Historical Association #1

[Wayne23]

3/6: #9 seed San Francisco, 9-19, 5-13, won the play in, We play them in the quarter finals. We beat ‘em by 15 an’ 16.

The WCC tourney rotates, an’ it’s at Pepperdine this year.

3/7: 72-64. Balance and bench play got us through. Very seldom used Cam Lews played 13 minutes due to foul trouble, and he had 13 points, which was huge. Brad Few had 5 an’ 7 from the bench. Andt, Colt, an’ Gear also came through for us. We held them ta 29.1%, but they took 34 foul shots, we took 19.

#4 seed Santa Clara, 17-12, 11-7, in the semis. We beat ‘em by 16 here, then 10 there.

Seems ta happen every year, the host team went out in the 1st round.

3/8: 83-76. We didn’t play good but we shot real good, 57.4%, an’ that saved us. 17 TOs, an’ -2 RBs didn’t help so much. 17, 4, 4, 3 for Andt, 16, 6 for Colt. Great bench play again, 27, 9, 4.

It’s #2 seed BYU, 19-11, 13-5, for the title. We beat them by 8 here, then lost by 12 there, so this will be tough. I think we’re a little better but we need ta play our game.

3/9: Dang! 62-73. We led by 17 early, 12 at the half, an’ then we scored 18 in the 2nd half; jus’ couldn’t make a shot. The referee called too many fouls on us, but he didn’t turn it over 20 times. We did that. He didn’t miss all a them 2nd half shots. We did that.

3/12: Will we make the NCAA? 24-7, 14-4. RPI #31. It will be close, cuz our conf. isn’t that strong. Wonderin’ if I want to. We could make some noise in a lesser tourney.

NCAA! 1st time in school history, 1st time for me! #10 West. We play #7 Miami, 19-9. They’re a better team but I believe we can beat ‘em if we play our game.

Recruitin’ still ain’t workin’.

3/17: 75-67. We led all the way, an’ by as many as 28. They chipped away, but the final score was as close as they got. 16 each for Gear an’ Andt, 11, 7 for Colt, 10, 6, 5 for Yal.

Winnin’ our 1st NCAA tourney game ever is a big deal!

#2 seed, #9 ranked Maryland, 26-5, in round 2. Their best player broke his elbow in the conf. title game. They got one other superstar an’ they’re still very tough.

3/19: 65-83. They were too good for us. My guys did what they could though.

4/3: #1 Kansas wins the title.

4/4: Awards: Jal Gear was WCC Frosh OY, an’ 1st team with Nate Colt. Jay Andt made 2nd team, an’ I got WCC COY.

Would I move? It would take a darn good offer. I think we’re goin’ places!

4/9: Had ta think long an’ hard about Clemson. I decided against them because I’m not sure I’m ready, but even more so, I don’t think I would have the resources ta get them competitive in one a the toughest conferences there is.

Sure was temptin’ though.

4/16: FINALLY!!! We got an SG, #265, an’ a PG, #427. We think the PG is way better than his number.

3 assistants ta hire. Awful choices. I get ‘em but I don’t like ‘em.

4/23: I ask for a budget increase. $9,000. Love it!

25-8, 14-4, conf. title game, 2nd round of the NCAA, most everybody back. I’ll take it! Overall, I’m 108-50, .684.

[Wayne23]

5/1: We buy the national basic.

Assistant coaches need full time jobs, like I said early on. The colleges give ‘em meals an’ a place ta stay- in the dormitory. If they’re married they get a little apartment in the faculty housin’ section, an’ they take their meals in the cafeteria- the whole family. But they got ta stay in the dormitory 2 nights a week from after supper until breakfast. Most of ‘em teach here, usually physical education, durin’ the semester they aren’t coachin’. That don’t work for basketball since we coach both semesters, so basketball coaches work in the kitchen, or with the maintenance crew, or on the school farm, or with Security, or maybe doin’ office work. Durin’ the summer they usually work on the school farm, or maybe a nearby farm.

Head coaches work part time. Head coachin’ don’t pay much. I can always get per diem engineerin’ work that I can do at home or on the train. That’s lucky. I don’t have ta do physical labor, although I don’t really mind it. But it’s real convenient ta have work I can do when I find the time.

