Reds Battle Chicago Five On Armory Floor
Posted by Jay on December 30, 2009
12/30/39, Syracuse
Jenkins Leads Negro Squad To Syracuse, Famed Star of Renaissance Club Still Active With Chicago Team, Hargaden May Play, Former Georgetown Captain Expected To See Service In Reds’ Lineup
Resuming their court rivalry the Syracuse Reds and Chicago Crusaders clash at 9 o’clock at the Armory, after having opened the two-game series last night in Watertown. The Reds will be seeking their sixth straight win. Unbeaten on their home court this season the Reds will face an acid test in tackling the crack Negro club claimants of the midwestern professional championship. Boasting of 16 victories the Crusaders represent one of the strongest fives on the Reds’ schedule. The Chicagoans hope to achieve what the Akron quintet, National League champion, and Elmira, State League leader, among others, were unable to do at the Armory- trim the Reds. Led by “Fat” Jenkins, who will be remembered for his stellar play with the great Renaissance teams of other years, the Crusaders, making their bow here, are given an even chance to emerging triumphant and send the Reds down to their initial defeat before the home fans. A sidelight of the game that is expected to interest fans will be the individual battle of Jenkins, a crack guard, who will be pitted against Captain Wilmeth Sidat-Singh, forward and high scorer of the Syracuse cagers. A former Georgetown University captain, Ed Hargaden is expected to see service in the Reds’ lineup tonight. He is visiting in the city over the holidays and couldn’t resist the opportunity the Reds offered him to play pro ball again. He played with the Washington pros when he finished college, and now has a government position. The Syracuse team has won 11 victories this season, while bowing in five games. Among the more notable victories of the Reds were those over the Original Celtics and the Brooklyn American League five. Larry Eckert of New York, who amused the fans with his showmanship on the opening night of the local season when the Reds trimmed Akron, will be back to officiate in tonight’s tussle. A fast preliminary game will get under way at 7:30 o’clock, and while this game is being played a meeting of the New York State League, of which Syracuse is a member, and in second place tie in the standings, will be held, at which the fate of the league will be determined. If the league is abandoned the Reds will continue to operate by playing the country’s best traveling teams. The lineup:
Syracuse Chicago
Sidat-Singh RF Bray
Stewart LF Brown
Haller center Goins
Nugent RG Johnson
Costello LG Jenkins
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Mark Haller Sparks Victory Over Chicago, 40-34
Watertown, Dec. 30- Led by the brilliant-shooting Mark Haller, the Syracuse Reds last night turned back the strong Chicago Crusaders, Negro five, 40-34, in a professional basket ball game at the Armory here. Haller’s scoring spree netted 19 points. Enjoying a one-point edge at halftime, the Reds set a fast pace in the second half and scored their fifth straight victory over Capt. Fat Jenkins’ claimants of the midwest professional championship. Ed Hargaden, former Georgetown captain, making his debut with the Reds, threw in two long shots at opportune times to stave off the Crusaders’ bids to wrest the lead. Wilmeth Sidat-Singh, captain of the Reds, did not see much service. He is recovering from a cold, but is expected to play more tonight when the series is resumed in Syracuse. The scores:
Syracuse G F T Chicago G F T
Nugent, lf 3 2 8 Johnson, lf 3 2 8
Hargaden, rf 2 6 10 Bray, rf 4 2 10
Haller, c 7 5 19 DeJernette, c 0 0 0
Meehan, rg 1 0 2 Jenkins, rg 2 0 4
Costello, lg 0 1 1 Brown, lg 5 2 12
Singh, lf 0 0 0 Dowdell, c 0 0 0
- Long, g 0 0 0
Totals 13 14 40 Totals 14 6 34
Score at half time- Reds 20, Crusaders 19. Referee- Larry Eckert, New York City
