Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-22

NOVEMBER %, 1873
cOachers I'm order to produce sucn
final result as will be exhibited by both
teams on Thursday next. The coaohips
at the first mentioned institution has
hson w tho charge % Johnson. an ex-
Princeton player. While he has been as
sioteu ga ins work BY several OF NoFth
Cardinals former players. among them
being DR.. Baskerville. the former half-
back and captain OF their team In ~,
who has put forth every effort to ASSIST
I'm producing fast backs and good sys-
TEN OF interference.
JOHNSON HAS DONE WELL.
Johnson was recommended by Trench
ard. their coach OF last season, who Is
now at the University OF West Virginia.
Johnson has from all accounts surpassed
every expectation. and has produced
team which may surprise Virginia ana
claim the championship OF the South.
At Virginia the coaching has been In
charge OF Mike Bergen. who. like john
son. is also an ex-Prlnceton man, having
played half-back there on the team or
49, and since then assisted I'm the coach
Ing Of their team. His work for VIZ
ginla has certainly been worthy or
the highest praise, and has stamped him
| az an excellent coach Several times
| during the season he has been assisted
by former Varsity players and others.
Prominent among them was Mr.. Lang
don Lea, ex-Princeton tackle and cap
tain OF that team in 80, who has been
head coach in charge Of all the work
OK the Princeton team this year. Twice
i fol ha several
the University, and assisted in the coach
| ing. He will return there to-day, and
remain until the contest here next
| Thursday. His work in coaching the
team at the first Of the year has shown
up in the general play OF the men
throughout the season Massie, ex-Nir-
ginia guard Of '94, who is now playing
a like position on the Hampton Athletic
Club team; Pope, ex-Virginia tull-oack,
'93 and '9i, and ex-Prnceton, 20; ana
Jones. ex-Virginia half-back OF 'g3, "a,
and 80, who is now coaching the VIZ
ginia Polytechnic Institute team. have
each assisted in the coaching work at
their Alma Mater for few days az
time.
COACHERs HAD HARD WORK.
The work of building up strong cam,
which has devOlved upon the coachers
at both universities this year, has been
a hard one. as at the opening OF the
college year there seemed, from all ac-
counts. TO have been a decided lack OF
suitable material for the different posi-
lions. or, rather. a lack Of the usual
number OF old players to start with, ara
this necessitated much laborious WotN
among the new men TO find SUCH as
would come out on the field and try 70
learn the game sufficiently well TO MI
a.. l., no MANN
were tried. Of course and many had TO
be given up IN despair, as not capable TO
SUNNY the wants Of the coachers. before
any kind of a team could be allowed TO
enter even a minor contest, much less
the game here this week; for those VINO
win compose the makeup Of the TWO
teams on this occasion will not be chosen
until the day before. and then the strong
est line and the fastest backs will be Sc
lected from among the applicants to con-
test for honors ON the following DAY.
MUCH TRAINING NECESSARY.
Much training has to be gone through
with to gain a place on the team. out
II is not as taxing 10 the man as FORMER
". Now short practice on the held every
afternoon. in lineup against the scrubs
takes the Mace OF the former practice
twice a day. The men are required TO
| abstain from smoking and drinking from
| the time they come out as applicants for
| the team and, furthermore, they must
retire as early as their studies Will per-
| milf and be careful IN their diet, avoid
| ing sweets and rich food At the hrst
/ OF the year, before they are allowed TO
enter into regular play. they must 80
through gymnasium exercise and light
work on the field. in order to guard
against injury when they enter for
hard play.
A man 10 be A successful player must
have weight and muscle as the first re-
ouisites Then he must be quick, and
! be capable of using his head in an emer-
| pencv and not become ratified; and
until man learns 10 do this, he
can never be classed as good player.
After he has attained these requisites
II he Is willing and anxious 10 learn, ne
will have no further trouble, for the
balance Is the business of the coach 70
show him: and If he be willing TO obey
every word and follow every action OF
! those I'm charge, he will soon master
the game. He has first to learn how to
| fall on the ball. not only 10 secure IL
for his side. but to be able TO do so in a
| manner that viii not result in injury 10
his body. Next, he must learn how TO
! tackle his opponents IN the manner al
lowed I'm a game. Then If his position
| be In the line he must understand now
to hold his own against the PUSHES OF
the opposite player and team. ana mus
prevent gains being made through him.
MUST RUN FAST AND KICK.
II he be a back. however he must
learn to run fast and low, TO buck the
line hard. and 10 kick well. Besides
these requisites, every player has 10 uh-
derstand how 70 catch a ball without
| oil 10 wei
the Interference of his opponents, while
every man should be able to interfere
we'll for his own team. With such quail
ties and a plenty Of grit" any man is
almost obliged to make successful
! player.
The weight Of the two teams-ihat IS
taking their lineup in recent games-is
about the same. And Il this be the case
every one may look forward 70 seeing
a well contested game and close CON
test for victory. which Will mean the
champlonship Of the South i'm football.
| The secret practice OF both teams pre-
paratory for the contest has commenced
/ and no one will be able 10 discover the
new plays. IL there be any introduced, un-
/ iii the teams line up against one an
| other and the game gets underway Du-
ring this period. as rule moro eood
work is done. which tells in the game TO
| much advantage than at any other time
/ of the season
NEW SIGNALS AND TRICKS.
Here the coachers introduce the new
! code of signals. which IS customary be
/ fore a big game. and also practice the
/ men in working such new tricks as the
| thought of many weeks may have brought
| to them. Quick movements which
seem to amount TO nothing, but which
Frequently result much better than was
! ever anticipated are also acquired. In
this practice whole systems OF play are