Way Back When

[Wayne23]

5/1: Preseason #4. #4 recruiting class.

5/14: The great Walter Johnson pitched a record 56 scoreless innings for the Washington Senators.

5/29: Ouch! 4 transfer out; 3 would have gotten major minutes, maybe even started. We need 2 guards and 2 big men.

5/30: John McGraw won his 1000th game as a major league manager.

Round 1: We offer to 3 Bs and a A. We get a PG, a B. He'll almost certainly start.

Round 2: We offer to an A and 2 Bs. All of them have us on their short list. We get 2 Bs, both bigs. We need a guard.

Round 3: We offer to a PG, a B. No.

Round 4: We offer to a C, a PG. Got him.

6/11: A new Amendment to the Constitution initiates a tax on people's income. Regular workers will not make enough money to be affected by this new tax. I now make $5000 per year and that is not quite enough to be taxed.

In April an Amendment was enacted. U. S. Senators are now elected by the vote of the people. Good news!

6/23: I am absolutely appalled to hear that people are jumping out of aeroplanes for pleasure, attached to something called a “parachute.” The other day a woman did it!

6/25: We're going to Indy and to all of the regional camps.

6/26: 6 scholarships. We'd like to get 3 and 3.

7/19: The great Christy Mathewson goes 68 innings without giving up a walk!

8/7: SF Jeb Burr is #4 on the Norton list. PG Gazo Poga is #34, and SG Joel Hopp is #41.

8/12: I met a woman today. I regularly go to the university library when I have the time. I like to read the New York Times and several magazines, particularly those that have articles related to current affairs and scientific developments. I also take out books, history, biographies, fiction, usually.

Today, as I was reading Scientific American, a favorite, a librarian came up to me and began a conversation. She was an attractive young woman, possibly in her mid- to late 20s although I am terrible at estimating women's ages. She was not classically beautiful, but, as I said, attractive. I have always been attractive to the “librarian type,” glasses, conservative dress and manner, thin... In any case

“Hello. Do you prefer Coach Last, or Mister Last?”

“Coach is fine, Ma'am.”

“I am Lucy Wilks, one of the assistant librarians here.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Wilks.”

“I have noticed that you are here frequently. I am fascinated by the wide variety of materials you read and check out.”

“Thank you, ma'am. I like to stay informed. I travel a good deal in my work so it is nice to have a book to read to pass the time on the train and in the hotel when I am travelling.”

“If I am not being too bold, may we discuss some of the latest releases of books that you may be interested in?”

“That would be delightful. But I know that talking is frowned upon in the library. Will that be a problem?”

“Well... perhaps so...”

“Might it be better if we were to meet elsewhere, when you are free? The cafeteria is open as late as 8:00 p.m. On weekdays.”

“I could prepare lists. I have noticed that you read history, biography, various kinds of fiction... I would be happy to bring lists and to discuss the books with you.”
We arranged to meet the following afternoon at 3:30 in the cafeteria.

8/13: Miss Wilks and I actually spent two hours discussing books. The time flew by. By the end of the first hour I knew I was smitten, and as I walked her out of the cafeteria I asked if we might meet for dinner some evening.

“I would be honored to have dinner with you, Coach Last, but I have no chaperone. My family lives in Western Connecticut.”

“I am uncertain how to resolve this, Miss Wilks. Is there perhaps a friend who might accompany us?”

“Let me consider that. I have not been here at the university for very long, only three months. I do have a roommate. Perhaps she would be willing.”

“Please ask. I will stop in at the library on Monday after lunch.”

8/15: Miss Wilks' roommate was free on Wednesday, so we arranged to meet at a restaurant on the trolley line, not far from campus.

8/18: Dinner was delightful. It seems it will be difficult to pursue this relationship given Miss Wilks' lack of a chaperone but I suspect that we will find ways. I asked if we might have lunch together in the school cafeteria, and she agreed that this would not require a chaperone.

8/21: We offer to 3 PGs, 2 PFs, and a C. We think we have a shot with all of them. Time will tell.

[Wayne23]

9/1: I am seeing Miss Wilks quite regularly, in the library and at the cafeteria, mostly. As it turns out she is 28. I am 40. When I told her my age she did not seem troubled at all.

9/11: We lose a recruit. Offer to another one.

