The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-23
Eleven Chosen for Particular
Merit During Seasons
Games
Seven From Stanford, Two From Cali
fornia, Two From olympic, None
From Reliance.

City, Mont, that In his opinion the Butte
football team, as now constituted, could
defeat any eleven that could be got to-
gether from the players on the coast
1t is safe to say that the numerous men
forming and gathered about the four big
eleyens of this State constitute the best of
the developed and actively engaged foot
ball material now on the coast. An ALL
California team this season would there
fore be an All-Paoific- Coast team.
With this season football games among
the big teams of the State-Stanford Cali
fornia, Olympic and Reliance-decided
and the abilities of the various PLAYERS
ia irly well demonstrated, the question
naturally arises, Who OF all the football
material would now properly constitute
an All-California team? The selection of
men for such an eleven Is in some cases
difficult matter even for one who has care
fully watched all this seasons games and
has witnessed every match of any impor-
lance played about San Francisco Bay
during the last five years, together with
lnnumerable practice games and minor
football contests.
The Work of certain players stands out
with sufficient prominence, however, to
insure them place to begin with on the
All-Callfornia team. These men are Ran
some OF California for fullback, Cotton of
Stanford for halfback, Nolan of Olympic
for end, Williams of Stanford for center,
and earle of Stanford for guard. 1t is not so
easy TO choose the best men for the other
six positions. Nor probably will every
football enthusiast, particularly if he be
strongly in favor of a certain team, agree
with the selections here made. They are
based entirely upon an estimate of each
mans ability and reliability in his par
ticular position in all branches of both
offensive and defensive play and in
emergencies, as shown by his perform
ances, not in one brilliant exhibition or in
one unfortunate experience, but through
out all the games in which he played,
and judging alike his strong points and
his weak points.
Here, then, is the team that might
properly be termed the pick of the sea-
sons crop OF players, S. standing for STAN
ford, G. for California, 0. for Olympic and
R. for Reliance:
Ends-Nolan TO- and Straight (S.); substi-
tntes-McCormick CO., and Craig &C..
Tackles-Rice Isl and Thomas (S.); substi-
tutes-Simpson co. and Sexton r..
Guards-Carie a. and Fickert 81; substi-
tutes-Oliver RI ond Sheehy co..
Center-Williams Isl; substitute-Ames to9
OF Burnett (R.).
Quar5sr-Code (o); ubstitute-Kennedy
Naturalization (s.) and Hall (C.); substi-
tutes-Stickney 70 and Walton RI.
al
ney (O.) or Murphy 81.
Now for the specific reasons for the
choice of these men over others, and par
ticularly over those thought so little in
ferior that they have been selected as sub
stitutes or alternates for the different
places.
Ransome is probably the greatest foot
ball player that has ever been at the Uni
versity of California. His work a. the
Oakland High School promised much
and his four years service on the Callfor-
mia Varsity fulfilled that promise. Dur
ing the last three years he did the kicking
for his team, and his all-round playing, as
a heavy, powerful runner in a scattered
field as line bucker, as an interferer, as
punter and as a tackler, easily entities
him to the reputation OF being the best
fullback that has ever played on the Pa
cifc Coast. That he did not play in the
recent Thanksgiving game in the perfec-
ton of his usual form was due partly to
the fact that his line could not afford him
proper protection, and largely to the i'm
mense responsibility that devolved upon
him alone as captain and star player of
certainly outclassed team.
Cotton, though he occupied the full
backs position for the first time in the
Thanksgiving match, practically played
as a halfback, for he was never once
called upon to kick. which Is one of the
most important functions of the position,
nor was 1t intended that he should punt
He was simply put in the place at the
eleventh hour, as he had before been
placed in other vulnerable positions, be-
cause his. unusual versatility fitted him
for any place on the team. The speed
that made him useful as an end rush one
year. the tackllng and great weight that
made him effective as a tackle last year
and the unprecedented line bucking abil-
ity of this year, never before equalIed on
this coast by any player, together with a
tenacity in handling the ball, combine in
making Cotton probably the surest ground
gamer of any OF the backs and at the
same time an all-ronnd player of too great
value to be left off this picked eleven.
Nolan's quickness and sureness in
reaching the runner, his hard and in
fallible tackling and his ability to run
with the ball mark him as by far the best
end that has played on the coast. That
he is an exceptional man in the position
is attested by the fact that although
West Pointer, and therefore to certain
extent not so prominently. noticed as
players on the big four college teams
Yale, Princeton, Pennsylvania and Har-
vard-he was last year named as end on
the imaginary All-America team.
Williams constantly aggressive playing
both on the offensive and defensive, his
ability 70 care for his opponent and still
figure prominently IN tacKIlng Tar from
his place in the line, his passing, his sue
cess in blocking kicks and his cleverness
in getting down the field and in keeping
close to the ball entitle him to the dis
tinction of first place among the centers
on the coast, though he is the lightest Of
the big centers, with the exception of
Carr. who, though deserving of credit and
praise for his grit, was completely out
classed by Williams; one significant proof
OF this statement being the thirty-eight
gains made through California's center in
the Thanksgiving match to the four made
through Stanford's center.
earle is the heaviest good football
player on the coast, weighing in ordinary
dress 225 pounds. He is particularly agile
and is built near the ground. He en-
ploys these natural advantages in his pc
culiar style of play and with success that
those who have seen him make openings
tor the backs can attest. The assistance
be gives his side partners is also valu-
able feature of his reliable though not par
ticularly noticeable play.
Straight's steady, conscientious work in
getting down the field on kicks, in tack
ling ard particularly in offensive play in
helping to box the other tackle, renders
him a valuable end and probably the pick