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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1905)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, OCTOBER 29, 190o. FOOTBALL POINTERS FOR THE SPECTATOR Multnomah Club Coach Explains Some of the Puzzling Points of the Game P. D. Ovrrfleld, who contributes the accompanying article to The Orego uLac, Is one of the beat-known foot ball players In the United States. He has the enviable distinction of having been chosen from the University of Pennsylvania two years In succession as a member of the All-America eleven, which selections are made each year after the close of the football season, and are taken from the vari ous universities In ihe country. Over field has learned the great collect game thoroughly, having made a close study of all Us many features, and bis efforts as coach of the Mult nomah team are expected to develop a winning club. By P. D. Overfleid, Multnomah Club Coach. w HILE football Is unquestionably the most popular game under the heading of athletics, not only from the standpoint of attendance, con sidering the price of admission to the games, but also from the Interest and en thusiasm displayed by the spectators, yet it Js a well-known fact that no body of people, excepting lovers of music, pos sibly, display such an Interest and are at the same time as a class so Ignorant of the thing in which they areN Interested. As a rule football spectators have little Idea, of the progress of the game and are at loss to know how or why a particular play is made or only an attempt to exe cute a play so often fails. If I could make the most simple prin ciples of the game plain to the reading public who may pursue this article I should feel highly, gratified. I would feel that, while conferring a favor upon those not acquainted with this manly sport, I would also be gaining friends for the game Itself. In other words people who now condemn the game as rather harsh and cruel In some cases, would see the system that is employed by eleven well-trained athletes to carry the ball across the goal line of the opponents. The apparent roughness of the game would disappear In their eager attention in following the progress of the plays and the Individual and combined efforts of the players in executing the play denoted by the signal given by the side advancing the ball. At the same time they would watch and give full credit to eleven men on tho opposite side of the ball who may or may not prevent the execution of the play signaled. Suppose then we try to get at the foundation of the game from the viewpoint of a spectator, rather than as a pupil of the game. We arrive in time to see two squads of men running from the club house to the field- Each squad dressed differently In order to aid the players to distinguish their opponents at the different stages of the game. Start of tho Game. The next step is for each squad to se lect the eleven men who shall begin the game for their respective sides, the cap tains expected. Bach team then begins running off plays in order to keep warm, " 't1 " i i; umi m mm i tSpf fWTJ&JU-T&VZ 4 0" - ward off undue excltementor nervousness and become accustomed to handling the ball which Is always new at the begin ning of each game. In the meantime the captains of the two teams have beon called to the center of the field by tho referee who flipped a coin requesting one to call "heads or tails". The captain winning this toss, has the privilege "of choosing the goal at the end of the field which is favored by the wind, that is, the wind blowing to wards the goal chosen. In such case the less fortunate captain brings his men to the center df the field and the game be gins by one of his men kicking' the ball at least ten yards into the half of the field occupied by the other side. The side kicking the ball lines up across the field, the heavy men In the center, the lighter men on either side and all start Into the opponent's territory at the In stant the ball is kicked with the excep tion of one player who remains a little back of the center of the field In order to get the ball, in case the opponents Im mediately punt tho ball upon obtaining It, instead of running it back as is the usual play. The object of the men - running down Jnto the opponents' territory as soon as the ball Is kicked Is to reach the oppo nent who will attempt to catch the ball, and, if possible, throw him before he can carry the ball forward. They have thus succeeded In placing the ball as far as possible away from their own goal, and "the ball is then in posses sion of tho opponents, who lino up -for the advance of the ball. "We then come to tho next formation of the players, a formation that Is employed almost continually throughout the game, and, if understood, and the system em ployed In advancing the ball, the game will become very plain at once. The op ponents now become the offensive players, and the center takes possession of the ball, the guards, tackles and ends taking their respective places to the right and left of the center. The quarterbacks stand Immediately behind the center: the two halfbacks and the fullback still in the rear of the quarterback. Hgw Signals Are Given. It Is at thin point that we begin to hear the "4-11-44's." The quarterback usually gives the signals. He calls