Los Banos Rotary Club History
Lions Club Fetes Basketball Teams

The entire basketball squads of the grammar and high schools were honored at a dinner at the grammar school cafeteria Tuesday evening. The affair was sponsored by the Lions Club and was participated in by the Rotary and 20-30 Clubs.

As in former years, miniature gold basketballs were presented to members of the high school varsity who will graduate this spring. They included Don Ryan, Don Darkenwald, Timmy Williams and Joe Padilla. The presentation was made by John Torre, president of the Lions Club.

The members of each squad were introduced by Coaches Jim Larsen and Carlyle Loftin, and both men spoke briefly concerning the activities of the teams during the past season. Larsen especially praised his varsity squad for the spirit and stick-to-itiveness that brought them through the season, stating that he was proud of the boys who demonstrated that they wanted to play and put forth their best efforts in order to do so.

After "V-Day," Larsen said, when four members of the squad were dropped for violation of training rules, the boys settled down in earnest and made a surprisingly good showing, clearly demonstrating that the peak physical fitness required for the game could only be accomplished by strict adherence to training rules.

Speaker of the evening was Deane Richardson, a coach at college of the Pacific and former assistant basketball coach at Bradley University, Peoria, Ill. An interesting and informed speaker, Richardson discussed the much-debated question as to the seemingly apparent superiority of eastern and Midwestern school learns, which he summed up as an inevitable consequence of the increased interest in basketball in the east, and the fact that basketball, rather than other sports, is the paramount school sport in practically all high schools in the eastern and central portions of the country. This is largely due, he said, to the severe winters, which prohibits divergent activities.

Talking "shop" to the players, Richardson commended the game of basketball, and recommended it as an ideal sport. He advised them as to the basic principles for proficiency and emphasized that the training they are now receiving in grade and high school will mean much if and when they aspire for places on college teams.

Local speakers called upon for brief comments included L. J. Spindt, high school principal; R. M. Miano, grammar school superintendent; M. D. Wheat, Rotary Club president; and Mayor John Erreca.

February 28, 1950

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