The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-11-04
BECKY SHARP SEES 1T.
How the Interstate Football Game
at Lawrence Looked.
EXCITING BUT HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

! q AACCt0 ABOUT Football anu NI&AAS
Learn 8IOre If Given Plenty of Time.
I've seen my first game of foot ball,
and, of course, l thought it brutal, just
as most people do, though one of Kan
sas' crack players stood by and explained
to me every few moments, THAT isn't
nearly as cruel as it looks"
And was quite willing to take his
word for it.
For though an esteemed colleague"
in the person of Mr.. F. l. Vandegrift,
has advised me to organize foot ball
team of new women, Pve no intention of
following his advice.
To begin with 1 fear 1 don't know
enough new women, at least of the kind
who would join foot ball crusade, and
then I've never had any desire toward
that particular experience, and much
less since seeing a game
was told on the way down to Law
renee on Saturday that many ladies I'M
derstood the game, but noticed just one
Topeka young lady and almost thirty 10
peka men on the train.
Among these was the poet Ironq uill.
l wondered if foot ball was bad enough
after all to satisfy Mr.. Wares reputed
thirst for the bloody field.
But didn't ask him-at the risk of
appearing fippant
Arrived at Lawrence l found the town
wide awake, and the quiet l had often
heard attributed to Lawrence no where
to be seen or felt.
The town was running wild with en-
thusiasm and literally painted red.
The K. .. colors cleaned and fut-
tered everywhere, most apparent in the
red Tam O'Shanter caps and gowns as
we'll as the rosy cheeks of d coaching
party of pretty girls who drove in the
gates of McCook field just ahead of the
omnibus loads made up of the Topeka
crowd.
Tho girls had tin horn so large that
they couldn't blow it. beside several
smaller ones which they could blow and
did.
1 understand base ball. and fatter my
self, (when the person, or more properly
persons who explained it to me are not
by) that learned to understand without
asking great many questions.
FIRST then, found that foot ball field
is called the gridiron instead of the
diamond. The chalk marks on the
smooth surface make it indeed mble
large broiler or toaster, but when one
of the players comes near just after
scuffls or "scrimmage" as it is called
officially, he looks more as if he had been
steamed or boiled
The first thing in Saturdays game was
the ''kick off" which must be seen to be
appreciated.
a minute after that an elderly lady who
stood near me, to whom her husband was
explaining or trying to explain the game,
| said as he admonished her to watch the
ball nowI'
why, haven't seen it since that man
kicked it, how can l watch it?"
1t took K. .. just seven minutes to
make a touchdown and the way those
giants played, to use the expression of
small boy who stood near: didn't do
thing" but touch up the Iowa boys the
rest of the afternoon.
Now they are lined up for a scrim-
mage" explained the kind and patient
gentleman. LINED up? 1t seems to me
they're STOPPING over" said I, but he paid
no attention.
At this juncture the players all stood
in the positions they would assume in
playing leap frog. anxiously watching
| the man who had the ball.
He stopped as the others did, excep.
that he had his hands on the big ball
instead of on his knees.
"What are they posing in that expect
ant fashion for?" queried l. Just then
the man with the ball threw it backward,
snapped it," somebody said, and the
! kind gentleman's explanation was lost in
the howl that followed.
Then every body tumbled over every
body else and some one explained that
it wouldn't hurt them, as they knew how
10 fall.
The K. L. meu have names which were
highly entertaining to the punster stand
ing along the rope which was supposed
to divide the spectators from the players,
bat did not always do it,
There was Mr. Gama9 who IT ia cuO
gestsd will win for his team what his
name suggests; there is Outland, whose
brilliant plays seem outlandsh enough to
the other side, no doubt; there is Crooks
who can play fine game without any
but straight methods.
Piatt, the captain, has jaw that would
make him eligible as pugilist with the
modern prize fighter methods.
Early in the game Games was ruled
on: for smuggling" which means that
when an Iowa man tackled" him to
prevent his making a "tou chdown,'' he
hit him with his fist doubled up.
When Mr. Games was introduced to
me l asked him why he quit playing,
and he said, "shey say l slugged Allison;
that means that hit him with my fist
OF courae l didn't; I pushed him with
my open palm, which we are allowed to
do, but it would take up so much time to
argue the question that l let it go at
that: we will win anyway, and Crooks
who took my place is playing we'll; look
at THAR and Mr.. Games jumped up and
whooped like an Indian warrior, the
blanket which the trainer had wrapped
around him to keep him from takin :
cold. helping this resemblance. Mr.
Games said, Now, Miss Sharp, I'll glad.
~ explain the game to you and its very
simple"
Perhaps it was to Mr.. Games, but I'm
afraid didn't learn anything except
what touchdown is and what kicking
goal means, though it is the ball they
kick really.