a number or set of numbers, which not only denote the player to carry the ball, but also the place where the player Is to attempt to carry It. It further denotes that certain players are to make an opening between them for the man carrying tho ball to go through, at the same time calling upon others either to pfecede or push him In his attempt to carry" the ball forward. At this point we may pause to note how absolutely Important It Is for each and every member of the team to know thor oughly every signal employed. No play can be executed properly vrithout the aid of every man on the team, and a 'failure to know who Is to carry the ball, or where It Is io be carried, means that such a player not only falls to perform his important share of the work, but he. nine times out of ten, prevents some one or more of his fellow-playcra from getting Into the play. The system employed In advancing the ball is next to be considered. This Is a part of the game confusing In Itself, In that the ball is passed backward by the center to the quarterback, and from him to some third player, as a rule, before it begins Its forward progress. This Is a rule. of. the . ganie, so the spectator sees the ball being passed backward, then the players grouping "lnt6-llfferent formations In order to protect and aid the player carrying the ball. Here we find many dif ferent styles and theories employed, em anating, however. In most Instances from the style adopted and employed by Tale, Harvard, Pennsylvania and Princeton. It is essential for the spectator to know the number of attempts or downs allowed to make five yards In advancing the ball. If some limit were not re quired. If will readily be seen thaC one team might hold possession of the ball Indefinitely, . provided no fumbling of the ball occurred. So we find another arbitrary rule S l tLL : ; t?i 7- . j 9- , 1 rzrr ' - . ; 1 " .2- : 1 MQREOHASERAGING Horses of Hitchcock Stable Head Winning List. FURTHER CHANCE TO WIN Single Barn Has More Than $40,000 Won to Its Credit HylasLcads With $23,000 Hunt, As sociation's Prizes. The racing for the chasers does not this season close with the "Westchester meeting, as in former years, as the in augural meeting of the United Hunts' Racing Association offers a still fur ther opportunity for the cross-country horses to pay their way. But It is impossible that any owner will take the ptace of Thomas Hitchcock, Jr., at the head of the winning list. If- all the rffst money hung up for the chasers at Morris Park. Plmllco find Bcnnlngs should bo won by the stable now second on the list, Mr. Hitchcock would still be in the lead. Horses from his bam have this sea son won considerably in excess of 540, 000 a stupendous sum for a steeple chase stable to win In this country. Mr. Hitchcock topped the previous high-water mark last season by more than 510.000. yet his winnings then did not reach the 50.000 mark, and this season's good showing is a record that speaks volumes for the growth of cross-country racing. Mr. Hitchcock's best winner Is Hy las, the 4-year-old unsexed son of Meddler and Forget. Hylas alone has won upward of 523,000, or 55000 more than was won by Foxhunter last year, and Hylas has been racing since the Bennlngs meeting and has won several stakes. After winning a purse at Ben nlngs and Belmont Park. Hylas ran third In the Grand National, and would probably have won but for swerving badly in the stretch. Hylas' Splendid Record. From Belmont Park the horse went to Gravesend to win the Greater New York and the Empire State steeple chases, then to Brookllne to pick up the Country Club grand annual, the principal event of that meeting. Hy las was then "put away" for a while, and did not earn brackets again until the Brighton Fall meeting. Ho had In the meantime, however, taken second money In a couple of stakes. At Brigh ton he annexed the Chantilly, the race for which was a part of his prepara tion for the Champion. The success of Hylas is particularly pleasing to Mr. Hitchcock, as his dam. Forget, was a good winner of hurdle races In the Hitchcock "all green" a few seasons ago. Hylas was bred by the late W. C "Whitney and sold to requiring the side In possession of the ball to make at least five .yards In three attempts to carry the ball for ward. In case this Is not accomplished the ball goes to the opposite side. Why the Ball Is Kicked. It is at this point we And a reason for kicking' the ball during the prog ress of the game. Suppose the side In possession of the ball has made two attempts to advance the ball and gained but two-yards. There remains but one more chance to make the remain ing three ynrd3 In order to accomplish the five yards necessary to retain pos, sesslon or the balL The tact that two attempts have re sulted In but two yards gain makes the probability of gaining the neces sary remaining three yards doubtful, so instead of making that doubtful at tempt and nllowjng the other side the ball at that particular position of the field, the side having the ball decides to kick or punt the ball, thus sending It down the field some 3d to 60 yards. At the same time a chance exists that the other side may fall to handle- or catch the ball securely, and the side punting may again obtain possession of the balL It- will be seen that punting has thus be come a very Important