--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Toronto, Wallace F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 33 number: 5 published: 1930-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Wallace F. Toronto, “Champion “Mormon Utes”,” *Improvement Era* 33, no. 5 (March 1930): 325–326." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3305unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera3305unse start_page: 325 end_page: 326 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1930-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3305unse publication_year: 1930 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1930, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Champion “Mormon Utes” Ckampion "Mormon Utes" By WALLACE F. TORONTO THE greatest basketball game of the season is about to take place in the huge gym of the Y. M. C. A. in that historic old city of Prague, the capital of the new republic of Czechoslovakia. This game is to be the main feature of the extensive Home Coming Day program of that institution. The hall, decorated with banners of all colors and designs and the hundreds of eager people surround- ing the playing court and filling to overflowing the large, spacious upper balcony, make a picture which cannot soon be forgotten. On each end of the balcony hangs the Red, White, and Blue — the national colors of the United States, and also of the new-born republic. Here is the American flag which betokens liberty and freedom, gained a century and a half ago by a brave and God-fear- ing people; and on the other side is the Czechoslovakian flag, be- speaking the long sought for free- dom of a people, distinct in char- acter and tongue, who are now enjoying the dream of hundreds of years. The hall itself is beauti- ful, but with throngs of people filling every available space, it be- comes more than a picture; it is a living, throbbing, fascinating scene. A SIDE d.oor opens, and at sight of six young men garbed in flashy red basketball suits, the sweaters of which blaze forth a white "U T A H" in blocked letters, the crowd rises in unison, and cheer long and loud as the "Mormon Utes" dash across the floor, and warm up under the basket. A few moments later an- other equally fine looking team, led by its captain, trot out on the floor, and again the hall reverber- ates with enthusiastic cheering. This last team is the undefeated Red and Yellow Y. M. C. A. team of Prague. The tension is high; de- termination written on the faces of all players. As the two teams warm up, the spectators speculate on the out- come of the game. They have never seen this team from Utah play, but reports are circulated that it plays fast ball. It is even ru- mored that some of the Ameri- cans have had previous experience on championship teams at home. The Y. M. C. A. team is doing good work under the basket — evi- dently they are "on!" The crowd has reason to expect a good show- ing, for their boys have been in competition for three years — and without defeat. Undoubtedly they are the championship team of Cze- choslovakia, having earned that title by sportsmanlike and skillful playing. 1 HREE years ago the great American game of basketball was introduced into the country by the physical education leaders of the Y. M. C. A. who had received their training in American colleges. The game met with immediate and enthusiastic favor. Now, basket- ball is a popular term in Czecho- slovakia and Central Europe. And the red and yellow clad native chaps have certainly mastered the technique of the game. The whistle blows ! The crowd grows tense with excitement as the boys pull off their warm-up sweaters. But the game is not yet to begin, for there are preliminary ceremonies. Both teams line up in the middle of the floor, facing each other, each captain in posses- sion of a large flag. Mr. Marek, athletic director of the Y. M. C. A., introduces the teams, and then in turn the captains; first, the cap- tain of the famous Czech team, Johnny Brusel, who presents the Utes with a beautiful Czech na- tional flag. His well delivered presentation is made in English — he, himself, being a Czech-Amer- ican studying in the University of Prague. Then Captain Hart, of the Utes, is introduced. He pre- sents the Y. M. C. A. with a large American flag. His remarks are made in the Czech language. This thrills the audience to find that an American has enough interest to speak in its own language- — for sel- dom it is that a foreigner attempts to learn Bohemian; and a roar of applause greets the captain. This bit of ceremony is certainly a token "Mormon" Missionaries in Prague Left to right: Wallace F. Toronto, Jos. I. Hart, Arthur Gaeth, Alvin C. Carlson, Willis H. Hay ward, Charles Josie. 