(c) 2020 By Walton Family Historian Frederick E. Walton
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| Washington Irving High School, Tarrytown, New York |
The NYS Historic Newspapers project (https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org) provides free online access to a wide range of newspapers chosen to reflect New York's unique history. Among the collection can be found issues of the Tarrytown Daily News for the period between January 1914 and December 1931. Unfortunately some issues are missing and many issues are illegible due to fading or bad scanning. Nevertheless there are many issues available to help us follow the basketball fortunes of the 1924-25 Washington Irving High School Basketball team.
The name Fred or Freddie Walton (1908-1980) appears often in the”Tarrytown Daily News” throughout this period as a multitalented athlete in a number of sports.
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| Fred Walton Circa 1936 |
The following is a summary of the newspaper articles featuring my grandfather, the “star forward” for the Washington Irving High School Basketball team during the 1924-25 season.
I perused every issue between October 1924 and April 1925 looking for any mention of the Washington Irving High School Basketball team to transcribe. In many cases the sports pages were illegible or I may have missed a column if it was in an unusual spot in the paper. In other cases the team participated in a tournament featuring multiple contests, or the article was particularly verbose, in which case I have edited the excerpt to include only those paragraphs relevant to the Washington Irving High School Basketball team and specifically Fred Walton’s role. When mentioned I have Highlighted his name in Bold. There is a web link at the end of each article should you wish to read the entire column.
I think the season began about the middle of November, based on articles I found about other teams, but the 1924 papers were so faded, especially toward the bottom that I was unable to find anything about the Washington Irving High School Basketball team until January 1925, a good month or more into their season.
I'm not a big sports fan, but I found myself being thrilled and on the edge of my seat by the weekly game descriptions written 95 years ago!
To summarize, young Freddie Walton, who turned 16 on December 17, 1924, was an aggressive and talented player who was small, fast and well liked by the fans. He frequently scored about a third or more of the teams total points and often is a crowd wowing style. He was a risk taker and in one game his chancy midcourt throw scored the winning point as the final whistle blew. The crowd went wild and he was a hero! A few games later, with his team ahead by only a single point and only minutes to go he again tried the same move only to have the ball bounce out of the basket, allowing the rival team to score the winning basket just as the whistle blew. His risky move caused his team to lose the game If the basket had sunk, he would have been the hero again, but that week he was the loser! And the newspaper didn’t cut him any slack, as I’m sure his school mates didn’t either.
Ultimately, during the 1924-25 season, the Washington Irving High School Basketball team lost too many league games to reach the playoffs, although even their losing games were all very close. But unlike the 21st century were “everyone’s a winner”, in 1925 you either won the game or you lost, even if was only by one point! In1925, the W. I. H. S. team gave their fans many thrills and young Freddie Walton was frequently mentioned for his “plucky” playing. Although they did not win the league championship, they won the hearts of their fans for their hard playing as you can read for yourself in the words first published in the Tarrytown Daily News in 1924-25:
Note: It seems that the W. I. H. S. Varsity basketball team typically played on Friday night and the results were reported the following day on Saturday. I reviewed the newspapers from October through December paying particular attention to the Saturday sports page and either found no mention of W. I. or the pages were completely faded and illegible for most of 1924 with the following two exception, neither a complimentary start to the season, but read on…they get better!
Saturday, 6 December 1924- Irvington Won From W. I. Five
unfortunately the article is completely faded and illegible.
Saturday 27 December 1924- Alumni defeats The W. I. Team- Old Boys too much for this years five who lost 52 to 30
unfortunately the article is completely faded and illegible.
Note: I had better luck finding articles in January through March of 1925, but again some articles were either not found or illegible.
Friday, 2 January 1925 Basketball at Y. M. Tonight Three Games To Be Played — Some Thrillers Expected
The basketball triple-header which has created such manifest enthusiasm throughout the villages will get under way at the Y. M. C. A. court this evening beginning at 7 o'clock when the second team of the Washington Irving High school clashes in the preliminary match with the strong Ossining collegiate. Following immediately upon the heels of this contest will be tho two big scraps bringing together the Y M. C. A. big five team and the strong East Side Y. M. C. A. Five, amateur champions of the East Side, New York City, and the Washington Irving varsity combination and the formidable aggregation toting the colors of the St. Peters’ High School of New York City.
It is probable that the varsity scraps between the two High schools will be second on this unusually attractive card.