feature of the game, and a team that falls tolmvo a man who Is able to punt quickly and ac curately Is heavily handicapped. In order to aid the referee and lines men In determining whether a team has made five yards In advancing the ball; the field Is marked off with white lines five yards apart and parallel to the goal lines. To eliminate so much mass play a new rule has been ado'pted. requiring six play, ers to remain up to the line of the ball and requiring the quarter-back or any other player who receives the ball direct from the center and attempts to advance it to cross the line of scrimmage at least five yards from the point from which It was passed. Hence has arisen the . ne cessity of marking the field with addi tional white lines five yards apart, begin ning at the middle of the field and running parallel to the side lines. This enables the referee to tell at a glance whether the player advancing tho ball on a direct pass from tho center, has compiled with the rule. The points of the game have also been changed, the result of a touchdown, ob tained by carrying the ball across the end line of the field, counting five points. Kicking the goal after such touchdown. Htr ?J- Mr. Hitchcock at the close of his 2- year-old form. His preparation for chasing, like that of Good and Plenty. was under Mr. Hitchcock's personal supervision. How well he succeeded the records Hhow. Hylas retires for the season in good condition physical ly, and there is no reason to doubt that ho will add to his already good record next season. As game a horse as ever looked through a bridle. Hylns Is one of the sort that will do only what he Is made to do. but he Is never beaten until the finish is reached. Mr. Hitchcock's second best winner Is Good and Plenty, who unfortunately had to bo retired after the Belmont Park Spring meeting. At this meet ing he won his only two starts, the New York steeplechase and the Whit ney Memorial, winning a total of 512,000. Cripples" Win Victories. "While there has been an unusually large number of fast miles trotted and paced during the comparatively short racing season of the year. It Is grati fying to note that a very" small per centage or the season's best campaign-, ers Jiave gone wrong or "put on the shelf," so to speak. Compared with previous years, there has been but few cases of sickness, and I do not remem ber any prominent trotter or pacer that has been entirely incapacitated for any length of time on account of sickness. Many horses that were reported lame or injured were seen In races the very next engagement they had. The racing season was not advanced very far when several horses in the stable of Mr. Geers were reported as entirely out of the game, yet every one of the "cripples" has won some great victory since. Zephyr was de clared as all In and unfit far further racing early In tho .season, yet she not only won several victories, but reduced her record to 2:07i- Clarlta "W. and "Walter Direct were also supposed to be out. yet both have been raced, and the latter has only been retired during the past week If the reports are true. Bon Voyage was crippled and sent to Mon tana, yet ho not only revived, but flow stands as'the season's champion 3-year-old colt trotter. Ethel's Pride. 2:07, Is another prominent trotter which the wiseacres declared lame, yet she has been raced and may cut some figure In the Tran sylvania stake. Several other Instances might be quoted to prove that in the mat ter of accidents and sickness the season has been a very fortunate one. The sea son's record shows that the promising trotter, Nora McKInney, 2:144. and the pacer. Directum Miller. 2:054. wero the only two that went home for good. No pacer In recent years has attracted as much attention as a great race horse than Nathan Straus, 203H. and deservedly so, for he surely Is one of the most con sistent among our 1905 Grand Clrculters. Of all the good things written about the pacer. I have not yet seen any mention of the fact that his present owner, J. E. Meyer, found the great prize -through the well-known firm of dealers, Flss, Doerr & Carrol Co., which at times had much to do with fast record horses. The absurdity of harness turf nomen clature was further Illustrated last week by the names of the horses that contested In one race, at an Illinois town. They were: Yum Yum. Hullabaloo. Sloppy Dan, Telephone Central and Buster Brown. one point additional, making touchdown and goal six points. A place kick, or what Is commonly known as the Princeton, kick, is a goal kicked. by one of the players holding the ball In position on the ground about 10 to 13-yards, to the rear of the center (the ball being passed direct from the center) and the fullback kicking the ball. Such a place kick resulting In a goal counts four points. Four points, also results from a drop kick, which Is a goat from the Held, the fullback receiving the -ball on a direct pass' from the center, and dropping the ball to the ground, kicks it'the Instant it begins to riso on the bound. The only other "points to be scored in the game Is a safety, "which counts two points as formerly. - A touchback and safety are very of ten . conused. The for mer counts nothing, while the latter means two points.