Sophomore Sub is Hero as Wyoming Loses to Arkansas

Excerpts from a newspaper article regarding the Quarterfinal Championship game between Wyoming and Arkansas during the 1941 tournament.

 

A spindly-legged sophomore who was on the bench at the start of the contest won the crowd in the Wyoming-Arkansas game, and although he led a losing cause there's no doubt that Ken Sailors was the hero of the fray.

Of course, Arkansas can dispute that point. Johnny Adams, a jump-shot artist whose heaves seldom travel a foot or more above the goal, 1-handed 11 fields and 4 free tosses for a total of 26 points to lead the Razorbacks to victory.

But Sailors, a veritable midget compared to the giant Arkansas travelers, and they can travel, came into the fray when Wyoming was falling apart. Ten minutes had been played and the Cowboys trailed, 17 to 6. Coach Ev Shelton called Sailors from his perch on the bench and sent him into the contest.

Sparks Wyoming

No more than 30 seconds had passed before the boy whipped to a goal. He intercepted a pass and dribbled the length of the floor for another goal and Wyoming was 10 behind.

Before the half was over he had added two more goals and a free throw, and he registered two more from the field and a quartet of charity tosses in the final session to be Wyoming's leading scorer with 17 points.

In addition he broke up numerous Arkansas plays, harassed Arkansas' Hickey something awful and was the spirit of the Wyoming attack.

. . . Sailors hit twice, one after intercepting a pass, and Wyoming trailed, 17-10, with 12 minutes played. . . Adams hit twice and Sailors pushed in a 1-hander to make it 29-18 at the half.

Caption reads: "In scoring twenty-six points last night against Wyoming, Johnny Adams (right) gave the crowd of 6,000 an amazing exhibition of 2-handed jump shots that split the hoop. This picture shows Johnny taking off for one of his favorites, with the other players giving varied facial expressions.