The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-23
ON THE GRIDIRON

Now that intercollegiate football is about
over in Southern California, it might be
Just as we'll to say few words about the
team which now stands at the head, and
in the matter Of record is the undisputed
champion of the south. This eleven is the
Occidental football team, who all through
the winter have played eleven games and
have not lost one; have been scored against
only once, and who have made total of
1875 points in eleven games to made by
their opponents. This is a record that any
team NIGH, be proud to show.
When the men first began to practice
there were only seven in the college who
had ever played tho game before, but hard
work and intelligent instruction has put
them easily at the top of the heap. The
average weight of the team is only 1873
pounds, the lightest of any of the Southern
California colleges. And now for a few
words about the most prominent men on
the team. S. W. Gooddale, the right half
of the team, Is about the best player in this
part of the state, fast runner, a
sure tackle and one of the best
punters now on the football field. He
was the coach for the team all through
their practice. BILLY" Edwards, the left
half, plays a very strong game, bucking
gamer and runs very fine interference.
will Ramsaur, the full back, has been
chosen to captain next years eleven, and
plays one OF the luckiest games ever seen.
He runs fast. hits the line hard, is good
tackle, and runs the best interference on
the team. On the line the men as a rule
are too light to do anything against q
heavy team that was we'll up in its work.
But they make up for it largely in the ex-
cellent manner in which they are handled.
The best men on the line are Murray, left
end, and Salisbury, left guard. They are
both tight men, but play their positions
we'll. Salisbury is very fine punter.
With the material that the college now has,
they ought to turn out a team next year
that would be absolutely inyincble. This
year they certainly did we'll enough as the
scores of the following games played
show:
Occidental, 4; Whittier State School, o.
Occidental, 8; Whittier State School, 8.
Occidental, IS; Throop University, o..
Occi ientai, "a; los Angeles Academy
and University of Southern California, o.
Occidental, %; Santa Ana. 0.
Occidental, 16; Whittier College, 0.
Occidental, 10; University of Southern
California, 0.
Occidental, 10; Pomona College, O.
There are very few teams in the country
which have such a record AS this to show,
and the Occidental team may certainly
re- W III tt1o aB6urdHCe tlldt III HAS carIleu tl0
ut of champion of Southern California.
The defeat of the famous Butte City
team on Saturday by the reliance club Of
San Francisco was a rather unlocked for
piece of luck. The condition of the ground
was no doubt largely responsible for the
result, tn heavy men of the Butte eleven
being unable to play their best on the
slippery, soft surface. Young George
Clark, the millionaire who is backing the
losers, will have slightly lighter purse
when he re-arrives in his own burg. Sym
patty would be wasted, as the trip was
merely got up for making money, large
quantities of the long green having been
brought out to bet on the team. When the
game of football reaches the level Of a foot
race or hippodrome, then it is time to
call halt. Such proceeding prostitutes
noble game, one that has hitherto been
connected with the word ''sport" in the
fullest sense. 1t really seems as if the
Berkeley men had some ground for their
refusal to play these gentry from Mon
tana. IF such q sport as football cannot
be kept clean from the communicating in
huence of the pool box and the betting
book. then indeed one is led to inquire
what is to become of the real sport of the
country When money comes into a
game then the sport goes out, taking with
it that manly interest that should charac-
terize all such trials of strength and en-
durauce. For heavens sake, do not let
this great game sink to the level of the pro-
fessional footrace.