Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-20
TRAINING THE MEN
How Foot Ball Team is Made
Efficient.
TIE ROUTINE At PRINCETON
Opening the Season Of the District
Bowling League.
SPORTING NOTES IN GENERAL
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
PRINCETON, N. J., November 10. 1895.
Few people, probably, who see the shock
headed and tattered aggregation which
represents a big university in one of the
great fall con tests have any definite idea
Of what preparation they have to go
through to land them on the gridron in
the pink of physical condition late in No
vember to battle for the seventy minutes
which brings to one side gloom and de-
spair, and the other-well, almost anything
they want that the college can give them.
In Princeton. which is fair example of
the larger teams, work is begun shortly
after college opens in September and goes
unremittingly on for something over two
months, until the last minute Of the last
half of the yale game" which closes the
season.
The foot ball mans day begins at am.
when he arises and goes down to the uni
versity club house, a pretty brick building
at one corner of the athletic grounds, and
the gift of one of Princetons former pro-
feSsors. Breakfast Is served about 7:15 in
the dining room, long, pleasantly lighted
room, with wood ceiling, and walls hung
with photographs of the teams Of former
years. The long table runs down the GEN.
ter of the room. and is attractive with its
snowy linen and china, stamped in orange
and black with the monogram of the club
house. The food is well cooked scrupu-
ious]y clean, hot and appetiZing. He has
for his breakfast, perhaps, fruit, oatmeal
and cream. chops, baked potatoes. toast and
coffee or milk. After breakfast he goes to
chapel or not as he is personally inclined.
ana Is his own man until dinner, at II,
when he has another repast on the line of
his breakfast, good. plain food, but not
limited to the classic raw beef and beer"
which is supposed by many to be the sole
diet of one in training. whether he be prize
fighter or engaged in reputable athletics.
II he be rush line man. he is now free
until 2. when the practice game of the day
takes place. and If he be a half back, he
has little kicking and catching to do be-
forehand as practice for him individually
in distinction to the whole team. At 2 the
Varsity eleven and the scrub" or second
eleven line up and play halves of varying
length, in which the scrub plays furiously,
since 1t is their school for future honors,
and our Varsity man works hard. lest
some energetic scrub man should develop
unsuspected talent and shove him from his
coveted place.
Queer Outfit.
What queer clothes our man wears;
heavy jersey, padded at shoulder and elbow
to save his personality from too close &C
quaintance with the hard, smooth field;
soegy moleskin trousers, padded also; heavy
sprins-he shoes, cleated across the bot
tom TO render him sure on his feet and ankle
guards, knee guards, shin guards, nose
guards, ear guards thumb guards and wrist
guards ad libitum, according to the wearers
Individual tastes and requirements. cam
vas jacket may be worn or not. If 1t is it is
never V-ashed-no foot ball clothes are wash
ed; 1t is against the unwritten laws of the
game, and the more like an animated rag
bag man looks the more he is pleased with
himself
At the Club.
After the practice is over he goes into the
field house and takes a bath, after which he
is rubbed down with whisky and water and
lets of elbow grease and is allowed to dress
and go out. If he has strained his knee or
bruised himself he Is sent over to the Uni
versity Club again to the masseur, who
pinches and pounds and rubs the offending
member until the stiffness disappears. When
he comes downstairs he f1rds some of the
other players assembled, and they all sit in
the hall, a great square room with open
wood fire and walls hung with championship
banners. the foot balls used in Princeton's
winning games now gaily painted and label
ed with the score. the case of gilded base
balls the silver trophy cups and the pic
lures Of the famous athletes of past decades
and classes. Here they chat until lecture
hour, when they depart to meet again at
supper, after which comes signal practice
Mental Work.
The players and substitl es all gather
in the hall, with the captain in the center,
anu eiicl ioohiiS diouiiu, ilc saws, "A, ID,
NJ. y. V! What is that signal for Kickit?'
kckit scratches his head and says: Left
half back runs around right end Right
says the captain, and calls on another man,
who must detail"the exact position and duty
Of every man on the team when the play is
formed AS there number of plays, 1t
is no small task to remember all the per-
mutations and combinations, and much
study is necessary before the men are all
perfect in their lines After glance at the
papers in the reading room, our man goes
off to his room on the campus and studies
little, gossps little with his classmates
who drop in and goes to bed not later than
1890 to sleep the sleep Of healthy tired boy
hood.
The club house regime and the general
training are under the eagle eye of McMas-
tiers, the Scotch trainer, who sees the boys
are fit. and patches up their minor bruises
ard ailments and keeps an eye on them and
thair