In Red China

In China, the big sport news was the Russian basketball team. The Russians (full title: U.S.S.R. Athletic Mission Basketball Team) barged into Peking at Christmas time, in less than three weeks ran away with 21 games against Chinese teams from Peking to Canton. The Russians' winning scores ranged from 56-43 against "Peking Amalgamated" to 123-12 against poor old "Army Amalgamated" of Canton.

Since the Chinese have been playing basketball for half a century,* and the Russians are relative novices, astonished Chinese were making a study of the Russian-type game. Study revealed a lot.

Not only were the Russians apt to be taller than the Chinese; they brought their own rules, their own heavier ball, and their own referee. Chinese, used to playing by American rules, were told that Russian rules are the "international rules." The Russian referee was there to interpret the Russian rules right.

Some Chinese were so rash as to hiss this sort of thing. Their Commie newspapers told them this was not the line to take. The new line: "We must strongly imitate the Russian athletes' high internationalism, patriotism and collectivism . . . and conquer unhealthy American imperialist sport styles of seeking for headlines." And winning teams.

* The American Y.M.C.A., which invented the game, speedily exported it to Y.M.C.A.s in China.

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