- The touchback. with one exception, allows the side defending the goal to advance to their 25-yard line and there put the ball In play by a kick, such a kick or ipurit out. may be a drop kick, place kick or a punt. The ball Is put In play In exactly the same way after a safety has been scored. A touchback most always results when.the side advancing the ball punts, and the ball either Jands across the goal-line or. striking- the ground, rolls across before- It has been touched by a player defending the goal; or the ball, falling to go between the goal-posts In an -attempt for goal, from a Prince ton or place kick, or from a drop kick. It will thus be seen that In each case mentioned tho Impetus that sent the ball across the goal-line came from the side advancing the ball and not from the side defending- the goal. A touchback also results if. at the kick-off from the center of the field, the ball passes across the goal-line be fore being touched by the side defend Ing the goal. It results in a touchdown, however, for the side kicking off. pro vided the ball crosses the goal-line and Is secured by one of the side kicking the ball, provided he was on side that is. back of the ball when kicked. The one exception to putting the ball In play by 0. klcH on the 25-yard line after a touchback Is when there has been a try for goal by a place kick or drop kick on the first down, when within the 25-yard line, and a touch back results; In which case the re straining line is the 10-yard line, In stead of the 25-yard line. A safety results from one of the fol lowing causes. In each Instance, ln'dls- JO JLtr AO SS SO CLEARS THE DECKS Deal for Gans-Sullivan Bout . Has Been Abandoned. WHY NEGRO IS UNPOPULAR Battling Nelson Hns ice Itevenue From Double Source, Hence Is Xot Anxious Tor Any Fistic Engagements. Morris Levy, of the Hayes Valley Club, of San Francisco, came to his senses last week and .cancelled all negotiations toward matching Joe Gans with Mike (Twin) Sul livan. The colored boxer is manifestly so unpopular in San Francisco that any effort at putting him in there meets with a storm of protest. Al Herford. the oily manager of the negro. Is responsible for much of the colored youth's unpopularity, for the promoter's ways are not to the liking of those interested in square sports manship. The cancellation of the Gans engagement, which Is approved by the. sports at San Francisco. leaves a date open for the arranging of a match that will prove popular. Battling Nelson Is on the road with, his show troupe, and between counting the shekels accruing, from this source and the returns from his share of the moving pic ture receipts, he is making enough to keep him in spending money for awhile, and is not anxious for a fight. This atti tude of the champion leaves only two or three of the little fellows as possibilities. The probable match is likely to be be tween Twin Sullivan and Jimmy Gardner, both of whom are clever little men, and should prove a popular card. a "Matty" Matthews, former welterweight champion of the world. Is "dead broke." The 5100.000 he earned during his ring career has been eaten up by fast living, and now "Matty" Is earning- 513 a week riding one of the plunging horses at the Hippodrome. Matthews made humble ap plication last week to Thompson & Dundy. In his boyhood days, he said, he had. won some slight fame as a jockey, and he felt he had the courage and ability to take the dive into the Hippodrome tank. He was given a position, and at two per formances went through his work without a hitch or halt. Matthews lost the championship to "Rube" Ferns In Toronto three years ago, and since that time has been on tho downward path. He won the champion ship from "Mysterious Billy" Smith, at the Broadway Athletic Club, on April 27, 1900. His share of the proceeds was 55600, and as an example of the rash way In which he distributed his money, he tells that the following day he placed 52500 on a horse and lost it. "Mike" Leonard, known for years as tinction td the touchback. the impetus which causes the ball to puss beyond the goal-line is given by the side de fending the goal: First, when the ball is passed by one of the side defending the goal to an other on the same slue, and the ball is declared deud; second, when the ball Is snapped or passed by the center to another of his side defending the gcal, and the ball Is declared deud; third, when a fumble has resulted by one of the side defending the goal and another of the same side falls on It behind the goal-line; fourth, when a kick has been blocked and a player of the side de fending the goal gains possession of It behind his own goal-line and Is de clared down In this case the ball may have struck a player on the offensive side and bounded buck over the goal line, the impetus being construed as having come from the player who at tempted to kick the ball; tlfth, a safe ty may result when a player carrying the ball Is forced behind his goal-line, provided the ball was not stopped in its progress, that Is. not declared dead by the referee before the goal-line was crossed by the player carrying the ball This Is a. technical example, and the Impetus Jn such case is construed in a rather broad sense of the word, as hav ing come from the pass of the ball from center, who, of course, must pass the ball from within the Held. I. e.. In front of the goal-line; sixth, when a side attempting to punt from