John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

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26 team. Duzminski as you probably remember, was a member of our great team of not so long ago: the team which won the Queens basket- ball championship in 1956. Featured on the Temple team was Mike Bloom, rangy center, who was picked as all-American last year. Besides these thrilling games, there were many drastic rule changes last year. One of these changes was the elimination of the center tap which gave the small man an even chance against a taller adver- sary from a distinctive play from center. Then there is a ten second ruling which enables a team only that amount of time to where a rangy play is needed. This rule also makes the game cleaner as there are fewer body contacts around the center slot. In former days, a clever ball handler used to draw all his fouls from this position because an inexperienced team would muddle themselves around center and foul the players coming through. Before we end our article we wish to submit a team which we believe ranks as the greatest collegiate team of the last three years. Guard: Willy Rubenstein, N. Y. U. Guard: Hank Lussetti, Stanford. Center: Mike Bloom, Temple. Forward: Bob Kessler, Purdue. Forward: Marius Rus- fs.--iii: '..,'5'f. l X . f . V rv? il i bring the ball across the center mark. The l reason for this ruling --- is to try to eliminate the freezing of the ball. Freezing was very com- mon in former days because when a proficient dribbling and passing team had a one point advantage, they would freeze the ball to protect this margin. This was very unfavorable to the pub- lic as it lowered the scoring of games and the thrills which a high scoring aggregation produces. It is said that a well-known basketball star once froze the ball for five solid minutes and his team won by the low scoring margin of 15-12. The three second rule in the circle also speeded up the game as a station- ary pivot man in this circle is prohibit- ed. This is a distinct advantage for the small man, as a set shot is stressed more than a cut from a pivot play so, Long Island Uni- y versity. The players to watch this year are: Guard: Bob Lewis, N. Y. U. Guard: Bob Hassmiller, Fordham. Center: Duke Duzminski, Villanova. Forward: Ralph 'Dolgoff St. johns. Greatest Team of All Time: Guard: Nat Holman, C. C. N. Y. Guard: Hank Luisetti, Stanford. Center: Mac Kinsbrunner, St. johns. Forward: Howard Cann, N. Y. U. Forward: Mac Posnack, St. Johns Basketball should increase in pop- ularity as the years progress because it is being stressed as a major activity in all schools which in former years used to maintain football as their main sporting activity. Another evi- dence of its ever-growing popularity is that basketball outdrew every sporting activity for 1938.

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the Blackbird's Coach, assembled a squad of spectacular set: shot artists who seldom missed. This team led by Marius Russo was the highest scoring aggregation in the country, showing scores of 80 and 90 points per game. That year they put on the greatest exhibition of basketball by scoring 12 points in tive minutes to beat a dan- gerous Duquesne team by the nar- row margin of two points. Inciden- tally Harry Grant, formerly of john Adams threw in the winning mark- ers. The following year the team met its first defeat at the hands of Stanford University. XVhen anyone mentions Stanford he automatically thinks of Hank Lui- setti, one of the greatest players of all time. The game was far from interesting as Luisetti and Les Stoefen ran wild that night, but the people went home speechless as they watched the greatest one hand exhibition of shooting. Luisetti, besides being a great shot, was a line dribbler and a versatile passer. Many coaches com- ment that they never saw Lusetti make a wrong move on the court. Last year when this 5111116 Stanford squad came to the Garden to play City College, it wasn't Luisetti the shooter. but Lusietti the play maker. He fed Les Stoefen all night, and Les rolled up eighteen points by half time. Stoefen was nnally taken out on fouls and here Lusietti showed his greatness by going on a scoring rampage. Hy reading this description of the Stanford squad, you must think we belittle the tiny City performers, but take that out of your mindg it was a superior City team that lost to Stan- ford. City lost by two points, but they had Stanford gasping for breath in the last quarter as'they scored I5 straight points to fall one point be- hind the highly-touted Stanford Giants. Wfhen the game ended, every per- son went wild whether he was a Stan- ford rooter or otherwise, stood up, and saluted this great City team. The star for the city squad was Bernie Fiegel, and richly he deserved that honor. That night he took the worst physical punishment that any one man absorbed on a basketball court. Another personage who deserves homage was little Izzy Katz who for the first time made Luisetti look silly. He dribbled, passed, and even scored on lay-up shots from men ranging 12 inches above him. At one time during the game, he stole the ball from Luisetti and scored a basket immediately. Hank stood there in amazement and frankly ack- nowledged the cleverness of his ad- versary by patting him on the back when the game was over. Another breathtaking game last year was the Temple,Villanova shin- dig. The game was featured by the great play of Bill Montgomery and Duke Duzminski of Villanova. These two sophomore sensations did the impossible by scoring six points in two minutes of play to beat the highly-touted, undefeated. Temple 25

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ITH due respect to my father, whose monetary affairs are seldom if ever untangled, I sometimes think that parents have no conception of the needs of an ado- lescent. This was my opinion before entering the living room where my father sat complacently smoking. I determined not to evade the issue and to ask for an increase in allowance outright, no shilly-shallying. If any- thing, I would show my father I was a man. I was not shocked when he, with the same resolve, bluntly re- fused. He explained that a boy of my age had no business taking girls out and that he considered my weekly allotment sufficient, provided I spent it on myself. We argued, lining up pros and cons and finally, I was forced to retreat, with the same opin- ion-that parents have no conception of the needs of an adolescent. A few days after this memorable encounter, a girl who at that time was the inspiration that kept me from utter despondency, was honored by my presence as her partner for the evening. After listening to the broad- cast of a new swing band, we de- cided to have sodas. Long being a devotee of frothsome vanilla, I was somewhat familiar with the soda em- poria in the neighborhood and We set our course for one in particular where the boys usually indulged at ten cents per glass at the foznmzin. Witlm swelling bosom I escorted the damsel to the table: fwhat pos- sessed me, I still don't knowj and we ordered two delicious, creamy sodas. My spirits were high as to- gether in sweet bliss we drew bubbly nectar from out of the ends of straws. Fafher Was Right! ALBERT LEVENSON My bliss was abaited suddenly when the waiter placed a pink slip of paper with bold blue type on its surface, on the table. And then it struck, like a bolt from the blue, so sudden was the impact. Weak-kneed and goggle- eyed I gaped at the bold numerals which seemed to leer at me like some hideous ogre, eyes iridescent in the blackness of the night. I had but twenty-seven cents and the check read thirty! I doubt whether my power of rea- soning would have survived had I not been fortified with the double ball of strawberry ice cream. Nonchalantly, I hope, I murmured something about having to phone, and blindly groped my way to the booth. There are six other members of the family who might have answered the phone, but by some quirk of fate my father's voice reached my ear. Not wanting to waste time, I explained my predica- ment immediately. I was reassured, but before placing the receiver down I heard an odd sound and to this day I think it was the nearest to a smoth- ered guffaw which ever has affronted my ears. And then . . . the Boy Scout move- ment is a very noted and honored work, at least I've thought so from that night. A khaki uniform which soon took on the appearance of my smaller brother was the reason. In his hand was clasped a life preserver in the form of a new shiny quarter. The moral of this story is that if Pop refuses an increase in allowance, he probably is old-fashioned and is trying to keep you from having a good time. 27 - '- aw ' nasa l. A as . r ig id. f' 5 , it . -V ,mi , by ' 4-gif, f A ,Ig -R if - vi . .ff my wi. 'f X1 'jf S- 1? ii I 7 7 ,W ,f X f 1 ff , X