Bushel, Barr, Walton, Saberski and Carpenter will appear in the varsity lineup… Admission to these three contests is 50 cents for both grown ups and children alike, but a special price of 35 cents is charged for those who are athletic association members.
The proceeds of the games will go to the athletic association of tho Washington Irving High School.
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-02/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 3 January 1925 Thrilling Basketball Games at Y
(selected passages regarding the W. I. H. S. Team from a two page article)
The W. I. H. S. varsity team had made light of St. Peter's, winning by a score of 38-19.
The Staten Islanders looked brilliant in practice, tossing the ball in from all angles and many thought it would lie a runaway for the visiting team, but he first five minutes passed and W. I. had piled up a lead of more than ten points. This was due to the great work of Walton and Barr, the Crimson forwards. St. Peters did not. handle the ball as well as the local five nor could they shout as well—result, first half ended with the W . I. boys safely in the lead, 14-5.
W. T. ran rings around the Staten Island boys and passed the ball with skill that far outclassed the efforts of the visitors. It was this pretty passwork that gave several nice tap shots to the home team. Walton was in form and when he got the ball beneath the net he invariably tossed it through in pretty fashion.
The work of Kenneth Griffith, quarterback on last year’s football eleven, and one of the fastest men in the high school, at left guard was highly creditable. Griffith has started very few times with the regular team this season and has not been used very much but his playing last night indicated be should he valuable to the team. He held his man scoreless and tossed in four field goals and two fouls himself.
Collins, at center. Driscoll at right forward, and Mullusky, at left guard, for the visiting five, showed up the best. The former was high scorer with three field goals and a foul, while each of the others tallied two baskets.
Walton again was high scorer for the Crimson and Black. It seems strange that two years ago the little fellow was playing with the Y. M. C. A. Midgets but since then his work in the “Y” gym has improved with experience and he has developed into a great scoring forward for the locals.
Washington Irving High School VARSITY team:
G. F. T.
Walton, r.f ............. 7 2 16
Bair, l.f …………… 5 0 10
Bushel, c ………… 0 0 0
Saberski, r.g ……… 1 0 2
Griffiths, l.g ......... 4 2 10
Mack, r g ................ 0 0 0
Totals ………………. 17 4 38
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-03/ed-1/seq-2/
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| Y. M. C. A. Tarrytown, New York |
8 January 1925 Y. M. C. A. Big 5 Expects Battle To Play the Fast Greenwich Team Tomorrow Night at the Y. M. C. A In a practice game
The high school team showed up well, Barr, Griffiths, Mack, and Bushel doing most of the scoring, although Freddie Walton unguarded for the most part dropped in a few tap shots from beneath the net. The playing of Barr and Mack was pretty to watch. The play developed the fact that the Crimson and Black has far more pass-work in its game than Its rival neighbor, North Tarrytown High School, and it is upon this ground that we base our opinion that Washington Irving has a better balanced team, although personally we do not.see how the Crimson and Black is going to hand two defeats to N. T. H. S. this season.
Thursday, 8 January 1925 W. I. Basketball 5 at Buchanan
The Washington Irving basket ball team will tackle Buchanan High School for the second time this season tomorrow night on the latter’s court. The Crimson will line up with Barr and Walton, forwards, Bushel, center, and Carpenter and Saberski, guards.
Saturday, 10 January 1925 W. I. H. S. Wins Two Games Washington Irving H. S. Defeats Buchanan Decisively
Washington Irving High School won two games of basketball from Buchanan High last night at Buchanan’s court, both affairs being decisive victories. The boys won their league game by a score of 25-9 after using eleven players, while the girls buried their opponents under a 61-9 score. The Crimson and Black boys had things mostly their own way throughout the contest, although tho Buchanan bunch proved stickers and doggedly tried to over come the big lead of the Tarry town aggregation. Practically the entire second team of the local school was put into the game when it was seen that the first team was going none too good, at the same time giving the scrubs a good workout and a league chance. Walton was taken out two or three times during the game and although he tallied nary a goal in the first half came back strong with four In the second frame and was high scorer. Griffiths, Mack and Saberski scored two field goals each. Tho team started with Mack and Walton forwards; Bushel, center, and Saberski and Griffiths, guards. Carpenter, who is a regular guard and a good one, too, was given a change during part of the second half, he has been ill and Coach Beck did not want to use him too much owing to his being still a little weak.
