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January 3, 1915. Basketball
season. The
sports pages of the Duluth newspapers flash
these headlines: “Rotary Club Wins Discordant
Clash” and “Rotary Quintet Plans Invasion
of Montana”.
Did our club have a basketball team in
1915? Sure enough. Here’s the story.
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Lawrence Duby
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Rotary Club 25 member Lawrence K. Duby, proprietor of the L.
K. Duby Sporting Goods
Store just up 4th Avenue
West from Superior Street,
organized a Rotary basketball
team that took its first
step toward the World
Championship in 1915.
On January 2, 1915, the
Rotary lineup, made up of
teammates Harris, Bradley, Johnson, Solheim
and Jeronimus, defeated the All-Stars by a
score of 35 to 22. The first half of the game,
played under intercollegiate rules, was
“exceedingly rough” according to the newspaper.
Eighteen minutes into the game, the
All-Stars got into an argument with the referee,
resulting in 4 players walking off the
floor. Four new players filled in for the second
half, which was played under interscholastic
rules.
“Up to the time of the argument, the
game was a good one,” the newspaper
reported. Both teams put forth 100% effort
and the score was matched. After the 4
All-Stars players refused to continue, the
Rotary team finished the first half leading
with a score of 13 to 8. In the second half
Rotary teammates Harris and Bradley starred.
Harris played a “clean, fast game throughout
and Bradley made basket after basket,” wrote
the reporter. The crowd enjoyed the
game, which the reporter said was “not a mild
one.”
As a result of this Rotary win, the recently
organized Rotary team of five planned an
invasion of the West on January 18, 1915.
Nine games were scheduled starting at Fargo
on the 18th, followed by Valley City,
Jamestown, Aberdeen, Bismarck, Dickinson,
Beach, Miles City and Billings. Then the
Rotary team would face “Big Bemidji” on the
Bemidji floor on February 18 and 19. If the
Rotary team won, they could go to the A.A.
U. championships in Chicago in March.
Who made up the fearless five? Your historian
found Dr. James G. Harris in the membership
directory. If this is the same Harris,
he was a veterinarian with an office at 9
West 1st Street. Charles H. Bradley was also
listed in the directory as an insurance agent
working at A. A. Michaud Co. in the Providence
building. The only Johnson listed was
Robert W. Johnson, a dentist with offices in
room 600 in the Alworth Building (Dr. Bob
Johnson is still a member. Could this be a relative?).
Solheim and Jeronimus were not
listed.
How did the Rotary team end the season?
Stay tuned for the next installment. |