So ya know, $5 a week is pay ya kin live on, an’ if ya have a family ya can get buy if ya raise animals an;’ keep a garden. I get $5 a week for coachin’ durin’ the season, an’ $2 a week in the off season. I also get my meals an’ a room in the dorm. I’d sure like ta settle down an’ start a family though. I ain’t met the right one yet, an’ I sure ain’t good at courtin’.

I might bring a couple a $5 gold coins an’ a few silver coins when we travel with the team, in case of emergency. If the A. D. comes on the trip I jus’ bring the silver. Let him take care a the emergency if there is one.

I said it before but except for a very few, everybody’s poor. But we get by.

6/5: Lookin’ at transfers. We offer ta a PG an’ a C.

6/12: We get the C. Looks good.

6/22: We get an SF who looks good.

6/26: 2 scholarships. We’d like either 2 guards or 1 and 1.

8/21: We offer ta a PG an’ a C.

9/18: Both recruits seem close to committing.

Schedule is a little more challenging, but not much.

9/25: Got a PG, #155.

10/2: Got the 2nd PG, #193.

1st day a practice.

We’re picked 2nd ta Gonzaga in the WCC.

11/6: Here’s the lineup:

Frosh Len Bona an’ Tom Jank share the Point about equally.

Soph Jal Gear starts at SG, with Jay Andt, a Center, backing him up. We’re goin’ big this year.

Andt, who’s a soph, starts at SF, an’ another C, senior Lan Timp backs him up.

Soph Nate Colt an’ transfer soph Ben Hugg start inside. Timp backs them up

So a 7 man rotation, at least for now.

[Wayne23]

11/20: 2-0 ta start. We won by 11, then by 10, both on the road. Terrific on the boards, awful with the ball. Soph transfer Ben Hugg looks very good at C.

Both recruits sign.

12/4: 4-2. 1 loss in OT, the other at Oklahoma where we were in over our heads.

12/25: 6-3, RPI #29. +3.8 PPG, +7.2 RBs, +2.7 TOs. 6 road games. We gotta play better on the road.

I’ve told about what people eat when they grow an’ raise their own food, but when ya don’t do that, like me, what do we eat? Well, a lotta the same.

The cafeteria at school has bread at all three meals an’ soup at lunch an’ supper. The soup is based on what kinda meat was cooked the day before. The bones an’ such make the stock- ham, beef, chicken an’ whatever. Then the cook adds the ends a the vegetables that was cut off when preparin’ them for meals. Then they add in onons, potatoes, celery an’ such.

Breakfast is eggs or hotcakes with bacon or sausage or ham, an’ bread an’ butter. We drink milk an’ tea.

Lunch is the main meal a the day. So soup, then beef, ham, pork, chicken, lamb, or fish, with potatoes an’ two vegetables, usually carrots, turnips, or squash, an’ a green vegetable like green beans, broccoli, spinach, peas… Bread an’ butter. For dessert there’s homemade pie or cake. An’ there’s apples, an’ any other fruit that’s in season. Everything comes from nearby cuz there ain’t no way ta ship it too far, although the railroad brings stuff from further than used ta be possible.

Dinner is soup again, or sometimes a nice thick stew, which is the main dish. If not stew, which we get at least twice a week, it’s bacon or ham an’ beans, chopped meat mixed with potatoes, or all kinds a things that feature cut up beef or chicken, usually. It might be chicken in gravy poured over potatoes or bread, a meat pie with beef or chicken as the meat. Always some kind a fresh fruit or berries, an’ always dessert.

We get the same kinds a food on the train. Ain’t really no choices either in the cafeteria or on the train.

Like I said we drink mostly milk an’ tea. Sometimes there’s cider.

We encourage our kids ta eat hearty, an’ we watch ta be sure they eat their vegetables.

[Wayne23]

1/1/1876: WE lost our opener at Santa Clara, which is projected to finish next to last in conf. Not good. Our D let them shoot 58%, an’ we were -7 in RBs.

Then we beat BYU by 9 here.

