The San Francisco call., 1896-11-21

end at Berkeley, and the candidates for
the position have narrowed down to Nc
Mutt. Craig and Hopper.
The positions on the Stanford team still
open to keen competition are left half
tackle and right end. but the other places
are doubtless permanently filled. Dole,
Searlght, Freeman and Parker are aspi-
rants for left half, with chances perhaps in
the order named. Parker is the quickest
man and is compact and strong. Free
man is large, powerful, a long-distance
punter and a good line bucker, but slow
at starting. Searight and Dole are pretty
equally matched, both in ability and in
failings.
For tackle there is some doubt whether
big Thomas and Harrington can hold their
places against Rice, who Is much lighter
than either but is far more skillful and
experienced tackle. and knows more foot
ball. At right end Straight. so far as
work and training go, deserves the place,
but may be supplanted by McLaine, who,
though he came out at the last moment
has shown up very well.
A week ago things looked rather gloomy
for Berkeley, because three of the four last
years Varsity players who are on this
years team were disabled. Ransome and
hutchinson were going about on crutches
and Sherman was confined to his room.
Hutchinson, the star end, is out of it
altogether this year, mis- ankle not having
recovered sufficiently to permit him to
enter even for short time. But Ran
some and Sherman are both on the field
again and both will enter the big game.
RaDsome's inability to practice punting
has been serious setback. Berkeley has
no other man for the place, and with no
kicker she would lose to Stanford much OF
an advantage.
AT Palo Alto there are several men at
the present time who are outpunting him,
and II the two teams played to-day the
Palo Alto men would perhaps make steady
gains on exchange kicks. Hail. the Berke-
ley left half, has been playing steadily
through the season and appears to be as
free from injuries to-day as he was the
afternoon he put on his suit for the first
time.
He has been particularly fortunate in
| escaping serious bangs and bruises, and,
consequently, has had all the advantages
of playing steadily throughout the prac-
tice season. Kennedy, at quarter, seems
recently 10 have lost his cunning in max
ing passes with the ball, and as conse-
quence his work for the last two or three
weeks has fallen off considerably.
Avery, who has been playing at center
for the past ten days, having succeeded
Birdsall, was not near up to Varsity form,
and consequently was laid off day or so
ago to give room for Carr, who is much
more active and harder player.
Ludlow, who has been moved back and
forth from tackle to guard and from guard
to tackle several times during the season,
is finally settled at guard, where he will
probably play next Thursday.
Greisberg, at left guard, has been hold
ing down his position throughout the sea-
son, and has been moved about less than
any other on the line, save Simpson.
Stedman, who is Berkeey's rig t tackle
at present, is a comparatively new man at
bo iaII ho
he is playing. Though having done good
work on the second eleven, he has not
shone out as brilliantly as some of the
other mem bers of the team.
He is tall and sinewy and strikes the
line hard, but does not use his head well
enough. Simpson, the other Berkeley
tackle, on whom so much was counted
last year, but who was debarred at the
eleventh hour from playing because of
the study requirement clause in the inter-
collegiate agreement, has been out stead
lily and has made good name for him
self, but his work has not been up to what
it was in 1895.
will play at ends. The two places lie be-
tween three men-Hopper. McNutt and
Craig -and as they all have shown up
equally well the choice will probably be
made of the two men who are in the best
physical condition.
L He ldst uayS practice at Berkeley have
been given up almost en- tirely to defensive
play The college" or second eleven has
been given the ball most of the time, and
has succeeded many times in making long
advances and in scoring touchdowns.
Many of the Berkeley Varsity men fail
to keep their eyes on the ball In almost
every tumble the pieskin bag mas been
fallen upon by the college" players.
So far as Berkeley is concerned the spec
tators on Thanksgiving day next may ex-
pect to see four or FIVE players running in
hot haste down the field, closely protect
ing the man with the ball, rather than be-
holding lone player hugging the pigskin
bag and sprinting with all his might and
main, only to be brought down by cor
don of tacklers from the other side
Several surprises are in store for the
Palo Alto team. Butterworth and Mott
have recently been teaching their men
several plays that have never before been
tried on this coast in an intercollegiate
game. These plays have been used with
telling effect lately. First the Varsity
eleven would try them and would make
long advances through the college team
at every pass of the bail. When things
were reversed the college eleven would 90
through the Varsity line in like manner.