The boys’ game box score follows :
G. F. T.
Mack, r.f ............... . . 2 0 4
Manna, r.f .............. ... 0 0 0
Walton, l.f.............. . . 4 1 9
McDowell, 1-f......... 2 0 4
Bushel, c ............... ..1 0 2
Deverill, c .............. .. 0 0 0
Saberski, r.g .......... .. 2 0 4
Carpenter, r.g......... .. 0 0 0
Griffiths, l.g ............ ...1 0 2
Livingston, l.f. ....... ... 0 0 0
Hnggertj’, c ............ .. 0 0 0
Totals ................ 12 1 25
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-10/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 17 January 1925 W. I. takes a thriller from ARDSLEY
WALTON, W. I. STAR, IN GREAT GAME AT Y. M. C. A. LAST NIGHT; WIN 28-26
Local High School Boys Rally in Last Five Minutes of Play and Make Whirlwind Finish
VICTORY COMES IN THE LAST MINUTE OF PLAY
Whole Team Plays a Uphill Game Against the Champions of the Greenburgh League
Emulating the famous Dick Merrlwell, fictional athletic hero of every boy's heart, Fred Walton, young forward of the Washington Irving High School basketball team, playing like the fans have never seen him play before, saved and won in the last few minutes the most wonderful court struggle witnessed here in years from the dangerous Ardsley High School five, leaders in the Greenburg League. With less than five, minutes to go and Ardsley leading the Crimson, by a score of 26-17 , it seemed us if the visitors would carry off the honors, but then Walton took a hand. First, he dropped in two pretty baskets and Ken Gritliths added another much needed one. Walton followed with another neat shot off the back-board and the stands came tp life. With about a minute to go a foul was called against Walton’s man and Freddie dropped in the point which tied the score. Pandemonium reigned as the funs’ went wild, shrieking their joy and performing antics that would under any other circumstances have seemed ridiculous, but action were were done unconsciously, for the mind and heart of everyone was centered upon the thrilling climax being enacted before them.The whistle blew and the ball was in play again with less than sixty seconds to go. Both teams were fighting like demons, spurred on by the scent of victory. The ball relayed dangerously close to the Ardsley net and two valiant, tries on the part of the visiting players, one of which nearly ended he game, failed, the ball going into W. I ‘s hands. Down the floor came Barr but he was guarded so closely that he could do nothing but pass the sphere to one of his mates. The ball came into the eager hands of Walton, as the timekeeper made themselves ready to end the contest. The little left forward paused a moment in mid-floor and hurled the ball against the backboard. it rebounded perfectly and dropped through the net. Immediately after the shot the whistle shrilled its announcement that time was up. Washington Irving had performed what had seemed impossible, and had turned back the visitors. The final score was 28-26 While it remained for Walton to be the medium o[ victory, the entire Washington Irving team, fighting the visitors off their feet in the closing moments of the struggle, was responsible for the sensational win over the down river team. Every man fought as if he were going over the wall of Troy. Hitherto he had been playing a hard game, but when faced with the realization in those last five minutes that Ardsley was nine points in the lead his efforts redoubled and he set a terrific pace. The Crimson and Black players held Ardsley scoreless in those, last few precious moments. Every man was on top of the ball and nine times out of ten the fracas (Continued on Page Five)
WALTON, W. I. STAR, IN GREAT GAME AT Y . M . C. A . (Continued from page 1) ended with the ball in a local Player’s hands. Pretty passwork gave Walton his opportunity and Ken Griffiths’ welcome shot was the result of nice relaying of the ball from one local player to an other. Walton's third basket was a beautifully executed piece of work. Dribbling down the court to within shooting distance, Walton found himself blocked by one of tho opposing guards. Stopping dead in his tracks, although he had been going at top speed, the left forward [Walton] tossed the ball clean through the net. It was one of the most neatly-executed tricks pulled on the local court. With the opening of the game the locals were left in the lurch as a result of Ardsley's speed and passwork. Brown, the visitors’ tight guard, developed into a dangerous shot, and it was his shooting that gave Ardsley a prominent lead in that half. As captain of the visiting aggregation he certainly set a great example to follow. In the first half he scored five field goals, adding two more in the second.
The first half ended with Ardsley leading by a score of 20-10. With the opening of the second half W. I. crept up a little nearer as a result of Barr’s and Bushel’s field goals, hut Brown discounted these with two baskets of his own, and then suddenly the Crimson and Black tore into the attack like a maddened bull and Ardsley was powerless to stop them, although they attempted very valiantly to do so.