1/8: We won by only 3 at home vs. a middle a the pack team. 20 for Gear, 19 for PG Len Bona. Let them shoot 50%, were weak inside.

Then we played the worst team in the conf. there, an’ I was worried. We actually played well, winnin’ by 10. 20 more for Gear, 17, 5, 5 for Hugg, 12, 9 for Colt.

But this team has not jelled. Hopefully it will- SOON!

1/15: 10-5, 4-2. We beat a good Pepperdine team here, by 4. 21 for Bona, who has exceeded expectations at the Point, 13, 10, 4 for Hugg, who is finally coming into his own, 10, 9 for Andt.

Then we lost by 12 at San Francisco. 30, 9, 5 for Hugg, but no other starter had more than 6. It was painful. And, yet again, the d let us down; they shot 49.2%.

I am mystified. We had almost everyone back from a very good team, and yet this team is mediocre. The staff and I talk constantly, floating all sorts of ideas. No solutions yet. We’re not horrible, we’re in a 2 way tie for 2nd, 1 back of 1st, but I thought we’d be playing better.

Interestingly enough, that Santa Clara team we lost our opener to is leading the conf. right now, so maybe that wasn’t such a bad loss…

1/29: 13-6, 7-3, RPI #25. In a 3 way tie for 1st. +3.3 PPG, +4.5 RBs, +2.8 TOs. Things are lookin’ up. We got a pastin’ at Gonzaga, but looked good otherwise.

More an’ more, Ben Hugg is our guy. Len Bona is doin’ great at PG. Jal Gear is dishin’ it well, but not scorin’ the way he did las’ year. Colt isn’t playin’ at all as well as las’ year, an’ Andt isn’t either. Ta be fair ta Andt, he’s outta position.

5 of our last 8 WCC games are on the road, so that’s not great.

2/12: 15-8, 9-5, RPI #27. The top of the WCC is a real logjam. 3 of us tied for 1st, 2 others 1 back. 4 ta play. Anythin’ could happen!

2/19: 16-9, 10-6, RPI #32. Very tough loss in OT at San Diego. We’re alone in 2nd, 1 back a BYU, 1 up on 3 teams. Schedule is favorable for the las’ 2 WCC games. If we go 2-0, we could be okay. Few was great , 12-11, in the loss.

We got the Bracket Buster against Rice, 17-8, here first though. Rather not play that game, ta tell the truth.

Ken Trop broke his leg in the SF game. Out for the season. We decided ta go with veteran Brad Few, rather than Timp, who lost his minutes ta Trop a few weeks back.

2/26: We en’ the regular season at 18-10, 12-6, RPI #27. Tied for 1st with BYU, #2 seed in the WCC tourney. +2.2 PPG, +4.6 RBs, +1.6 TOs.

We los’ the Bracket Buster, which I could not have cared any less. Then we beat Gonzaga here by 2 on a last second basket by sub guard Tom Jank. Bona was havin’ an off night, so I put Jank in, an’ he did it! Course everybody was all over Gear an’ Hugg, so he was open.

That set up our las’ game at Low Man, as real important. We won it by 4 after leadin’ by up ta 15.

[Wayne23]

3/6: Las’ place Portland, 12-16, 5-13, won the play in. We won by 10 there, 8 here, so we need ta be on our toes.

3/7: 77-63. Up 20 at the half. 6 guys with 10 or more, an” Colt had 13 RBs (We were +17). Every game should be this easy.

#3 seed Pepperdine, 20-11, 10-8, in the semis. We won by 4 at our place, lost by 9 there. We expect a tough game.

3/8: 77-71. It was as tough as we expected. 19 lead changes, 8 ties. 27, 6, 3, 3 for Gear, in the type a game we ain’t seen enough from him. 17, 13 for Hugg. 16 for Bona. We outscored ‘em 12-4 in the last few minutes.

It’s #1 seed BYU, 22-9, 12-6, for the title. We won by 9 at our place, lost by 18 there. We need ta be at our best.