behind their goal-line, fall to punt the ball abross the goal-line, but instead. tle ball crosses the side-line. In this case, of necessity, the side-line extended, a safety results; seventh, so when a play er on the side having possession of the ball commits a foul which would give the other sloe the ball, at a point behind the goal line a safety is scored. Under the new ruling, the ball is de clared over the goal line If any part of It be once over or behind it. HOW WADDELL GOT IIIS LOAN Eccentric One Works Saloou Man for $10 and Manager Makes Good. "Think 'Rube "Waddell's crazy, ch? "Well, you've got another think." said "Billy" Rooks of the Utopia buffet- "He'a the wisest crazy man you ever saw. "When they were here on the other trip he came up here to my place and said: 'Bill, let mo take $2. I was just starting in and wasn't long on change right then, so I told him I couldn't afford It, but he kept coaxing and I kissed the two good-by. "An hour later back came the 'Rube' and he asked for 53 more. I told him I wouldn't do t. and he Anally took off that watch charm which he got for play ing with the 1902 pennant winners, and, throwing It on the bar. said: I gucs9 that's worth the live all right. "I let him take It. and before the night was over he touched me for 55 more, making 510 that he was into me,, but the charm was worth enough to make up for it. "Then next day he didn't pitch, but had. on his street clothes, and that night he was standing talking to Connlo Mack In front of. the hotel when Mack notlceu the charm was g6ne and asked about It. I lost It at the park. said Waddcll. 'As I was going through that gate I felt something pull and when I looked it was gone. "We all tried to find it. but some body must have stuck it in his pocket. " 'Connie told the 'Rube to' hurry over to a newspaper office and have a notice put in with a reward of 510 for the charm, which he did. and then he came up to my place and said: 'Bill, you send your bar tender down to Connie In the morning and tell him he found the charm at tho park. He'l give you your 510 back, and I'll have the charm and we'll all quit even. "I sent the boy down and Connie was tickled to give him the 510, and I was glad to get It. Crazy, eh? He's a long ways from being crazy." Detroit Free Press. the Beau Srummell of fighters, had a similar employment at the Hippodrome a few weeks ago. He, too. was without funds or friends. He lasted three days. JENKINS AFTER MAT MATCHES American Wrestler Visits England nnd Hopes to Meet Hackenschmidt. Tom Jenkins has arrived in England, and has made his presence known. Th first thing thi veteran grappler did was to send letters to the various newspapers challenging any wrestler in England. Ire land, Scotland or "Wales. Jenkins received few encouraging responses. Jenkins told why lie went to England. "I have come," he said, "for the pur pose of getting some matches. I trust I will be accommodated, for I hate to go .home without a match. I have met and beaten most of the noted wrestlers in America. The only man who succeeded In taking my measure was Hacken schmidt, but I think that I can throw him, and I am going after the chance as soon as I face several other men In Eng land who claim to be the best in their class. "England, I have been told, appreciates the abilities of a first-class wrestler more than America does. That this is true I will not deny. A third-rate pugilist can make ten times more than a wrestler in America. This 13 strange, but true. But wrestlers have to work harder than pugi lists. The public does not realize this, but it Is so. A fighter, no matter how fast he labors, has an opportunity to rest be tween rounds. On the other hand, a wrestler has to keep moving all the time. There Is no rest for him until between fall3. A wrestler has to stand more pun ishment than a lighter. To be hauled and mauled around a mat by a big strapping man. who once In a while flings all of his weight on you. is no sinecure. I have had a lot of experience in this respect, and ought to know. "If I had my life over again and was bent on athletics I would by all means become a fighter. He can make dollars where the wrestler earns cents." STABLE FOR PRINCE OF WALES. His, Royal Highness Buys Good Brood Marcs. It Is now positively known that the Prince of "Wales will become a patron of the "sport of kings." says a London cable dispatch. Several race horsea will carry his colors next year. His royal highness purchased three brood mares Gold Place, Lilly Palmer and Luscious last Summer, and turned them over to Lord Marcus Beresford to be kept In the latter's stud farm in Newmarket. The Prince of "Wales will register his colors early In the Spring Lord Beechford is In his royal highness plans and is acting as his agent in certain Important matters relating to the turf, Less than two weeks ago he bought Cyno sure, a colt by Cyllene-Nenemoosha, for 51JM), and It Is not. thought that Lord Beechford was acting for anybody but the Prince of "Wales. There have been several other purchases, and it Is expected by turfmen that tho Prince's colors will be carried by several colts next season. King Edward has long been a patron of racing, which is the national sport of England, and Is looked upon even by the clergy there with considerable more favor than in the United States.