The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-25
How Harvards Men Have Prepared
for To-day's Great Foot
Ball Game.
Various Stages OF the Work Per
formed by Candidates for
the Eleven.
Hard and Rough, bus the Discipline IL
strict - 1t Makes Rugged and
Sturdy Men.


athletic association who IL = member OF
She college or university. but IL IL anits an
other thing 10 got > place on tho team.
The work done IN trying for the several
teams In big institution like Harvard. for
example. is surprising. There are ths
foot ball eleven. base ball nine. crew, Mott
Haven track athletic tenn. cricket team.
tennis club. and the four GLASS teams each
in foot ball, rowing, and base bail. Tho
candidates for one of these alone. say the
freshman ersw, usually number no less
than eighty men. The others are in slmost
equal proportion. and the total number of
candidates Hans we'll up into ths hundreds
and probably scar thousand.
The efforts Of . candidate for foot ball
honors are not by any means extended
merely TO the two or three months prsced-
ing the big games. To be one of eleven
representing university Of 5000 students
10 an achievement worthy Of great things.
Once In college and the man who. when in
his preparatory school, had bis eye on the
varsity. Immediately begins His more d.
rect work for the place. Unless he 10 q
attention bv the collsRs athletic men, hs 10
not dire oily asked Quito the varsity squad,
but joins tho freshmen. Here he works
daily for few minutes At hrst. uatn hs
becomes touRhened and in good trim. Then
he raotioss for at least one hour and .
numerous and thei' nettls IL shown In the
class games. Here the freshmen arc sized
up by the upper o!ass men. and q va sity
man or two d ops around 10 look At them.
During the winter months oil of the Ath-
letes not in direct training tor son1 team
kQ ka nft
they May be seen BY hundSsds In the gym
nasium. The foot ball msn can easily be
distinRuished because they often wear their
heavily padded trousers. The exercise
usually taken 10 work with The dumb bells
and chest weights, a.d run up North ave-
nue. Of mile and half. The run 10 good
exercise. and all return to the gymnasium
in healthy glow. Then comes the shower
bath and brisk rub down, and the student
10 ready for his dinner.
Az soon as the snow is of tine ground ths
foot ball men forts what 10 known 40 the
''spl ing squad" This 10 designed more
especially TO bring sut all new men and
teach them the rGdimepts Of the game. II
is hard work. The men line mp and prao-
tice breaking through the line, and then
falling on the ball. They use dummy
swinging man as taeklinG mHehine. and
rush At him full speed and down hin.
Ae the summer draws near the captain Of
the var lily team makes up . list Of all the
more promising candidates. and these men
be manaRes 10 have together during July or
August for two or three weehs' practice al
some COOL place on the New England coast.
They sweat and toil in the broiling hot sun
for hours every day. They have little time
for any pleasanter pastimes. In the hope
that they may wear = varsity sweater. the
candidates como back to Cambridge early
in Ssptsmb Der, long before college opens.
Now comes the struggle. Every day for
the next thrso months they must work to
the very utmost of their shy sioal oapa bility
and denies themselves N ost of the pleasures
INDUCED in bv college men. Smoking 10
absolutely forbidden; drinking 10 mot al
captain or the cosoh. They cannot 20 to
theatres. as the candidates must be in I'd
by 10 S'clook. There is surgeon In
attendance every afternoon. who looks after
all bruises. cuts, and sprains which may bs
received.
They are drilled In the elementary p.in-
oiplss of the game. For instance, a line
will bs drawn up; then ono man will take
the ball aud starr ~ the top Of his speed TO
rnn down past the limo with IL. and the man
At the other end will run forward and
and sure. aAA IL he has not downed his
man quickly. they must try ID again. The
men practice for houts the simple feat Of
dropping ON the ball" The ball bounoes
unevenly. and tho man falling ON II must
do 50 BY throwing himself di,eotly for The
ball at full length. eatoh IL up In his arms,
curling himself about tho ball 90 az to se-
cure Il firmly. This IL hard 10 do. and
many n man bruises his arms badly.
The work Of the candidates toward No
| vsmbsr Ia exactly the Same from day to day.
They rise at 1880 o'clock in the morning.
and, after = good, cold bath, dress quickly.
Then they meet 1T some fixed poins in the
college yard" Az eight o'clock they oAn
| be aeon walking by twos to breakfasA
| Breakfast at the training table 10 . hearty,
wholesome meal. They have plenty Of we'll
cooked food. oatmeal. saRs fruit, and
steaks. but no sweets of any kind. They
arc not allowed coffee or tea; no hot bread
| or hot cakes. After breakfast tho men
| scatter TO their various rssisations and leo
lures. which kssp thsm busy until enc
training table. This meal 10 much the
same a. brsakfast with good deal Of fruit.
They have two hours to themselves after
lunch. and then begins tho hard work.
For an hour and . half they struggle.
with an intsrmission Of ten minutes. The
game 10 stopped every few minutes BY =
coachss 10 haul some poor fellow over the
Goals. But all goes on In spirit of ear
nestness until 10 IL too dark to rlay any
any more. Then the aubstitutss who have
not played indulge in run OF two miles or
| no. and tho regular mel go to the Carey
building for their baths. The men dine Al
of rare meat In order to keep their weight
up. They A'e TOO tired to do muoh later in
the night and are isady 10 go 10 bed ~ 10
o'olo0k.
Ready TO start South.