Atlanta Daily World

Corner Disagrees With Jimmy Jones, Former Atlanta Sports Scribe, That LIU Authorities Are Right In Disclaiming Loss

WHEN, AFTER Long Island University defeated Loyola University of Chicago for the national collegiate basketball title after two years of eliminations, the New York quintet added Virginia Union University to its list of victims by a 61-50 margin for its 25th straight victory, there apparently was nothing in sight but approval on the part of LIU officials. One thing is certain: no protest whatever was registered.

But immediately after the colored team from Richmond, Virginia trimmed the white collegiate outfit 36-28 and cracked its winning streak, Long Island officials immediately contended that the outfit beaten was "not the official LIU team and the game was not an officially recognized one".

Close sports followers know very well that the Long Island University squad which beat Virginia Union 61-50 and later lost to the Panthers 36-28 was composed of Torgoff, Bromberg, Kaplowitz, Sewitch, Hillhouse, Zeitlin, Newman, and the colored boy, Dolly King .. the same boys whose sparkling play netted them the national cage title and an unbeaten regular season.

On top of that, one readily reasons that the Long Island University could never have played these games without permission of its school officials. If the team played without such approval, the burden would be upon the said university authorities to explain how it happened that the said games materialized, that the same LIU personnel formed the playing squad, and that LIU Head Coach Clair Bee was in charge of the "unofficial" team.

Yet, Mr. Jimmy Jones, sports editor of the Richmond TIMES-DISPATCH, writes in his Tuesday, March 28, column:

"The Long Island authorities have a perfect right to disclaim any responsibility for or sanction of the game, etc."........The corner fails to understand the basis for that "perfect right" and would not be adverse to learning on what bones of contention the so-called perfect right" is based.

Now Mr. Jones is not a prejudiced writer. The corner knows him personally and always did consider him one of the fairest and most cordial of Atlanta sports writers when he was here as associate sports editor of a contemporary daily. But it seems as if Mr. Jones is without a basis for his above declaration. His attention is being called to our reaction in this matter via letter. We eagerly await an explanation of his point of view.

And speaking of this Long Island University affair recalls the fact that Ky. State College now enjoys the enviable distinction achieved by Virginia Union. Coach Henry Arthur Kean's Thorobreds trimmed the LIU Blackbirds 39-35 Thursday night, March 30, in Philadelphia. (The next night in New York City, Long Island defeated Ky. State 37-35).

Farrow was the thorn in the sides of white collegians in the first contests against Long Island and Ky. State. The young man entered the first contest as a substitute forward and bagged 17 points and played in the starting lineup the second night when he roped 10 points for a grand total of 27 in two games. Leading scorers in the two games for LIU were Torgoff with 14 points, Bromberg with 14, and Sewitch with 12......which gives a fair idea of how tight the Kentucky defense was.

Virginia Union played 20 games the season just ended, winning 17 and losing 3. The Panther conference record was 13 wins, 2 defeats. All told, the clan of Henry B. Hucles scored 1,081 points in 20 games for an average of 50.0 points per contest. The quintet shot 70 or more points twice, 60 or more four times, and 50 or more points seven times.

Leading the Unionites in scoring for the season were Captain Wylie (Soupy) Campbell and Melvin Gloier with 243 points apiece for an average of 12.15 points a game. Gilbert (Pickles) Fraser was close and Orbert Knighton "raised Cain" in the 15 tilts in which he participated.

Fraser's total was 238 points in 20 games for an average of 11.9 points a game. Virginia Union's fine record for 1939 is reproduced below:

VIRGINIA UNION PANTHERS

Union	62	Lynchburg	37	(x)
Union	65	Saint Paul	31
Union	45	Smith	44	(x)
Union	42	Lynchburg	17	(x)
Union	45	Morgan	46
Union	55	A & T	44	(x)
Union	45	Lincoln	36	(x)
Union	58	Saint Paul	36	(x)
Union	50	Va. State	47	(x)
Union	73	Hampton	47	(x)
Union	55	St. Aug.	25	(x)
Union	74	Morgan	49	(x)
Union	60	Fayetteville	46	(x)
Union	49	A & T	30	(x)
Union	65	Hampton	30	(x)
Union	43	Va. State	45	(x)
Union	55	Va. State	43	(x)
Union	50	Long Island	61	(x)
Union	54	Wissahicken	46
Union	36	Long Island	28