1926 Macedonia High School Memory Book page 23

players got their own rosin, put it in their pockets,  and during the practice, did all their own rosining.
     One of the hardest fought battles of the year was that against Tabor high school.  Ellis, a forward, had an amazing overhand flip at the board that almost defied guarding, and he had a trick of tripping that added to the agony.  The game ended 15 to 15, and extra play was allowed.   The rules then provided that there should be play until one side made two more points.  Play was resumed and the referee evidently went blind.  No fouls were called, and a football game would have seemed like a sewing circle.  The affray lasted nearly ten minutes before a basket was made, and then Boyer, never a very good basket thrower, on his knees, south of the center's circle, with a Tabor man between his legs (Miles was intentionally sitting on him) threw a goal in the North basket that didn't touch the rim!  But the mess!  Hugh Braden's nose was bleeding a stream, Boyer's head had been cut by a slide across the floor, Hobson had a black eye, Dinwiddie was sitting across a chair with his arm folded across his stomach.  Someone had used a knee on his wind.  Henry had been tossed bodily into the stage, and from there, seeing Ellis trying for a goal, reached out with a foot and kicked the ball out of his hands, and with the other kicked Ellis in the face.  He then got back into the game and sprained both ankles.  Ellis lost a lot of blood from his nose and mouth;  Mann, the center, had his shirt and one shoe torn off by Boyer and one forward, I forget his name, was pitched over the front row of spectators onto the back row by Dinwiddie.   When it was all over the Tabor boys locked arms in the center of the floor, spit blood and cheered for Macedonia.
     The style of play of those first two teams differed from that of today.  The forwards, short men each year, passed the ball on the floor, or within a few inches of it; while the guards and center, all tall, and jumpers, played the ball in the air.  This proved rather confusing to their opponents.   Too, there was no rule against blocking a player, or running into another man if the runner was proceeding backwards, or in such a way as not to be able to see the man into whom he ran.
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