First Round: (Friday, February 25, 1921)
Game 1: Mercer 50, South Carolina 22; (2:00 PM)
Game 2: Kentucky 50, Tulane 28 (3:00 PM)
Game 3: Mississippi A.& M. 41, Furman 7 (4:00 PM)
Game 4: Millsaps 46, Tennessee 29 (5:00 PM)
Game 5: Georgia 47, Newberry 23 (8:00 PM)
Game 6: Auburn 45, Clemson 25 (9:00 PM)
Game 7: Georgia Tech 53, Birmingham-Southern 11 (10:00 PM)
Bye: Alabama
Second Round: (Saturday, February 26, 1921)
Game 8: Kentucky 49, Mercer 25 (3:00 PM)
Game 9: Mississippi A.& M. 28, Millsaps 11 (4:00 PM)
Game 10: Georgia 32, Auburn 24 (8:00 PM)
Game 11: Georgia Tech 30, Alabama 22 (9:00 PM)
Semifinals: (Monday, February 28, 1921)
Game 12: Kentucky 28, Mississippi A.& M. 13 (8:00 PM)
Game 13: Georgia 26, Georgia Tech 21 (9:00 PM)
Finals: (Tuesday, March 1, 1921)
Game 14: Kentucky 20, Georgia 19
The initial Southern Intercollegiate Invitational Tournament was held in late February of 1921 in Atlanta Georgia. Al Doonan, of the Atlanta Athletic Club, was the driving force behind organizing the tournament. $3000 was spent on a temporary elevated floor which was built in the middle of the Atlanta Auditorium.
Fifteen teams were entered into the tournament. Drawings for the bracket were held by A.A. Doonan along with Coach Stegeman (University of Georgia) and Coach Alexander (Georgia Tech) with representatives from Mercer, Clemson and the University of Kentucky in attendance to observe. Alabama drew a bye in the first round.
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Georgia, from nearby Athens, was the favorite entering the tournament. The squad was led by Coach Herman Stegeman and captain "Buck" Cheeves. Another highly touted team were the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats were the first to arrive in town and registered at the Ansley Hotel. Kentucky was coached by George Buchheit and led on the floor by fleet-footed Basil Hayden.
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"Scanning the dope at this stage of the S.I.A.A. tournament, the best bet would be that Georgia and Kentucky meet in the finals of the tournament. There is only one real basis of comparison between the two teams and that is gleaned from the game each played against Vanderbilt.
Georgia defeated Vanderbilt 31 to 17 in Athens.
Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt 37 to 18 in Lexington.
This would show that the teams are mighty close together in strength, for a difference of four or five points in comparative scores has no material bearing.
The University of Kentucky has turned out many famous alumni, but few more famous than Edward Danforth, the social butterfly, and the Willie Hoppe of the terpsichorean, and John March, the King of the Rabbit Hole. Both of these gentlemen now earn a scanty living in Atlanta." - ("Seven Games Are Scheduled for Friday's Program" by Morgan Blake, Atlanta Journal February 25, 1921.)
According to Fuzzy Woodruff of the Atlanta Constitution:
Further wrote Woodruff:
"The white trousers of Referee Yates and Ladue have been properly laundered and pressed. Timers Tichenor and Vorhees have their chronometers synchronized while Ed Danforth, Morgan Blake, and Cliff Wheatley, the official scorers have been studying long and earnestly so that they will be able to distinguish a personal from a technical foul."
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More to the point, football was still king even then. According to an article before the tournament began:
Coach Alexander of Georgia Tech, is smiling as he welcomes the invading hosts, despite the fact that his basketball is all shot to pieces and wasn't' much to brag on to start with. He is going to use members of the freshmen team as ushers. "Why don't you use them as basketball players?" a friend asked. "Well, I could do that and make a showing," said Alex. "The freshmen can beat our varsity team 20 points any day, but I'm not going to use any of those freshmen in this tournament. Oh, no! That is, I'm not going to use any of them except Baby Roane. All the rest of them are football players, and I'm not going to have them lose a year of football fooling around with this game. Hardly!" - ("Gossip of S.I.A.A. Tourney," Atlanta Constitution February 25, 1921.)