There have been hundreds of High School contests, aye, and others, too, played on the local Y. M. C. A. court, but never was there one ending so suddenly and sensationally as that that W . I. snatched away from the grasp of Ardsley High School last night. Its closing moments were almost indescribable and the game ended with the suddenness of death. The whistle blowing immediately following Walton’s shot prevented Ardsley from any last retaliation. It was like the jaws of an alligator snapping suddenly upon the head of its prey. Ardsley had just that kind of a chance and they could do nothing but accept defeat. This they did after the fashion of true sportsmen forming a cheering squad on the floor and cheering W . I.
The box scores follow:
Washington Irving
G. P. T.
Barr, r.f ........... ............ 3 0 6
Walton, l.f..,. ............ . 4 4 12
Bushel, c ……………. 2 0 4
Mack, r.g. ....... ........... 0 2 2
Griffiths, l.g.... ……….. 2 0 4
Carpenter, l.g.. ………0 0 0
Totals ....... ............ …11 6 28
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Wednesday, 21 January 1925 School Teams Are Keyed Up- Great Battle for Local Championship at the Y on Friday Night
Two more days and then the Washington Irving and North Tarrytown High School basketball teams will be fighting each other with the ferocity of tigers on the local Y. M. C. A. court before what promises to be the greatest crowd of the season. Enthusiasm is unbounded among the fans and especially the student bodies of the schools. Of course the rival teams are confident of victory and at present it seems hard to pick the winner. In the past the games between the Crimson and Black and Orange and Black fives, have been furious battles decided only in the last few grilling minutes and there is every indication that the coming scrap will be of similar type to that of its predecessors.
No matter which school wins the game will be well worth watching, mark that, fans. There will be thrills galore from the very start of the whistle, and those thrills will be furnished on both sides.
North Tarrytown says, “Beat W. I.” and the Crimson retaliates with “Try and do it.” Well, North Tarrytown is going to try and Washington Irving is going to try, too. Looks like a hard grind. In the past it strikes us that the boys from the north end of the town have come oft victorious oftener than their rivals. Records will show that, but records will also show how close have been the struggles.
Records count for naught again and Friday night W. I. H. S. will no more be thinking of its previous losses to N. T. than the Orange and Black will be admitting defeat to the Crimson in other years.
Both teams are well matched, although as we have said before one can’t get away from the fact that W. I. looks better somehow. Perhaps it is a more sound passing game and the fact that the Crimson has improved vastly since the start of the season that causes us to say this. While it would be hard to stand pat on the statement that W. I. will beat N. T. it would not be amiss to say to the fans, don’t be surprised if W. I. wins, and also to add don’t be startled if N. T. beats W. I.
Both teams are well acquainted with the Y. M. C. A . court, the North Tarrytown players having used it previous to the opening of their new High School and also for practice lately. The old method of reasoning that Irvington beat North Tarrytown, Ardsley beat Irvington and W. I. beat Ardsley, therefore W. I. should beat N. T., carries little or no weight in the decision of Friday's scrap. But there is one thing that does matter and it is something which N. T. cannot afford to overlook, and that is the sensational fighting finishes the Crimson and Black is noted for. Time and time again W. I. has given evidence of this power of coming from behind to victory the local team’s smashing win over Ardsley last week is the strongest evidence of all. Nevertheless North Tarrytown Is set for the toughest kind of opposition. It will he a matter of give and take and the team that gives the most of it has will win.
Just now it is early to mention a specific lineup for the game, but no doubt the Orange and Black will put in the following representatives Friday night; Captain Featherstone. right forward; Jim Deely, left forward; Joe Deely or Carl Swanson, centers, and Martin Foley and John Gazzola, guards. The probable W. I. lineup will be: Capt. Fred Barr, right forward; Fred Walton, left forward; Francis Bushel, center; Byron Carpenter, Ken Griffiths, and Eugene Soberski, guards. In the preliminary game which brings together the second teams of both High schools, there will be just as much rivalry and this also promises to give the fans thrills.
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-21/ed-1/seq-2/
Friday, 23 January 1925 Big Game at Y tonight Washington Irving and North Tarrytown To Clash for Honors
Enthusiasm over the annual classic the struggle for basketball supremacy between the North Tarrytown and Washington Irving High Schools, spread like wild fire throughout the villages today. The game will start about 8:30 o’clock , tonight at the Y. M. C. A. court immediately following the preliminary tilt between the second team o f both schools.