3/9: We were at our best! 74-64. 16 lead changes, 6 ties, but we were there in the 2nd half. 15, 5, 5 for Andt, 11, 10 for Colt, 12, 3, 3 for Bona, 9 an’ 9 for Hugg, 8, 6, 3 for Gear, 10 for Timp. So we spread it aroun’, an’ that worked
real good; they couldn’t key on any one guy. We played good D, an’ only Colt got in foul trouble.

3/12: 21-10, 12-6, RPI #21. Thought we might a been ranked but just missed.

#10 East. I’m enraged. #10? With an RPI a 21? Oh well. We play #7 Provocation College, 19-11. They’re a good outside team, not so good inside.

3/16: 89-76. Up 12 at the half, as many as 21 in the 2nd. 27 for Bona, 16, 7, 3 for colt, 11, 7, 3, 3 for Hugg. +8 TOs.

#2 seed, #7 ranked North Carolina, 26-6, in round 2. We’d need ta play a perfect game an’ hope they were havin’ an off night. Just hope ta keep it respectable.

3/18: 64-86. We never quit, but it was a mismatch. 20, 6 for Gear.Not the ason I was hopin’ for in a lotta ways but we won the conf. tourney an’ got ta the 2nd round, so not a failure by any means.

4/3: #2 Duke beat #1 Kansas, to win it all.

4/4: Awards: Soph Ben Hugg is WCC POY an’ 1st team. Soph Jal Gear made 2nd. I got Conf. COY again.

Okay, it’s that time again. I turned down the ACC last year. But this year? I’m lookin’, an’ I’m ready ta move, BUT… only if it’s the right fit.

Our team rail trips have gotten to be great fun. Didn’t help a lot as far as wins go, we were 7-9, but having our own private train is wonderful. We do all we can ta make it fun for the guys. They do have study hall in the dinin’ room every night, but everythin’ else is meant ta be fun. We have parties an’ play games, an’ do all kinds a fun things. They don’t hafta do anythin’ except the study hall, but usually they all do, an’ they all seem ta like it. We try ta give ‘em the kind a food they like, an; plenty of it, an’ there’s always dessert. We got fresh fruit an; popcorn for snacks, too. If we got time, an; if there’s an interestin’ place ta visit along the way we do that, too.

4/9: 2 offers that would be a step up but both are at religious schools. That doesn’t work for me. I’m staying.

4/23: I ask for another budget increase. Got $9,600. Didn’t expect it.

22-11, 12-6. Overall, 130-61, .681.

Thinkin’ about movin’ up to a tougher conf. I’ll decide on May 1, when I see what my players ratings look like.

[Wayne23]

5/1: We bought only the West Coast Gold.

Stayed put in conf., mostly because I forgot. Mountain West would have been a good place to go.

Lotta talk about whether General Grant will break tradition an; go for a 3rd term. No one’s ever done it.

6/5: No one in the transfer pool.

Gen. Grant announces that he won’t run again. Looks like Tilden for the Democrats an’ Hayes for the Republicans. Don’t know a thing about either one. I reckon we’ll find out.

6/26: 3 scholarships an’ we need bigs.

8/21: We offer to a C an’ 2 PFs.

9/18: The schedule is a little bumped up this year.

9/25: Got the C, #64. Lost the PF.

10/2: Got 2 PFs, #216, 249.

1st day of practice.

We’re picked 3rd in conf.

The Presidential election is in full swing.

11/6: Here’s the lineup:

Junior Jal Gear an’ frosh Mo Wams start at guard, backed by soph Len Bona.

Senior Matt Lamm starts at SF an’ plays some PF. Juniors Nate Colt an’ Jay Andt back up at SF.

Juniors Reg Bond an’ Ben Hugg start inside.

Let’s see how we do this year.

The election was too close ta call. Nobody knows who won.

[Wayne23]

11/13: Our first 5 games, an; 6 of our 1st 7, are on the road. Horrible schedule.

11/20: 1-1 at the end of week 1.

Only 2 recruits sign.

12/4: 4-2. We put Andt in for Lamm, an’ gave Colt more minutes too, an’ it got us 2 wins. We got no star this year, at least yet. SG Mo Wams is getting 14.7 ta lead us. Hugg is our #3 scorer, #1 on the boards. But we’re still tweakin’ the lineup an’ tryin’ ta come together as a team.