Friday, February 25, 1921
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Lavish Decorations for Collegians - When the college fives take the Auditorium floor today they'll be greeted by a decorative scheme of draperies and dingbats in green and white that has been placed for the automobile show which will succeed the tournament in the big building. When the crowds begin wearing various ribbons of their respective favorites, the scribes can ring in old "riot of color" without straining even an eyelash." - ("Gossip of S.I.A.A. Tournament," Atlanta Constitution February 25, 1921.)
"Referees Yates and Sutton, Timers Tichenor and Voorhis, and Scorers Danforth, Wheatley and Blake are reported trained to the minute. From personal observation I can state that Mr. Blake ate a hearty breakfast of ham and eggs, after which he read a chapter in Spalding's basketball guide. He appeared perfectly calm." - ("Stable Gossip by O.B. on Horses, Dark and Light, in Tournament," by. O.B. Keeler Atlanta Journal February 25, 1921.)
Game 1: Mercer 50, South Carolina 22
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Game 2: Kentucky 50, Tulane 28
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"...the University of Kentucky's brilliant and speedy five caused the most comment among fans as they gathered in the lobbies between games. It must be admitted that of all the performers Friday, Kentucky looked best." - ("Real Battles to Start Today in S.I.A.A. Tourney" by Morgan Blake, Atlanta Journal, February 26, 1921.)
Game 3: Mississippi A.& M. 41, Furman 7
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Game 4: Millsaps 46, Tennessee 29
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"More dope on these sensational Millsaps. The college is a Methodist co-educational seat of learning where basketball is more than a major sport: it is a general sport. It is played the year 'round. Tennessee stil insists that Millsaps should have investigated." - ("An Ear to the Ground," by Ed Danforth, Atlanta Georgian, February 27, 1921.)
Game 5: Georgia 47, Newberry 23
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Game 7: Georgia Tech 53, Birmingham-Southern 11
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"Undoubtedly the most sensational feature of the first day's program was the fact that Georgia Tech was on the winning end of the most one-sided score of the day. Tech defeated Birmingham Southern 53 to 11. Even though the Birmingham boys were rather weak performers, there is no getting around the fact that the Yellow Jackets showed a remarkable improvement in all branches of the game, especially in goal shooting." - ("Real Battles to Start Today in S.I.A.A. Tourney" by Morgan Blake, Atlanta Journal, February 26, 1921.)
Carolina Colleges Have Hard Sledding:
"South Carolina entered four colleges in the tournament - Clemson, Furman, Newberry and University of South Carolina - and not a dad-blamed one of them survived the first day of battling. Auburn attended to Clemson, Mississippi A.& M. to Furman, Georgia to Newberry, and Mercer to the State University." - ("Gossip of S.I.A.A. Tourney" Atlanta Constitution, February 26, 1921.)
Newberry Outshines All Rival Schools
However, if Newberry was defeated, it at least caused the rest of the colleges to sit up and take notice. At the Friday night games, Newberry students occupied decorated boxes and the boxes contained not only mere men, but fascinating feminity in college colors with pennants and all that stuff." - ("Gossip of S.I.A.A. Tourney" Atlanta Constitution, February 26, 1921.)
Saturday, February 26, 1921
Game 8: Kentucky 49, Mercer 25
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Game 9: Mississippi A.& M. 28, Millsaps 11
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Game 10: Georgia 32, Auburn 24
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Game 11: Georgia Tech 30, Alabama 22
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Monday, February 28, 1921
Game 12: Kentucky 28, Mississippi A.& M. 13
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Game 13: Georgia 26, Georgia Tech 21
GEORGIA AND TECH MEET FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1917
Early yesterday morning, a local train pulled in from Athens, Ga. It was loaded to the guards, as we used to say in the good olds days. The load was largely composed of students of the University of Georgia.
And all through the day the Red and Black students continued to arrive. Passenger trains brought some. Trains that were not built for hauling passengers brought others, some motored into Atlanta, some few were reported marching on the city.
This is the tale they brought. Everybody in Athens will be here by tonight. It makes no difference whether they are connected with the University of Georgia or not. They are going to be here, because an athletic team of the University of Georgia meets an athletic team of the Georgia School of Technology for the first time since relations were severed following the baseball season of 1919. - (Atlanta Constitution by Fuzzy Woodruff, February 28, 1921.)