And now for the benefit of those fans who are doubtful as to the quality of the big battle tonight let us say that this scrap will be just about the hottest little tete-a-tete that ever burned up the Y. M. C. A. floor. If at some periods of the game the fans should happen to see trails of smoke issuing from the crevices in the floor they should not be surprised at their origin for the speed of the two teams will have been the cause.
A little advice would not be amiss— bring cotton if you would survive the din of the two school cheering squads, but above all. fans, be there tonight for it will mean the most thrills for 35 cents that you have ever gotten for that or even a greater amount. The first game starts at 7:30 ' o'clock.
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-23/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 24 January 1925- North Tarrytown Beats W. I. 20 to 9. Thrilling Game at Y last Night- North Tarrytown beats W. I. team before Largest Crowd ever Assembled in Gymnasium.
Note: This was a long article that covered several columns which described the past performance of the two teams, the crowd size and the other than expected result. I have pulled out a few key quotes featuring Fred Walton’s Name.
North Tarrytown High School was never greater in victory than last night when it outplayed Washington Irving High School in every quarter of the hard grind at the
Y. M. C. A. Court. The score was 20 - 9. The Crimson and Black went down fighting but it was conquered by a better team last night. …
Thus it was continuously throughout the game.Never did the guards, Foley and Gazzola [North Tarrytown], stick as closely to their men as they hung upon the very heels of Mack and Walton. The two young Crimson forwards found it almost impossible to shake loose and they were ?? hustled up time after time when the ball had come to them within ?? shooting distance of their basket.
Between seven and eight Hundred fans packed themselves into the "Y" gymnasium to witness the proceedings. On the north and south end of the gym sat the respective cheering squad of W. I. And N. T. and as their teams came onto the floor they set up a tremendous been. The only reason these two bodies made more noise than the rest of the fans was because they use systematic yelling.
A W. I. rally seemed imminent and it came in the face of two successive field goals by Mack and Walton, but it was short lived.
The second half opened and the fans looked for the typical Washington Irving second half rally. But while the Crimson players increased their speed and re-doubled their efforts against their opponents they were doomed to disappointment for North Tarrytown held like a rock against them and they kept fighting although hopelessly defeated.
Gazzola and Foley clung like leeches to Mack and Walton, although the Crimson right guard [Mack] got away once for a neat goal. The quarter ended with N. T. having advanced it's lean to 16-7.
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Freddie Walton scored 1 of the three goals contributing 2 or the total nine points but must have gone home disappointed after being lauded as the star of last weeks game!
Tuesday, 27 January 1925 W. I. H. S. to Play Peekskill Five
Friday evening the Washington Irving basketball team will leave for Peekskill to clash with that strong five in a Hudson river league game. The outlook for a local victory certainly does not look rosy. The possibility that Capt. Fred Barr [still ill] will be able to play seems rather slim too, but then no matter what the circumstances, Peekskill will know she is in a basketball game. The following Friday the Crimson plays Ossining at Ossining.
If Barr is unable to play Friday night the probable lineup will be as follows: Mack and Walton, forwards; Bushel, center, and Carpenter said Saberski and Griffiths, guards.
Wow, tough expectations! Two weeks ago, against Ardsley, they were incredible heroes. last week against cross town rivals, North Tarrytown, they were struggling losers and this week the prospect “does not look rosy”. This is a far cry from the 21st century where no one is ever a loser and the home team is always a winner!
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-27/ed-1/seq-2/
Thursday, 29 January 1925- Y. M. Develops H. S. Players
All of the Midgets of a Few Years Now on School Teams
Tho Boys’ Department Basketball League of the local Y. M. C. A. ends Saturday when each team plays its last game per schedule. there is little doubt but what the Celtics will clinch the championship and cap , since they have won one more game than either the Hiltons or M id gets, who ate tied for second place, and their last contest is with a rather easy team. If they lose, the Hiltons and Midgets must win their games to tie the Celtics for first place.
With the completion of the league, Physical Director E. M. Guest will select two all-star teams from the players who made up the league, and these combinations will face outside opposition. Already two games have been booked with the Irving Juniors at Irving School and Mohegan Lake Academy here.
