Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-29

1
Two of these, and 8, are outside the end
men, and extend from them to the boundary
lines. These two spaces are constantly
changing according to where the ball is
down for q scrimmage. If the scrimmage Is
midway between the side lines they are
equal, but as it approaches one or the other
side lines the space next the line decreases
while the other increases. Thus opportu-
mites are constantly given for making what
is termed an "end play" and generally
speaking the chances are best on the side
where the space is larger. Playing around
the ends has come to be one of the most
popular plays, because, If successful, it
usually results in long gain. In this part
experience has taught that it is better to
strengthen the center by keeping the men
close together in that place, and trust to
the distance a runner with the ball would
have to 60 to reach the end to give time to
send assistance to the spot.
1t Catches the Spectators.
An end play is the most interesting Of
all the plays to the spectators because of
the open running and lodging which al
ways takes place; the fine blocking of, and
then the brilliant tackle which IL likely to
follow on this play, but to the. careless OBJ
server what sometimes seems like long
run on this play is merely run across the
field with little or no gain.
In 1889 the end play was perfected by the
system of interference then originated. Be-
fore this the half-back making the play had
to depend largely on his own end man for
his assistance, but in that year Princeton,
by skillfullv running their two half-backs
nd r{orh hal ~ he full kon
tackle with the ball, were able to get around
the ends more frequently and to make
longer gains happened to see the Har.
vard-Princeton game of that year where the
new system was put into use and with ter
rible effect against Harvard. Time and
again "Snake" Ames ran around the Har-
ward ends, being beautifully guarded, and
made touchdown after touchdown after
brilliantly covering 80, 40 or 90 yards.
The most common way is for one of the
half-backs to take the ball and to run around
the opposite end preceded by his inter
ferera
Through the Other Spaces
Spaces 2 and Z, between end and tackle,
are the next largest in size. Plays through
these holes have become more and moro
frequent. Systems of interference have
been originated which make this opening
OuC VI buC DSst 1oi pidyluSs Laet year Iuls
spot in the line was frequent place of
attack by both Harvard and Yale, and this
year it is being used even more frequently.
In this play the end man is showed out
toward the side of the field, while the tackle
is showed In toward the center
Spaces 3 and have to be made by the
tackle and guard pushing their opponents
out and in, respectively, as the players
stand close together in this part of the line.
These are used great deal in advancing
the ball, not only by the backs, but also by
the tackles and guards when the latter run
around and take the ball from the quarter.
back. think that these spaces are more
than any other pair, especially for plunging
for short gains. 1 remember very sorrow
fully the way Princeton plowed for sixty
yards straight down the field through this
spot in our Yale rush line after Billy
Rhodes was put off in the Berkeley Oval
game of 1889.
Spaces 4 and are not quite so vul-
nerable as 3 and 6, although they can
be made very effective for playing when
the center rusher and guards thoroughly
understand their work. A remarkable in
stance of this occurred in the Yale-Prince-
ton game of 1885, which contest was also
notable for Lamar's famous run of over
two-thirds of the length of the field, thereby
L II
hand and with only six minutes more to
play.
Story Of . Famous Play.
Princeton had forced Yale down to her
five or ten-yard line amid tremendous cheer
ing on the part of her supporters, who
thought that touchdown must follow. But
Yale here made a grand raily and secured
the ball, and then began that memorable
series of short plunges through the center
by Ben Morrison and Watkinson, carrying
the bail from near their own goal line well
into Princeton's territory, a feat only sur
passed In the large games by that Of Yale in
last years game at Springfield, when the
ball was carried from the center of the field
for touchdown without once losing it.
No member Of an eleven is debarred from
running with the ball from scrimmage if
he conforms with the rule that no one can
run forward with the ball until it has
touched a third man. This, then, would al
low everybody except the center-rusher,
who puts 1t in play and the quarterback,
who receives it, to run with the ball. but it
would be unwise to run every player. Up
to 1883 the center-rusher sometimes put the |
ball into play by making bunt kick, and
then picking 1t up and running with it. In
the fale-Harvard game of that year Corbin,
Iale's center-rusher, distinguished himself
by doing this twice for long gains, one of
them netting q touchdown. The quarter
back also was more frequently used for run
ming through the line than now, but the ball
used to be handed to him by one of the
guards, who picked it out from under the |
foot.
Men Who Were Good at 1t.
Harry Beecher, Yale's famous little quar- |
ter-back, used to make this play to perfec--
tion, scarcely ever failing to make good |
gain. Frank Peters, who was captain of |
Yale when Beecher first played quarter
back, had the curious signal Of splitting on |
the ground for this play, and then little
hcle.in the opposing rush line and 60 dodg-