We still don’t know who the new President is gonna be. Word is that there’s all kinds a shenanigans goin’ on with the ballots. Tilden has a slight lead in the popular vote, but that don’t matter. Hayes seems close to winnin’ the electoral vote, an’ that would give him the job. But he ain’t got it yet.

12/17: We got a President. It’s official. Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner. There’s riots in some cities by folks sayin’ he stole the election by havin’ his people put fake ballots in lots a the right places. Those folks are callin’ him “Robberford” B. Hayes.

12/25: We en’ the pre-conf. season at 8-2, RPI #56. +4.2 PPG, +3.9 RBs, +3.2 TOs. We’re still doin’ it with balance, an’ lots a guys doin’ their share. 5 starters get between 9.3 an’ 12.3 per game, an’ the big guys all go ta the boards good.

The conf. looks tough this year but I like this team. I think we’ll do okay.

We start conf. play with #22 BYU here. Their s’posed ta be the best in the WCC so we’ll learn how good we are.

The country seems ta have settled down some from what I read in the papers, but a lot a folks ain’t ever gonna be happy about the election.

Oh, I got ta ride in one a them new fangled elevator things for the first time the other day. Strange feelin’. An’ speakin’ a new gadgets, all but one a my coaches uses one a them typewriters now. I told ya I’ve had mine for a while. I know where the letters are now so I’m a lot quicker than I was.

I’m a little discouraged about my prospects a meetin’ a nice woman an’ startin’ a family. First, I don’t hardly get ta go anywhere where I might meet someone, an’ second, on the rare occasions when I do, I get kinda tongue tied, an’
I don’t know what ta say. If I’m gonna have a family I know I need ta do it before I get too much older.

[Wayne23]

1/1/1877: 10-2, 2-0, RPI #28. We beat #22 BYU by 8 here. 19, 15 for Hugg, 11 each for Andt an’ Gear, who is now at the Point. As he did last year, Hugg is playin’ better as the season moves along. He’s leadin’ us in everything except assists right now.

1/15: 13-3, 5-1, RPI #26. Is this the year we get ranked? If we keep winnin’ it could happen. We’re alone in 2nd in the WCC, 1 back a #14 Gonzaga. We play them away soon, then home to en’ the regular season.

1/29: 16-4, 8-2, RPI #24. Tied with #19 Gonzaga for 1st, 1 up on San Francisco, 2 up on Pepperdine. Long way to go, 8 games left.

Huge win at #16 Gonzaga, 81-80, on a last second three by Bona, then we lost at BYU.

That recruit did not hit our SAT score, as expected, so we’re lookin’ for another guy.

The dorm is still a good deal for me. If the guys were a bunch of hell raisers an’ I needed ta be runnin’ upstairs ta yell at kids, or chasin’ girls outta the dorm, or dealin’ with drunk kids all the time I wouldn’t much like it, but it ain’t like that. These are good kids.

2/12: 20-4, 12-2, RPI #23, and we’re ranked, for the first time in school history, and for my first time as a head coach, #19! 2 game lead on #22 Gonzaga with 4 to play.

2/26: Went into the last week a the season up 1 in conf. We lost the Bracket Buster, lost a road game. That set up our game with #21 Gonzaga here, as having the title on the line, since we were tied with them.

It was a low scoring, close game. Never more than an 8 point spread. Tied with 2 minutes left, tied twice more after that. We’re up 2, then they hit a 2, get a steal, hit a three. 21 seconds left Mo Wams hit a two. We go for the steal, don’t get it, foul with 4.9 left. They miss the front. Andt gets the RB, throws a pass to Bona who turns, shoots, hits a 22 footer as time expires for a 61-59 win an’ the regular season title.

22-7, 14-4, #19, RPI #22. +5.7 PPG, +5.5 RBs, +3.7 TOs (13.2, not great, but our best yet). 5 starters all between 10.0 an’ 13.5 PPG.

Let’s make the post season count!

[Wayne23]

3/6: #9 seed San Diego, 13-15, 6-12, won the play in. Beat ‘em by 13 an’ 15.