Curiously enough or perhaps, after all, it is natural in view of the training they received in the”Y” gymnasium under Mr. Guest, practically all of the original Y. M. C. A. Midgets, champions of three years ago, are playing High School basketball at the present.
Jim Deely, captain and center of the Midgets, and Ralph Alpine, guard, are now playing with the North Tarrytown High School team. Deely is regular left forward, and Alpine was a forward on the second team and is substitute on the varsity five.
Fred Walton, star forward of the Midgets, is playing forward for the Crimson and Black varsity, as is Clifford Mack, another ex-Midget forward. Byron Carpenter. who played guard with the small “Y” champions. Is now hold ing down that position with the Washington Irving varsity five. Edward De Revere is a forward on the W. I. H. S. second team. Billy Doyle is playing with the Middletown High School quintet.
Such a record as these boys have made should be an incentive to the other youngsters growing up in the Y. M. C. A. environment and participating in the athletics of that institution. The various boys’ basketball leagues organized each year develops new material and advances the experience of older material.
There is no doubt but what the Y. M. C. A. of the Tarrytowns has turned out a great many basketball players for both local high schools and we expect to see the present batch of youngsters, at least some of them, playing with the high schools within the next two or three years.
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-29/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 31 January 1925- Lost Two Games Up River Peekskill Takes Locals Into Camp— Second Team Wins
The second team was the only one to win of the three Washington Irving High School basketball squads which invaded Peekskill last night and clashed with the teams of that high school. The varsity boys lost their league game by a score of 30-18, the girls lost too, by a score of 21-17, but the second team came home the victors, trimming Peekskill by a score of 2-8.
The varsity five of course was handicapped by the absence of Captain Fred Barr, who is still confined to his bed by severe illness, and yet they put up a great game against strong Peekskill opposition. They even dared to outplay the Peekskill boys during the first half of the game, leading at the end of the first period by a score of 11-8. This three-point advantage was not enough, however, and Peekskill came back in the second half to win. The passwork of the locals during the first half was corking. The girls got away to a poor start in the first half of their game but came back strong in the second half to outplay Peekskill. The second team of the Crimson just walked away with the contest and Peekskill didn’t have a look-in at any time.
[no box scores posted]
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-01-31/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 7 Feb 1925- W . I. H . S. Loses To Ossining- Local Team Fights Hard But Lost 27 to 22
Ossining High School defeated the Washington Irving High School quintet at Ossining last night, but the Hudson River League favorites knew they were playing basketball for the Crimson and Black fought hard for every point. The score was 27-22.
The Crimson and Black team played a good game from the start, but was always fighting up hill, two or three points in arrears of Ossining. W. I. H. S. used a changed lineup, Mack shifting to left guard, and Carpenter playing the right forward position. Both played well, although Mack did the scoring, with three field goals. Marino was the big noise in Ossining's machine and he surprised the locals by appearing at the center position. He was responsible for five field goals and his clever playing gave Ossining a decided advantage.
Barry and Olson, Ossining's forwards, worked well and each caged three field goals. It was hard going for the W. I. guards, Griffiths and Mack The latter guarded Olson and held on well, equalizing in goals thrown In from the field.
Drislane couldn’t stop young Freddie Walton, W. I. left forward, and the star Ossining guard isn't accustomed to letting his man sink four field goals. But that Is what Walton did and he performed the feat in such sensational fashion that the fans on both sides gasped, although the W. I. rooters quickly recovered and yelled fiercely while Ossining looked downcast. Three of Walton’s baskets were made from beyond midcourt in rapid succession and the fourth went in from a spot nearly even with Ossining's foul line.
First team game:
Washington Irving G. F. T.
Carpenter, r.f ............... 0 1 1
Walton,lf .................. 4 3 11
Bushel, c ...................... 1 0 2
Griffiths, rg................. 1 0 2
Mack, lg...................... 3 0 6
Totals ......... . ......... 9 4 22
Persistent Link http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn92061886/1925-02-07/ed-1/seq-2/
Saturday, 14 February 1925 W. I. BOYS LOSE TO PEEKSKILL QUINTET- Are beaten 33 to 22
[Note: this long two page article has been cut down to include only those relevant descriptions of the Varsity game.]
The first and second boys team lost… The big Crimson five going down to defeat by a score of 33 to 22 in a great battle.
