The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-27
Copyright. 1851


up their men and casting about To find
out what material is left from last sea-
son to start in with as a nucleus for
this years eleven. Most OF the big uni
versities and colleges are in the habit
of induging In little preliminary prac-
tice before the fal; term begins. In fact,
il has been the practice in former years
at some institutions to send TIE men
during the season TO the seashore or
the mountains. This was an expense
that could only be incurred by the more
wealthy teams and by universal agree
ment has been abandoned This de-
cision was reached after n conference
last winter at Brown university. which
was attended by all the eastern colleges
except Yale.
How many OF the thousands who an
nually witness the games between the
big teams of the country think OF the
hard work that has been undergone by
the players before they were fitted to
take part i'm championship contest
Most people know that they have TO
train, but few are aware that the proc
ess OF getting into condition which ev-
cry candidate must go through is pre-
cisely the same as that undergone by
pugilist preparing for prizefight, ex-
cept that the boxer does not have TO
endure the hardening process with
which every football player ends up his
course OF training.
A visit to any big college campus at
the present time would disclose from a
dozen to so men engaged in what is
known as the preliminary work-that is
kicking the pigskin in all sorts of WAYS
and falling on the ball when in motion
on the ground. This business is often
Kept up for several weeks. Every one
who has seen game knows what n
difficult matter IL is to fall accurately
on the hard earth and clutch the egg
shaped object I'm it's erratic movements
especially when the ground Is at ALI
muddy and the ball consequently Slip
perry.
The backs practice punting. drop and
place kicking and catching the hall
while the forwards get i'm line and work
by themselves. AS general rule. the old
men from last years team will be coll
iected, and the freshmen with the best
regulations from the preparatory
SCHOOLS or others who show special ant
itude to fill I'm the vacancies make I'M
the first team, which is destined. after
many shiftings and changes. so much
80 that sometimes not a member OF the
original lot remains. to develop into the
varsity eleven
Another batch is chosen from among
the remaining candidates to act as the
scrub team, which is used during tho
whole season as trial horse for tho
varsity. As men prove themselves too
valuable for the scrub they are taken
on the varsity side in place of others
dropped because of inefficiency or acci
dents.
After awhile system of signals Is
eNolVed by means Of which the quarter
back can tell the eleven what the next
play is to be during the progress of n
game without letting their opponents
know their projected move beforehand
THESE signals are assduously practiced
by the players until they have the va
rious combinations OF the often complex
matter down to perfection.
When the season has got under wav
. training table is established. Great is
the JOY OF a hardworking and appre
hensive aspirant for the right to wear
the coveted initial on his sweater when
he Is told by the captain that he has
heentransferred to that table, for then
he knows one OF the greatest obstacles
In his upward path has been surmount-
ed. All that remains for him is to work |
hard at his position and perfect himself |
30 that other envious candidates NAV |
relegate him to comparative obscuritv |
once more
When man shows that he is sneciaI. |
~ lifted for certain position. he is Civ |
en- coaching To perfect his play by an /
expert at chat place, one maybe who |
mas distinguished himself in university |
annals as the best man OF his year AT |
that particular position on the eleven.
As the season advances graduates
VINO have been stars at football i'm for
mer years are seen acting as coaches in
aid Of the captain and his staff. Some
thles they do IL out OF pure love for
their alma mater and OF the game. AT
other times a captain who finds that his
fun back is not developing as fast as he
would wish may send an urgent letter
asking former famous player in that
position to come and impart some OF
his knowledge and skill to his sue
cessor.
IL is generally found at the end of the
season that each team has paid especial
attention TO perfecting itself I'm some
particular play. Harvard. for instance.
has for many years been very strong in
defensive work. She has 10 n certain
extent neglected the offensive mart OF
the game. and 10 is her weakness in that
portion OF tire tactics OF football that
has been in some degree responsible FOE
her failure To win many contests i'm re-
cent years.
Again. last season Cornell. and the
Catlisle Indians. realizing that they were
Iyhter than many of the big beefv
elevens they would find themselves en-.
countering during the season. very senz
sibly perfected their men IN the kicking
game, especially 10 dropping goals from
the field. Any one who followed tho |
fortunes or these two colleges last fan