Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-09-13
THE FIRST FOOT BALL GAME.
Brattleboro High school opens the Sea-
son by Defeating Leland and Gray II
From a special correspondent

sou by Defeating LELAND and Gray -
TO 4.
From a special correspondent
The Brattleboro High school foot ball
team triumphed over the swarthy eleven of
the Leland and Gray seminary at Towns
bend Saturday. In spite of the heat and
the constant activity of the diaphoretical
glands about $50 Townshend people wit
messed the exciting game. At exactly
3:15, when Referee Thorn considered that
the rays of the sun we're all bending direct
ly upon the field of battle, he uttered, with
a voice only to be compared with the sill
very notes of an "Irish canary" "time."
With Ford as the confident commander
of the Townshend force and mastery
Morey as the sturdy bulwark of the Brat
tleboro troop, the two elevens now stood
facing each other with smoke pouring from
their fiery eyes.
AS the martial hosts rushed upon one
another, while the leathern covered sphere
was yet in air, Holmes, with eagle eve,
seized the ball as IL returned to earth and
with the phenomenal blocking off by will
cox and Williamson succeeded in reganing
about IL yards of Townshend's claim be-
fore the willy Storm tackled and downed
him for trespass. .
With Brattleboro as still the possessor of
the ball, % yards more were quickly gained
by means of Moreys extension stride (pe-
cular to his ordinary gait), around the
right end of Townsbend's compact line,
and he might have gained his end had not
Butler perceived his treacherous intention,
and by the graceful entwinement of his
slender arms about MOreys well developed
limbs, the two met the Mundane sphere"
as one. OF course such an encroachment
upon TOwnshend's "back yard" could but
infuse establishment even into the hearts of
our own gallant youths, who expected that
the high-minded sons of Townshend, who
were fighting on their own soil for freedom
(from defeat such as they suffered in '94),
would brush so small yet courageous lads
as Cunditf, Cline and Connors off the earth
Yet once again and for the third down, the
mighty Holmes rounded the left end, (un-
der the protection of Wilcox and Thomas's
knotty right arms), and without tackle,
gently placed the 'cause of so many
bumps over the goal line of his adversa-
ries, "whie all the world wondered" 1t
was touchdown for Brattleboro in ? l-2
minutes. "Oh, what a surprise"
With unbounded courage and an "easy
fruit look in their eyes the Brattleboro
eleven drew their Jared frames once again
around Waterman and Bahan's burly forms
to profit by "a little advice from Capt Morey
and experienced Stoddard, The next II
l2 minutes witnessed strifes and conten-
! tiOns and downfalls Of humanity innumer-
! able. Now II was that the latent slumber-
ing, fighting blood oozed from the nostrls
| of Bahan's vis-a-vis and the two were In
their respective positions at the moment
| e 10 to- l..
thought of fire, while Bahan chewed brim-
stone, and this being the only exception,
nothing resulted from the challenge but
| limited argument with an indigestable YER
bal vocabulary.
With the assistance of the spectators,
who were all loyal to the disheartened
seminary boys, the excitement became in
tense and by a mass play through Brattle-
boro's left end the agile Allen formerly of
Bratteboro) showed the way to Brattle-
boro's goal, where he surprised not only his
fellow combatants but much more the
downtrodden boys from Brattleboro who
observed with regret from the bottom of
the heap, that TOwnshend claimed touch
down. The fact remained, however, that
the TOwnshend team itself never knew how
it was done, for they failed to do anything
similar again, and thus the first chapter of
! the game closed with a score of / to 1.
The second half opened with intense eX-
element for the willowy, farseeing Stod-
dard became aware of the critical situation
and encouraged his men with accents loud
and clear to "take brace and quit chew
ing To such an extent did they all obey
that in the next ten minutes two mDre
touchdowns were credited to Brattle-
boro as result of Stoddard's long runs
from the centre of the field, one of which
the sure footed Wilcox kicked for goal.
The next time the ball was put in play
Townshend pushed hard for a touchdown
and by repeated attacks at Brattleboro S
: centre, gained about % yards, but on fun
BILE the ever-Ieady Williamson took the ball
for long run, but when within five yards
of the line Boutelle and Franklin put such
an abrupt end to Williamsons flight that
Boutelle had to be substituted by Prof
Symands. Throughout the last half very
skilful tackling was displayed by Dale AL
len, Butler, Connors and Holmes, while
Waterman's power of stability was very
noticeable from the start.
BRATTLEBoRo LELAND AND GRAY