Peekskill out classed W. I. H. S. in both games and but for the wonderful work of Freddie Walton, star right forward, would have trampled the Crimson varsity under foot by an overwhelming score. It has been a brilliant season for the little fellow, and he has been the outstanding star of most of the games, but last night he was better than ever before. He played his head off, scoring 17 of the home teams points. his floorwork and shooting was beautiful and Peekskill couldn't stop him.
Of course the visitors didn't have to do that, even if they could have, because they formed a splendidly balanced quintet whose teamwork was remarkable. Every man was tall and this provided a decided advantage over the small and light WI boys.
[page 2] the Peekskill team played superbly during the first quarter. Their passing was snappy and accurate, their floorwork was good and their shooting par Excellence itself. At the end of about eight minutes of play W. I. was on the short end of a 12 - 1 score.
And then Walton broke loose and snapped the streak of the Peekskill boys. He came in fast for two handsome baskets and the score stood 12 to 5 as the quarter ended Walton never got a bigger hand than he did upon this timely saving W. I. from utter humiliation in the opening quarter.
Bushel surprised everybody with a sensational backboard shot as the second quarter opened and Field discounted it with another of the same variety. Young Fred Walton, after dropping a foul, dashed in by means of nice dribbling and got another basket. He took a quick pass from one of his mates while moving at top speed and converted that also into a beautiful field goal. That made the score 14 - 12 in favor of Peekskill. The crowd went wild over Walton's flashy playing. Hyde and Miles shot baskets, and again it was Walton who broke it up with one of those angle backboard shots. Miles shot a foul on Griffiths’ personal. The score stood 19-14 in favor of Peekskill and of those 14 points Walton had made 12.
Hyde got away for two field goals as the third quarter opened. Fields shot a beauty, and this time Mack and Walton came through with successive field goals. Cleveland and Fields cornered two more baskets and Griffiths missed two tries from the foul line on Fields Personal.
Hyde, former star Oakside center, shot a basket and Walton got a foul. Miles missed two on Griffiths fourth personal and Walton shot another field goal. Mana substituted for Griffiths and Olah, the man who scored six field goals against North Tarrytown, substituting for Astrab, added a foul. Mana shot the last point, from the 15 foot line on Cleveland's personal foul.
Bushel’s work at center was poor. He couldn't handle the ball well at all and his fumbles resulted in several peak skill field goals. The rest of the team, outside of Walton, played hard but didn't show a lot of ability. Peekskill was too good.
Washington Irving G. F. T.
Walton, r.f…………7 3 17
Carpenter, l.f…..…0 0 0
Manna, l.f. & l. g….0 1 1
Bushel, C…….……1 0 2
Mack, r.g…………..1 0 2
Griffiths, l. g……….0 0 0
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Saturday, 21 February 1925 Irvington Beats W. I. After Hard Battle
[This two page story mainly complained that the main game between the YMCA five and Port Chester was canceled when Port Chester Failed to show up. It covered the W.I & Irvington game, the strength of Irvingtons players and discussed the various teams league positions. There is not much to say about W. I.’s game, but Fred Walton is specifically mentioned which I have excerpted below.]
Young Freddie Walton found the going hard against John "duck" Sweetman, Irvington guard. It was a repetition of the David and Goliath incident, with Walton doing his slinging toward the net. He found it for two.
Note: Fred Walton made 2 goals and 3 Foul shots for 7 of the 20 points racked up by W.I. against the visiting Irvington team who outscored them with a total of 26.
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Saturday, 28 February, 1925- THRILLING GAME IN N. T. LAST NIGHT- W. I. Is Defeated in Last Minute When Gazzola Drops a Basket From the Floor- HEART-BREAKER FOR CAPT. BARR TO LOSE
Washington Irving High School failed in the crisis of its great struggle with the North Tarrytown high school on the latter’s court last night and the Orange and Black pulled the game out of the fire in the last half-minute. The final score was 13 to 12. It was North Tarrytowns second Triumph over its rival this season and its eleventh win over
W. I. out of twelve contests over a stretch of six years.
North Tarrytown was apparently beaten, for with less than a minute to go, W. I. was leading by a score of 12-11. Then the improbable happened, just as it happened last year when Featherstone dropped one from mid-court in the closing seconds and broke the Crimsons fighting heart.
That basket should never have been scored. Had Fred Walton passed the ball to his mates so that they could “freeze” to it until time was up, instead of attempting a long shot from beyond midcourt, Washington Irving would have taken the game.
