Century-old Ti — Faster basketball and prize-winning cows

Ticonderoga sports fans and community boosters were excited about the new basketball court that opened at the Knights of Columbus hall a century ago.

“There is none better in northern New York,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel boasted on Jan. 18,1923.

“The arrangement of the baskets is such that a player cannot ‘bank’ the ball, but must make every shot a clean one. This eliminates the luck element to some extent, and tends to make the game faster. … The net arrangement is such that the players, as well as spectators, are protected from injury and, with the ball never out-of-bounds, the game is faster and cleaner.”

The Ticonderoga High School basketball team played its first game on the new court a few days previously, upsetting Port Henry 20–16.

“The visitors entered the game as favorites, but before many minutes had passed, the spectators realized that, in spite of their lack of practice and unfamiliarity with the court, the locals were playing real basketball and that it would be anybody’s game.”

The lead went back and forth through much of the game.

“It was an exciting game throughout, and was sufficient to thrill the most rabid fan.”

Lloyd and Ladell were high scorers for Ticonderoga.

In other Jan. 18,1923 Ticonderoga Sentinel news:

• State Assemblyman Fred Porter, who represented Ticonderoga in 1921–1935, raised Ayrshire dairy cows at his Ledgetop Farm in Crown Point.

In January 1923, he had three prize-winning cows among his herd.

“One cow in the mature class leads the state in the production of butter fat and is third in the United States,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported. “Another in the -year-old class for the month of September leads the state in production of butter fat and is second in the United States. A third cow in the 2-year-old class leads the state in the production of butter fat in the 300 days test and lacks only 57 pounds of the world’s record in production of butter fat.”

Porter’s constituents were proud of his agricultural achievements.

“Since Essex County farmers share in any honors of this kind, all are pleased to learn of the success of the Assemblyman.”

• Roy Lockwood, a lawyer from Ticonderoga, was appointed deputy state attorney general, overseeing conservation cases, at an annual salary of $5,000 — the equivalent of $88,332 in 2023 dollars.

“For the present he will reside in Ticonderoga, traveling back and forth. A lifelong Democrat and energetic party worker, his appointment meets with unqualified approval of the Essex County democracy.”

• Crown Point Supervisor Ralph E. Murdock was unanimously elected chairman of the Essex County Board of Supervisors.

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