerous as absentees from school on a sunny Friday afternoon. But there are a few that are outstanding to the player. They may seem pret- ty and interesting to the spectator, but to the player they are the very essence of the game. The first that I am going to men- tion is the kick-off. The teams are lined up. The referee holds up his hand and asks each of the cap- tains if he is ready to start play. Then with an eloquent gesture of his hand and a violent blow from his whistle, he starts the game. Like impatient hounds loosed from the lash, the kicking team rush down the field. The kick-of man with a powerful boot lifts the ball from the ground and sends it hurtling into the hands of the receiver. This operation takes but a few sec- onds, but to the player it is a long time. A hundred thoughts enter his mind. Will the wind carry the ball out of bounds? Will the ball come to me? If it does, will I run down the center of the field, or shall I try the sidelines? Whom shall I block? Aft- er the ball has been safely tucked away by one of the receiving team and the gentleman has been removed from his upright position to a hori- zontal one, this fear, excitement, an- ticipation, or whatever it is, passes and everyone settles down to foot- ball. Another very spectacular and thrilling operation in football is the punt, When circumstances and lack of yardage necessitate exchange of the ball, the punter drops back of the line of scrimmage about twelve yards. He stands there with elevated hands and waits for the ball. In his mind is the determina- tion to send the Hbloomin' ball for a merry ride to the farthest and most unpopulated corner of the field. Likewise, in the mind of the oppos- ing linesman, is the determination to crash through the line and ram the ball down the t'punter's', throat. Sometimes the punter'i sends the ball for a merry ride, and some- times, he and the ball are persuaded, by lovable embraces of their oppon- ents, to remain in their present posi- tion. This is not a duty for the punter alone, but every member of the team must co-operate in or- der that a successful punt may be accomplished. Another more personal or self- satisfying thrill is the making of a near-perfect tackle. You see a back running down the field and you are the only one between him and the goal line. You edge forward and with him. From then it is a battle between two minds, his mind trying to think of ways to shift and turn, your mindtrying to guess where he will be the next moment. All the time you are coming closer and clos- er. Finally, with a desperate lunge, you dive for him. Sometimes you outguess him and he will run right into your waiting arms. Then you gently lower him to the ground, and, with a contented sigh of gratitude, the runner rolls over and grabs a few breaths of air before the referee runs up and tells him to snap into it. But very often the runner out- guesses you. At the same time you lunge for him, he remembers a pressing engagement elsewhere, and he proceeds thither as rapidly as his elusive legs will carry him. So nat- urally you close your arms on a huge embrace of nothing. Of course, most athletic fields are abundant with grass, but usually in a case like this, your nobel countenance explores far- ther into the turf until it finds some good old-fashioned gravel that will cushion its head-long descent. This is not so good, but, oh, well, you'll get him next time. Football is made up of these thrills coupled with the jubilance of vic- tory, and being satisfied with having put up a good iight in defeat for CENTRAL WILL IF CENTRAL CAN. T