100 years ago in The Record

Saturday, March 1, 1919.

Major Charles A. Mac Arthur of the 105th U.S. Infantry regiment denies any intention to run for mayor during a weekend visit to Troy, The Record reports. Mac Arthur, the publisher of the Sunday Budget newspaper, reportedly had been touted as a Republican challenger to four-term incumbent Democrat Cornelius F. Burns. He was a battalion commander during the bloodiest fighting of the world war for local troops. “My only aspiration is to take off my uniform and resume my place in civil life,” MacArthur tells our reporter, who concludes that the major “held not the slightest aspiration” for the mayor’s job. Mac Arthur is in town to consult with Mayor Burns about the city’s plans to welcome home the troops of the Troy-based 105th. The regiment sailed from France earlier this week and is expected back in the U.S. within the next week. Before they return to Troy, the local soldiers are expected to take part in a victory parade in NewYork City with the rest of the 27th Division. After a “cleaning up” process, they’ll be sent to Camp Upton, Long Island, for mustering out. Mac Arthur expects them back in the Collar City by the last week of March. “As to how the boys were to be brought back to Troy from camp, Major Mac Ar- thur stated that this matter would be settled soon,” our reporter writes, “It rests, he said, with Mayor Burns.” R.P.I. Finds HamiltonEasy The final home game of the winter for the RPI basketball team is “one of the most exciting games played on the hill this season,” a Record sportswriter reports.

While visiting Hamilton nets the first points of the game after less than a minute of play, the Cherry and White quickly catch up and never trail again.

“Raynor, the Engineers’ center, was the most brilliant player for the ‘ Tute team, caging no less than six from the floor, bringing the stands to their feet with shots from the center of the court,” our writer observes.

Despite Raynor’s brilliance, forward Birdie Sparrow nearly steals the show with “one of the best games of his life.

“Sparrow showed plenty of pep and fight and was instrumental in putting the institute team in the lead. Sparrow scored the prettiest basket of the game during the first half. With an opposing player clinging to his neck, he caged the pellet on a beautiful try from beneath the basket.”

Raynor’s twelve points lead all scorers while Sparrow scores six in RPI’s 31-17 victory. In the preliminary game, the RPI sophomores upset the juniors, 16-12.

—Kevin Gilbert