New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-31
uARvARD's ELEVEN LACKS STEApi-
NESS
THE MEN PLAY BRILLIANTLY At TIME ~
Arr, rRRArIc SHOWING A Gt'NhfeA" DE
rf,rf,X,,Y ~ TEAM WORK.

Ff,TF<Nt'Y ~ TEAM WcftN
1-,--,n.,,. usss oct, n Special. There IN,
hosn good football ana bad football. on soo'o'S
Fled th. week; football which did tho near. soo'
n gee and footba. wh!ch reseribled uao'eue
,l,s more than anything else II II getting TO -
tbe same old Harvard story. The team pay We"
.rre there seems 10 be- q strong team 20 race bu'
in practice and with n nimsy line opposite nero !"
ustlessntss which g absolutely d'scouraglng'
vvba, is III, condition Of tho Harvard team TO
dave The old football player VIII tel you 'hA' ~
"a not quite sure Just what tho matter IL. aiihoush
he "a sure that there Is something Gec'oeu'y wv
matter Tho proper description OF the farVa'u
.na,r today * 10 say that It 'acks maturity. Th'
Glove, docs rot play Ike n veteran team Th"re ~
acI, OF team work IN the line. wore lack ""'"ee
~. line and backs ard not enough team "o'h
among the backs themselves. HarVhrh mas ho'
many men who really stars In the'r positions.
and tho eleven has not vet developed that unity OF
n,ov which car take the place Of individual ability
IN an emergency THIS "a the moro surprising,
since the Varsity picked at the opening OF inc
season for the express purpose of aV"'"!hs inc III
ncultv OF las. year. which resulted from uncertainty
~ choice OF players III lnte IN N" season. IN"
o,,y excuss &c that the Harvard team Of to-day ~
hardly the Same that was picked a. me beginning
OF the college year In tho game last Wednesday
more than half % the players were not those VINO
made ,p the hryt Varsity lineup or the season.
The old Harvard story OF injuries - OF conrf"
LARGELY res ponsble for those changes or the eleven
men who rlayed IN the first game OF tho season.
there is hist one the Varsity who has not
been laid of FOR injuries; and even he mas stopped
playing on account Of overtraining
T., "a now ONLY two weeks before the Yale game
and this erratic playing must be remedch y Har-
ward rs 10 get into shape 10 boat the Thoroughly
disciplined team that always can be depended on as
coming from Yale Ii Is difficult TO be specific Ia
crtttclsing the work Of tho Harvard eleven for II
..ui an uhqr the fault always Vns.
The defects Of the team not Inconsistent as u
may seem the defects or tho Individual players
The best general explanation Is lack OF seadiness
The heavy Harvard rush line has 80 far proved
distinctly better on defensive than on OFFENSIVE
work This has always been Harvard's stronS
point and Coach Forbes up 80 now has been ham
rnerjng his ideas on defence into the men. He has
come to the conclusion that tho line can now be-
dcpcnded upon and crusade IN offensive play mas
been started. The coaches have been showing the
men how to get ahead ~ well M how 10 stop. The
reason OF the poor offensive play comes from lack
OF heady work In handling the opponents. This,
however does not apply TO Captain Cabot. who ha
played throughout the season as consistently ~
any man on the team Cabot always plays A heady
game which means, among other things. that b"
follows his Interference closely and AS il has hap
pened repeatedly that there interference
for him 20 follow when there ought 10 have beer.
his ground gaining has not ALWAYS been az sure -
might be expected.
The numerous temporary injuries % the Harvard
llnesmen have brought forward some promising
substitutes While Jack Mouton laid OF.
Freddie Richardson played in two games. and sue
ceeded IN making his reputation as an end. Rich
ardson has that way Of breaking up the Inter
ference an end play and throwing back me man
with tho ball which reminds OF the plays OF
Captain Brewer. lie IS a hard and sure tacker.
and in either OF Tarvards ends Is laid up
Freddie Richardson can Dc depended upon to All
the position almost well the regular man.
The position OF tackle has lately demanded some
deep thinking from the Harvard coachers The
erTatic work Of Beef Wheeler Is especially caus-
ing trouble "Beers' size has made him a little
lazy: and in addition he does not play heady
game The result o, this combination OF qualities
IS that he IL sort Of persunctory tackle He does
well long his opponent offers only the con
ventiOnal opposition In the conventional manner.
hut put against him tackle with few double.
quick actions and seight-of-hand movements. and
lie gems completely at until some shows
MIN how "a meet the new methods Of attack. He
cannot his strength and weight 10 advantage;
al times he butts blindly around In the line and
II he does MAKE hole II Is n matter OF chance.
/ The man who has doomed up for "Heers' place "a
Swain. He has concusiyely shown that he has the
making of steady as Well as brilliant tackle he
has been able 10 stop onslaught after onslaught
and TO stop II in the only way in which II IL pos
sble 10 stop heavy back formations that is, b.
breaking through and tackling before the inter
ference has chance TO get together. At right
tackle. Barkie Donald has been laid OF for some
time. and Freddie Mills has been In his place. The
opportunity has given Mills chance TO show that
in case Donalds knee again gives out right tackle
is well provided for. The other new man In the