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*1ke Recmd Great Lakes Naval Training Station
The consistency with which it has turned back top-flight competition stamps the Great Lakes Naval Training Station quintet as probably the outstanding amateur basketball aggregation in the nation.
But even more important than the high-calibre court game displayed by the squad is the three-fold purpose it serves in the interest of Uncle Sam's war effort. Rear-Admiral John Downes, U.S.N. Commandant, and Capt. T. S. Dewitt Carr, U.S.N, executive officer, fostered the idea of a crack basketball team at Great Lakes to entertain recruits, to bring the Navy "home" to thousands in order to show the type of men desired for the U. S. Fleet, and to augment Naval Relief funds.
No other five in the country has assumed so difficult a schedule with such amazing results. The Service netters traveled about 10,000 miles to take on the very best collegiate opposition in the country, playing many of them on consecutive nights or with brief 48-hour rest periods. Ohio State and Indiana, Western Kentucky State Teachers and Michigan State were tackled on successive nights, for instance, while Wisconsin and Notre Dame were met within 48 hours.
From this strenuous 35-game schedule, the Chicago seamen emerged victorious in 31. In their college combats, Great Lakes grossed 1,571 points for an average of 47 per game. The boys limited the opposition to 1,281 points, or 38 a game.
Local hardwood fans can get a good idea of Great Lakes' potency from the fact that the Service men soundly trounced Western State Teachers College of Kentucky by a lopsided 64-37 score. This same Western squad proceeded later to win both the K.I.A.C. and the S.I.A.A. tournaments.
Coach J. Russell Cook has built a fast-breaking offense around four high-scoring ex-collegiate All-Americans. Ernie "Junie" Andres, a Jeffersonville native and erstwhile third-baseman for the Louisville Colonels, achieved All-Americcm recognition at Indiana, as did his team-mate, Bill Menke. Frank Baumholtz, speedy forward, won All-American honors at Ohio State University, and Bob Calihan, center, Is a former University of Detroit All-American.
Lee Huber, guard, is a Louisville boy who captained the 1941 University of Kentucky five.
An interesting side light is the fact that of a roster of 14, four pastimers are Indiana lads: Forrest Anderson and John Lobsiger both hail from Gary, Andres comes from Jeffersonville, and Menke is a native of Huntingburg.
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