9/18: We get 2, lose 2. We get The #1 overall recruit, a PF, and #38, a PG.

We play at the Golden ST Classic vs. San Francisco. The good teams do not want to play us.

9/22: I see Miss Wilks several times a week. We usually meet on campus in very public settings. At other times my scouting assistant, Cris Lowe, and his wife, accompany us. We went to a concert in Hartford the other night, and we have gone to local restaurants in the Storrs/Willimantic area 2 or 3 times. Is this serious? Yes it is!

9/24: An aeroplane has now flown all the way across the Mediterranean Sea. Foolishness!

9/25: We get a PF, #35, and lose a guard.

10/2: We get 2 recruits, a PG, #20, a C, #40. We are still pursuing a guard.

First day of practice. I think we are strong enough to challenge for the national championship.

10/11: There is now a paved highway going from coast to coast. I do not consider this to be a good development. Encouragement of the automobile is wasteful. We have perfectly good transportation via rail- trains and trolleys. There is no need for one or two persons to travel on their own.

10/15: Miss Wilks and I went to dinner with her parents at the Altnaveigh in Storrs this evening. They came to town expressly to meet me. It went well. I let her parents know that while we had not been seeing each other for long my intentions were totally honorable.

11/12: Here is our lineup:

Senior Gazo Poga, a transfer from Texas, is at PG.

Frosh Joel Hopp is at SG.

#3 guard is senior Todd Hask. #4 is frosh Brad Yang. Senior Pete Sims has never been able to crack our lineup. Soph Vin Buck, a transfer from Duke, is not quite ready but he shows promise.

Senior Cam Brox starts at SF. He is a very good player.

Senior Jed Burr, at PF, is our best player.

Junior Rob Norv is back at Center.

First big man off the bench is soph Pat Ollo, a transfer from Kansas, who would start for many teams. Second, soph Nick Deon, is a transfer from Arizona, who is very good. Senior Cris Abra is next, and he can play. Finally, red shirt frosh Phil Ramy is the only player on the squad who is not up to a very high standard.

We are very good and very deep.

[Wayne23]

11/24: We start with a 79-54 win over Utah ST here. 19, 5, 4 for Norv, 10, 7, 5, 5 for Hopp. +30 in the paint, 5 turnovers.

63-44 over Nevada here. 16, 5, 4 blocks for Norv, 12, 9, 6 for Hopp. Again only 5 turnovers.

89-69 over Mississippi ST at home. 22, 8, 3, 3 for Burr, 22, 6 for Norv, 19, 5, 7, 5 for Hopp. +20 down low, 11 turnovers.

We're really handling the ball well so far.

[Wayne23]

12/8: 73-63 at #15 UCLA. This was close most of the way. 15, 11, 2, 3, 6 blocks for Burr, 14, 9, 5, 3 for Hopp, 12, 9, 4 for Norv.

78-60 over Arkansas in Storrs. 18, 7, 4 for Hopp, 17, 5, 4 for Norv, 12, 9 for Burr. +18 in the paint, 5 turnovers.

62-41 over Auburn here. Excellent defense. 12, 13, 3 for Burr. 15 fewer turnovers.

Lucy and I continue to see each other as frequently as possible. I am in the process of buying a ring.

[Wayne23]

We're in California for the Golden ST classic. We are the #1 seed and we play #8 San Francisco, 2-3. This is a game we should win easily.

12/9: Early lead. Up 10 after 10. 50-30 at the half. 12, 11, 3 for Burr, but Hopp has 3 fouls. Up 24 with 10 to play.

86-65. 22, 18, 3 for Burr, 17, 9, 3, 5 blocks for Norv, 17, 2, 3 for backup guard Todd Hask.

[Wayne23]

12/10: We meet #5 seed UAB, 5-1, in the semifinals. They have trouble scoring, and we play better defense.

Game time: It is close early on. We go on a run and lead by 9 with 10 to play. 35-22 at halftime. Very good defense! 14, 6 for Burr. Up 18 with 10 to go.

77-43. A walk in the park. 25, 14 for Burr, who is having an outstanding tournament! 10, 10 for Norv, 10, 7, 4, 3, 3 blocks for Hopp. We dominated inside and had only 11 turnovers.