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"Georgia defeated Georgia Tech at the Atlanta Auditorium last night, 26-21, in the most thrilling basketball game ever seen in Atlanta, and witnessed by the biggest crowd that ever attended a basketball game, anywhere. By doing so Georgia won its way into the finals of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association's first basketball tournament and Georgia Tech won the moral victory, that attends a team that is supposed to be hopelessly outclassed, and yet gives the favored opponent a desperate and splendidly contested struggle." - ("Immense Crowd Sees Close Game Won by Georgia,", by Fuzzy Woodruff, Atlanta Constitution March 1, 1921.)
"But one incident marred the evening. The police, not anticipating the early arrival of the crowd, did not reach the Auditorium until after 7 o'clock. Thousands were then storming the doors. With only a handful of officers on duty, when the crowd swarmed in, the doors to the main entrance to the main floor of he Auditorium were swept down and hundreds gained admission who either had not purchased tickets or who didn't stop o turn them over to the ticket takers." - ("Immense Crowd Sees Close Game Won by Georgia,", by Fuzzy Woodruff, Atlanta Constitution March 1, 1921.)
Tuesday, March 1, 1921 - Championship Game
Game 14: Kentucky 20, Georgia 19
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Front Row (l to r): Sam Ridgway, Paul Adkins, Basil Hayden, William King, Bobby Lavin Back Row: Coach George Buchheit, James Wilhelm, William Poyntz, Gilbert Smith, Athletic Director S.A. Boles |
"Little was heard Wednesday but discussion of the knockout finish furnished by the championship match. Billy King, Kentucky freshman, was the hero of the final bout. His stunt of pitching the winning goal after team had been called was a case of pure nerve. He had been just about to try when the timer's pistol was fired and the shot scared him out of several years' growth. He is unable to explain how he rallied his nerves. And furthermore, Bill insists it was an accident that the thing went in." - ("Future Tournaments of S.I.A.A. Assured for Atlanta," by Ed Danforth, Atlanta Georgian, March 2, 1921.)
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According to Guy Butler of the Atlanta Georgian:
"King again raised the ball, took aim, uncorked it and with tantalizing slowness it dropped lazily through the hoops.
The game had ended! Kentucky had won, 20 to 19! Billy King had established himself as the man of the hour. He was lifted upon the shoulders of his Kentucky teammates and borne about the court." - ("Hair-Raising Game and S.I.A.A. Title Won by Kentucky," by Guy Butler, Atlanta Georgian, March 2, 1921.)
1921 All-Tournament Team
First Team
William King - Kentucky
Billy Anderson - Georgia
Paul Adkins - Kentucky
Bob Lavin - Kentucky
Baby Roane - Georgia Tech
The Atlanta Athletic Club presented a loving cup to the champions of the tournament. In addition, gold medals were presented to each member of the winning team, with silver medals presented to the runner-up.
JPS Note: Apparently the Kentucky players were also awarded with small charms in the shape of basketballs with a blue letter "K" and their names to commemorate the tournament victory.
Two of these charms have surfaced, one for UK captain Basil Hayden [(Photo 1) (Photo 2)] and another for Gilbert Smith [(Photo 1) (Photo 2)]. Where the others are is currently a mystery.
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With the victory, the Kentucky team received an invitation to participate in the 1921 American Athletic Union (AAU) National Championship tournament held in Kansas City. This offer was turned down, however, likely because of the additional losses in class time that such a trip would entail.
The victory was very important in the history of the school. Noted athletic director S.A. "Daddy" Boles: "I think I'm pretty safe in saying it is the first time any Kentucky team has ever won the undisputed championship of the South in any sport. For a team to go down in Atlanta and beat all other teams in the South, well, I think it was about the biggest honor we ever have won." - ("Great Welcome Awaits Wildcats Here Tonight," Lexington Leader, March 2, 1921.
In the end, the tournament was deemed a success. Most importantly, the finances had been met:
"It is interesting to note that every club that attended the tournament went away satisfied with financial arrangements and results of games. The teams ran true to form. The quintets had been sent here on a "gambling proposition," that is, each institution paid its own expenses and trusted to luck and the Atlanta public for refund. So no one lost - except the Tech outfit, which had no expenses, but which really won one of these much discussed moral victories." - ("Future Tournaments of S.I.A.A. Assured for Atlanta," by Ed Danforth, Atlanta Georgian, March 2, 1926.)
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