326 The Improvement Era for March, 1930 of good fellowship and national brotherhood. A. .GAIN the whistle blows and this time the centers step into the ring. The guards and the forwards take their positions. It is a tense moment. Who is go- ing to get the breaks? Who will score the first basket? Who will have the sympathy of the crowd? These and other questions are in the minds of the players, and such conjectures also stimulate the ex- citement of the spectators. As the referee steps into the ring, the crowd is breathless. The whistle blows and he tosses the ball. The game is on! The tall Ute center gets the jump, and tips the ball to the right forward. Then like a flash it goes to the left forward who is racing for the basket. The Y. M. C. A. boys take the defen- sive, and are on their toes. They manage to intercept a pass, snap the ball down the floor, and in two minutes after the toss-up at cen- ter, their forward arches a beau- tiful shot through the basket. Again the crowd is frantic! The ball is tossed at center again, and flashes from man to man. Now the home team has it, and now the Utes. Utah is about to score. There goes a beauty, but it falls short of the hoop by an inch. Then the home guards take possession of the coveted ball, and dribble it down the floor — evidently for an- other basket. But again it is in- tercepted. A dribble, two snappy passes, a leap for the basket, and the "Mormons" tie the score. And another rousing cheer from the anxious spectators. wary of his opponent; and each one giving his all for the last twenty minutes of play. Because of the anxiety of the teams, the game is slightly rough at times, but there is no evidence of ill-feel- ing. A basket is scored on this side and then on that. A bit of brilliant passing, an interception or a fumble, and the ball changes hands. A long shot falls short and is recovered by the guards, and again the situation is changed. And the audience is almost as in- tensely in the game as the members of the teams. The air is charged with excitement! A shrill whistle from the time keeper brings this, the greatest game of the season, to a close, and the final score stands, Utes— 32, Y. M. C. A.— 18. It is a great victory for the Utes. Each team in turn gives a rousing cheer for its opponent. One was in Czech, the other in Eng- lish, but the same sportsmanlike spirit is conveyed by both. Following t h e game a monstrous dance is held in the gym, to which all present are invited. Being the Home Coming Day of the Y. M. C. A., careful preparations have been made, and an unusual program follows. Al- though the "Mormons" do not participate in the dancing, they assist with the program. They are invited to sing some of their Eng- lish songs during the intervals be- tween dances, and come back time and time again by the applause of the appreciative crowd. B B. 'OTH teams are on their mettle, both fighting to win that game, every man giving his utmost — -every moment his eyes on that yellow ball and his mind on those perplexing plays. Twen- ty minutes of the hardest playing which had ever been seen in the Y. M. C, A., and at the end of the half the score stands, Utes — 19, Y. M. C. A. — 9. But the locals are determined that a ten point lead is not to be considered the final answer as to who are victors. A ten minute period marks the end of the half, and again the boys take position on the floor. Each player is more in the game than ever; each one just a little more >UT who are these "Mormon" Utes? And what are they doing in Czechoslovakia? Several months ago, six young men, under the leadership of Arthur Gaeth, were sent into Cze- choslovakia for the purpose of opening up a mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, and to prepare for the advent of the Gospel among the Slavs generally. Since the day of the dedication of the mission on the 24th of July, 1929, these young men, Arthur Gaeth, Joseph I. Hart, Alvin G. Carlson, Willis H. Hayward, Charles Josie, and Wal- lace Toronto, have been busily en- gaged in learning a new language, and in making contacts with vari- ous people of influence. Through their efforts, two new and distinc- tive tracts have been published in the Bohemian, language; the Book of Mormon is now being translat- ed, and will be off the press in a few months; weekly English meet- ings have been held, and with a great degree of success, a Sunday School has been held every Sunday morning — and during the last few months, entirely in the Czech lan- guage. Some one hundred news- paper articles, together with pic- tures of Utah, have appeared in the leading publications of the country, thus advertising the work and stirring up an interest in the people. But what has that to do with basketball? These young men believe in reaching the people through things in which they are interested, and an important me- dium is sport. Earlier in the year the missionaries played playground baseball with the Sokols, the larg- est athletic organization in Cen- tral Europe, and through their willingness to show and to teach the Czech boys the "tricks" of the game, gained many friends, and made valuable connections with men of influence. They formed a quartet which has gained con- siderable fame in Prague by sing- ing at some of the most exclusive clubs and participating in some of the finest events of the year. They also assist with the Boy Scout or- ganization. In addition they have made contacts with various English clubs, and other prominent socie- ties, and by taking active part in them have sowed seeds which may in time produce a bounteous har- vest. 1 HIS is preaching the Gospel in the modern way, through the channels which reach the lives of the people. The motto of the Czechoslovak mission is "Join in and be one with them." It it working wonders, for through this means unthoughtof paths have been opened. Through this kind of contact the interest of the peo- ple is aroused, and they are begin- ning to investigate the "moving force" which is sending these young men into the world, and are discovering that their message is worth while. We hope that the mission will grow in numbers, — of mission- aries, and of members, until the whole of the Slavic peoples, almost 150 millions, will hear the Gos- pel message.