Medina High School - Mirror Yearbook (Medina, NY)

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illibe jlillirrnr THE DECIDING POINT LUCILLE HOWE AMES LAWTUN awoke with a start as his alarm eloek set at four o'eloek went off. He struck an inquisitive toe out of bed to test the temperature of the room and then sat up. He thought a moment and then it all came baek in a rush. This was the day on whieh Jaek and he had planned to go skiing. Jimmie was a young man of seventeen, a Junior in the Westiiell High Sehool. His only pal was Jack Fulton. Jimmie was tall and of slender build. He had light eurly hair and sparkling blue eyes. Jaek was just the opposite: he was short, but slender, and had jet, blaek hair and flashing brown ey-es. . After Jimmie had dressed, eaten his breakfast and fed his calf, for Jimmie, by the way lived on a farm, he sat down to wait for Jack. Soon he heard a shrill, sharp whistle, and upon looking out of the win- dow he saw two boys. When they eame in, Jaek introduc-ed the other as Bill Reed. Bill had just moved into VVestfield and was going to enter Westfield High Seool after the vaeation. llis looks are hard to deseribe. He was tall, had brown hair and eyes. His eyes were what held your attention. There was something in them that you eouldn't read. Jimmie, who believed himself a elever reader of eharaeter, thought that fellow doesn't amount to much. The boys earried their skis and luneh, and started for the hill, whieh was two miles away. Upon reaehing the hill they had a fine time eoasting. After many attempts that ended in spills, Bill gave up his attempts and spent the rest of his time tripping the others. That set- tled him with Jinnn'ie. Jimmie was a lover of elean sport, so l1e gained a very poor opinion of Bill. After spending about three hours on the hill the boys went home. Vaeation flew by as if it had wings and Jimmie had to go baek to school. The second day of sehool Jimmie found out that Bill was a Junior too. Tuesday evening basket ball praetiee eame. Jimmie was playing eenter on the team on the hill, Jimmie had not thought that he was sport enough to eome out for basket ball. Bill was fast and had an almost uneanny way of shooting baskets. About the only thing Jimmie had over him was the jump. Jimmie began to be worried. Wlia.t if he should be put otic the team! He tried to put this thought from his mind. The day before the big game with Atlanta, Westtield's rival, the eoaeh took Jimmie aside, and this is what he said, Jimmie, old man, Pm sorry but Bill has worked up great in the last few practice games, and I'm going to give him a tryout tomorrow night. He will start the game as center, but I may put you in at half time. Jimmie was so Nineteen -

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ill HI ll I Eighteen p The jllflirrnri l - - - B. F. Jones gazed at us' as only a self-made millionaire can. Now, wasn't that queer! You see that was a dream that really happened. How do I know? We-l-l, I was the foreman. He beamed upon us with a beatific, a benign and all comprehensive smile as only a self-made man can smile. I-Blakesly and I just dissolved, before that smile. VVe evaporated, dispersed-fled! At a safe distance I turned to Blakesly with a gasp: 'HIT NEVER really COULD happen-COULD it? Blakesly gave a sort of groan and feebly returned: Dreams ARE funny-AREN'T they? l li YY ..',- -L-

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Bl Twenty The 1HlIirrnr----- much grieved that he could hardly speak, but he managed to stammer, ' ' All right, Coach. Jimmie went half dazed through the remainder of his classes. Al- though he was willing to do everything he could for the good of his school, coach 's words dealt llllll a severe blow. Friday night was an ideal night for basket ball. It was cold, and there was a snappy northwester blowing. The gymnasium was packed. Every seat was filled, and some of tl1e spectators were standing. Jim- mie went into the dressing-room, dressed, then went and sat on the sub bench. He felt down and out. The game started out fast. For ten minutes neither side scored. The guarding was faultless. Then Bill Reed got a basket. Tl1e hall was filled with cheers. But this atmosphere quickly changed. An Atlanta player was dribbling down the fioor when Bill deliberately and nastily tripped him. This offense was repeated two more time by Bill. The spectators from Atlanta and Westfield both openly gave their opinion of him. Westfield stood for clean sport. lt was about two minutes before the end of the half. At the beginning of the second half Jimmie was put in. As before, as soon as the ball was near the basket, it was intercepted by an oppos- ing player and sent back up the floor. Players on both sides tried long shots to no avail. There were but a few minutes to play when an Atlanta player got a basket. The Atlanta boosters were wild. On a foul Atlanta made good. Tl1e score was 3-2 in favor of Atlanta. Jimmie knew that there were but a few more minutes to play. He started dribbling down the floor with a husky Atlanta guard pounding after him. Trusting to luck Jimmie threw from the center of the floor. As the ball arched straight for the basket, a hush went through the auditorium. Just as the referee blew the whistle, the ball dropped through the basket for the winning of point of the game. The game was talked of and talked of. It was the first time in three years that Westfield had beaten Atlanta. Bill received a great raz- zing from the coach, team and pupils of Westfield High School. He had shown in the game with Atlanta that he lacked the spirit that every team--whether high school, college or professional must have- the spirit that makes the players play clean. -uf' 's