3/7: 80-56. 25, 14 for Hugg, 20, 9 for Bond. +16 RBs, 11 TOs.

#4 seed Portland, 17-12, 10-8, in the semis. Lost by 12 there, won by 27 here. Their PG is their best player.

3/8: 76-66. 19, 5, 3 for Gear, 14, 10, 3 for Hugg, 13, 8 for Bond, 7, 10 for Andt. +11 RBs, 8 TOs.

6th man Matt Lamm hurt his ankle. Out about 10 days. Colt gets his minutes.

#6 seed BYU, 20-10, 9-9, took down #3, then #2 Gonzaga. They’re actually a very good team that didn’t live up to expectations this year. Looks like they may finally have it together. We won here by 8, then lost there by 7, so it
should be a battle.

I think we could get a very good seed if we can win this game.

3/9: 78-83. Dang! An opportunity lost. They jumped out to an early lead. We got it ta 5 at the half on a 3 at the horn, but they built it back up again. Fouls hurt us bad. 19, 12 for Hugg.

3/12: 24-8, 14-4, #21, RPI #25. We hope for a #5, but it’s more likely to be a #6 or 7.

#6 East. We play #11 seed Wichita ST, 21-9. We should beat them if we play well, but it’s a tough bracket.

3/16: 78-82. Back an’ forth. 25 TOs did us in. We were in it until the last minute, but 2 of the TOs happened during that last minute.

4/3: #1 Kansas wins it all.

4/4: Awards: Ben Hugg is WCC POY an’ 1st team. Mo Wams is Frosh OY, an’ 2nd team with Reg Bond. I get Conf. COY again.

4/9: I have a new home. Accepted the head coaching job at Bowling Green in Ohio. Team Prestige is much higher, budget is better, conference is better, although we may conference shop on 5/1. (Conf. USA, Atl 10, Am Ath). An’ their a big enough school ta pay their head coach enough that I won’t need another job. BIG rebuildin’ job. They were dead last in conf., 8-20, 4-12. But I think the resources are there ta rebuild.

I’ll live in the dorm for now, cuz it’s a good deal… but that leads ta somethin’ else. When we were at the NCAA I met someone… a woman. She was at the games cuz her younger brother played for one a the teams in the bracket.

Turns out she’s Athletic Department secretary… at Bowling Green.

Well, we met on the day we got there, when I was in line ta buy socks at a store in town. We got ta talkin’. For once in my life I found the courage ta ask if she’d like ta have coffee. She said yes, an’ we did. We talked for a good hour then I had ta get back ta the train. But we agreed ta have dinner that night at the hotel she was stayin’ at. My assistants agreed ta take care a the guys.

We were only in town three days but I spent every free minute with her.

When Bowling Green telegraphed about the job I knew I had ta at least give it a look see. When I got there for my visit she was the first person I saw, an’ it was a nice reunion. I got ta see her a little during my visit, but not much.

Now I don’t say I took the job because a her, but it was a factor.

Oh, her name’s Maude Casey. She’s 26, an’ a tiny little thing, brown hair, an; big brown eyes. Anyway, I sure am glad ta be here.

4/10: I am on the train. I’ll get there late in the day on the 12th. Telegram to my parents to give them the news. I’m writing a follow up letter now. Telegrams give ya the headline. Letters fill in the details.

4/13: I moved inta my office today. It’s near Maude’s desk, which is nice.

4/16: The #1 stayed but I need ta hire a #2 an’ a #3. Got decent, but not great assistants.

4/23: I ask for a budget increase. No. As my last A. D. said, it wasn’t in the budget but it will be next year. The last guy came through. Hopefully this guy will.

24-9. Overall, I’m 154-70, .688 for 8 seasons.

Courting is prob’ly not the same in your time as it is nowadays. Maude was with her parents when I met her at the NCAAs, an’ any time I see her now is expected ta be chaperoned. Her parents ain’t as strict as some. They’ll allow one of her friends ta be the chaperone. But most a the time I see her will be at her house, which is ta say her parents’ house. I’ll be a guest at dinner, an’ sit in the parlor with one or both of the parents there, too.