Game Won in last 30 seconds
Instead, Waltons shot, while close enough, rebounded off the backboard into the hands of North Tarrytown. The Orange and Black, spurred on by desperation, took it swiftly down the court and Gazzola ,the last link in the chain of passwork, tossed it prettily through the air. It was a marvelous finish. Of course there was almost twenty seconds to go, but W. I. was defeated by that shot, and although they manage to take the ball to their own end of the court N. T.’s defense was airtight until the whistle blew.
Gazzola was the big star of the game. His play classes him as one of the best guards in the Hudson River league. He didn't give Walton more than one or two openings last night and then the Washington Irving forward wasn't able to come through. It seems as if he can't do anything against Gazzola. Incidentally Walton has always been able to score well against the guarding of Ossining, Peekskill, and Buchanan. He has been high score on numerous occasions-but he has only been able to get one basket in two games with North Tarrytown, with Johnny Gazzola tacking on his heels. Last night he failed to cage one field goal.
This article had more details about N. T.’s players , but I pulled out the descriptions about Fred Walton. In this disappointing Game Fred Walton dropped two Foul shots, adding two points to W.I.’s total of 12.
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Saturday, 14 March 1925 W.I. H .S Beats Pelham, 24-19
Washington Irving High School defeated Pelham H. S. quintet in a close contest at the local Y. M. C. A. court last night by a score of 24-19. The local quintet played a rotten first half and would have tasted defeat had it not been for sensational long shooting in the second frame. Pelham, on the other hand, wasn’t so very good, although the visiting team also couldn't set started until the third quarter. Mack and Barr were responsible for the victory on the main part. The fast W . I. left guard played a great I game, handling the ball in his usual snappy style and shot two beautiful baskets, tacking to them four fouls, and was high scorer.
Walton wasn’t so good in the second half.
Note: Walton Scored 1 field goal and 1 foul adding 3 points the the W.I N. S. winning score of 24
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Saturday, 28 March 1925 [LAST GAME OF THE SEASON] -
W. I. FACULTY WON AND IT ALSO LOST - W omen Were No Match for the Champion Girls’ Team, Although They Put Up Plucky Fight - MEN’S FACULTY WINS OUT BY ONE POINT ; Many Antics Amuse the Audience
The Washington living High School varsity basketball team went down to defeat at the hands of the faculty by a score of 36-35 last night at the local Y. M. A. in a contest where rules and regulations were almost utterly disregarded.
The faculty game started with a charade and the Messrs. Deuel, Conlin, Beck, Hayford and Berry frolicked about arrayed In outfits that made the pedagogues lose all their dignity. The High School j team undressed on the gym floor —that is, they took off their shirts and trousers and revealed the fact that they had already donned their basketball uniforms.
The faculty, however, went the High School players one better. They came out like clowns, carried on like clowns, but, after all they won the old ball game. In removing their absurd costumes a screen, such as is used in statuesque poses, was let down from the ceiling and satisfactorily served the purpose of hiding the men while they took off all their unnecessary rags, and there were plenty of them.
To go into the game In detail would be to give the public a cross section of basketball and football. Only the calling of signals was lacking in the forepart of the contest. Both sides, especially the faculty, did so much “holding” that they got tired from their own efforts in this direction and Referee Jackson, of Springfield College, should visit an optimist.
There was quite a little basket ball mixed in at that and the faculty held its own, due largely in the work of roach Beck, who played the pivot position. He bagged four field goals in the first half and five in the second. Several of his shots were pulled from difficult situations. He was all over the floor.
David Conlin showed his boys how its done by caging five nice field goals. Orville Hayford and Mr. Berry found the net for one basket each, but they held their forwards, Walton and Barr, to four baskets each. The first half showed a difference of only two or three points in the score and the tally zig- zagged back and forth, first in favor of the High School and then in favor of the teaching staff representatives.
Toward the end of the contest, during the latter part of the second half, the faculty went to work and came from behind to pull up two points ahead of their rivals.Sensational shots by Walton, Mack and Barr were the cause of this sudden rally on the the part of the High School, but a couple of pretty baskets by Beck discounted this advantage.
In the last few seconds the faculty held the ball and at the same time their one point advantage. This was the last same for both, the girls’ and boys’ teams this season. Now attention is turn ing to baseball.
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Freddie Walton finished the 1925 season strong with four field goals including at least one “sensational shot” and three foul shots sunk for a total of 11 of the teams 35 points.