We are staying in a hotel here. Hotels have improved over the years that I've been coaching. They seem generally to be much cleaner. All of them have fans in each room to help with cooling in the hot weather, and most have some form of heating in the rooms. Rooms tend to be small but comfortable. As to the railroads, they tend to run more smoothly on the tracks, but dust is still a problem, as is noise. The food varies widely in quality and availability. Travelling is not always smooth or easy.

[Wayne23]

12/11: We face #2 seed, #22 ranked Michigan, 7-1, in the title game. They are very good outside be we have a big advantage inside, especially in rebounding. We play better defense. But we'll need to play well!

Game time: Back and forth early. Down 2 after 10. 32-25 at the half; we scored the last 7 points. Hopp has 3 fouls. +9 rebounds. We start the second with a big run. Up 22 with 10 to play.

84-55. We simply romped through this tournament! 14, 12 for tourney Most Outstanding Player Jeb Burr. 14, 10, 3 for Brox, 12, 11, 4, 5 blocks for Norv, 10, 2, 11 for Poga, 13, 5, 3 for Hopp. +24 rebounds.

We are 9-0, ranked #5.

12/12: The Mona Lisa has been recovered, unharmed. It was stolen two years ago.

I have purchased an engagement ring. I am waiting for the right time to propose.

[Wayne23]

12/26: I proposed last evening. We went to Lucy's parents house for the holiday and I thought I would propose there, and then ask Mr. Wilks for his daughter's hand. It all went perfectly!

1/8/1914: 84-63 over LSU here. 20, 1, 10, 3 for Poga, 21, 9, 5, 5 blocks for Norv, 11, 13, 7, 3 for Hopp. Only four turnovers.

69-56 over #10 Xavier here. 15, 15, 2, 3 for Burr, 13, 10, 3, 4 blocks for Hopp. 7 turnovers.

An 84-47 slaughter of Florida here. 16, 16 for Burr. +20 rebounds.

In our last pre-conference game we defeated Louisville 74-63 in Storrs. 30, 0, 5 for Poga, 11, 8, 6, 3 for Hopp. 9 turnovers.

We're 13-0, ranked #5, NET #1.

+21.5 PPG, +8.2 RBs, -9.4 turnovers, a terrific 9.7. +8.4 assists, +5.5 steals.

Norv leads us in points with 14.2. Burr gets 13.8 and leads with 12.0 rebounds. Poga gets 6.2 assists.

On to Conference A play.

Mr. Ford is paying his workers $5 per day. This is a significant rise in pay! Let us hope other employers will follow this example!

[Wayne23]

1/22: 73-50 at #13 Purdue to start conference play. 20, 12, 3, 5 for C Rob Norv. 11, 17, 5, 4 for Burr. We were dominant inside.

88-50 over Marquette here. It was never close. 24, 11, 2, 3, 4 for Burr, 19, 3, 6 for Poga, 12, 6, 6 for Hopp. +20 rebounds.

60-70 at #14 Duke. We never led. 17, 17, 3, 6 blocks for Burr. We shot only 30.5%.

A big 72-59 win over #1 ranked Kansas, here in Storrs. 56-39 at the half and they never got it closer than 8 in the 2nd half. 15, 17, 4, 3 for Burr. Solid defense!

Lucy and I are making wedding plans. It looks like early June.

People are listening and dancing to, “By the Beautiful Sea.”

[Wayne23]

2/5: We lost 65-79 at #2 Michigan ST. We led by 2 at the half but went cold in the second half scoring only 23. 15, 9, 5, 4 for Burr. They beat us both inside and outside.

87-59 over #9 Iowa, here. We shot 50.9%. 19, 11, 4 for Burr. 10 fewer turnovers although we had 18.

94-79 at Gonzaga. We shot 54.8%. We've been hot the last two games! The game was close for about 28 minutes, then we went on a big run. 29, 14 for Burr. 15, 5, 17 for Poga- 17 assists! We controlled the inside.

79-71 over #12 Memphis at home. We led for the last 35 minutes but they got it close several times late in the game. 22, 5, 2, 5 for Hopp. Burr was in foul trouble all night. They were better inside, we were better outside.

Jeb Burr is #7, Joel Hopp #27 in the Norton poll.

We're 19-2, 6-2, tied for 4th, 1 back of 1st. #5, NET #2.

Muhatma Gandhi is leading protests in India for the freedom of the local people from British rule.