Fortunately, I get time with her at work, but it IS work, so it’s not like we can just court. But we arrange ta have lunch together whenever I’m on campus, which is most a the time in the offseason. There’s other folks sittin’ with us, but we can talk a little more freely than at her house.

We don’t have real long courtships. If things go good I’ll prob’ly propose in September an; we’ll have a winter weddin’. I’ve already wrote my parents an’ told ‘em I met somebody an’ I think she’s the one.

[Wayne23]

5/1: I buy the national basic.

We move ta Conf. USA.

The courtship is goin’ great. Maude’s the one. She ain’t said whether I’m the one yet though.

6/5: Went after a bunch of transfers. No luck with any of them.

6/26: 5 scholarships. We need at least 3 guards.

7/4: I asked Maude’s dad for her hand in marriage today. That’s how it’s done. He had all kinds a questions about my intentions, my future plans, whether I’d be stayin’ in the area… I answered everything honestly. He didn’t like that we could be livin’ anywhere in the country, an’ he made it clear he didn’t think bein’ a coach was a reliable wasy ta make a livin’. When I told him about my engineerin’ degree, that made him rest easier, an’ he finally said yes.

We’ll get married in October, before the season starts. Maude wants ta keep workin’ until the first baby’s on the way.

The athletic department and the other coaches made like they were mad that I’m takin’ their secretary away, but I know they’re happy for us.

8/21: We offer ta 3 PGs, a PF, a C. We think we got a real good chance with 3 of ‘em, an’ we’re workin’ on the other 2.

It ain’t real easy ta communicate with recruits. Ya wanta keep in touch, but telegrams hafta be short, an’ letters take some time. We often jus’ send a telegram that says, “The apple pie was great tonight!” or “Those cooks know how to cook roast beef!” It ain’t always about basketball. The letters say more, of course.

9/18: Got a PG, #307, lost a PG.

Going to a tourney, Hoops for Troops, in December, vs. St. Bonaventure. This is a rebuilding year so the schedule is soft.

9/25: Got a surprise visit from dad. I’ve mentioned he works for the railroad. His route took him here, and he had a few hours off. I gave him a tour of the campus an’ we ate at a nice place in town- the hotel. Except for that the only places ta eat are saloons. We had a nice talk. He an’ mom will be here for the weddin’, of course, but it was nice ta show him aroun’ the offices an’ the town.

10/2: We get a 2nd PG, #98. Lose 2 bigs.

1st day a practice. We’re gonna hafta do it with D. This is a very good defending team, but I didn’t see much else today. It could be a long season.

10/9: We got the 3rd guard, #259. Now we need those 2 bigs, an’ we ain’t had much luck with that.

10/15: I’m a married man! We’re in a train on our way to Niagara Falls for 4 days. I can’t afford the time but I only plan to get married once, so I’ll trust my assistant coaches ta take care a things while I’m away.

The weddin’ was in Maude’s family’s house. It wasn’t big, just the families an’ a few friends, but it was nice. We made our own music an’ had a nice fed, an’ some dancin’ after the ceremony.

10/20: Niagara Falls was great. Maude an’ I are back, an’ in our new home, faculty housin’ on campus. It’s a small house, 3 bedrooms. We could stay here for as long as I’m here. Walkin’ distance ta the gym, where our offices are.

It’s an excitin’ time. We really do care a lot about each other.

10/22: No luck at all with big men. We jus’ los’ another one.

11/6: We get a C, #96.

Here’s the lineup:

Junior Brin Seld an’ senior Ty Hyms will share the Point; Seld will start.

Junior Wai Clou starts at SG. Senior Jam Hart backs up.

Junior Matt Bach starts at SF.

Junior Ben Crow an’ frosh Art Wood start inside. Junior Colt Barn an’ soph Jon Brom back up inside.

Expect changes.

You might be wonderin’ About Maude havin’ the job at the athletic department. Well, Ohio is one a the most progressive states when it comes ta women bein’ able ta get decent jobs. Second, Mr. Casey is the President a the bank in town an’ on the Board a Directors for the school. Third, I think when they hired Maude they were hopin’ her kid brother would play basketball for the school. He didn’t, but by then she had the job.