The Worcester spy., 1898-10-31
FOOTBALL.
of the
Bic Elevens
IN COMING GAMES.
Harvard's Disappointing
Showing With Carlisle.

Showing With Carlisle.
The past week in foot ball has been
a disastrous one for predictions as to
the results in the big games which are
now coming along. All the big teams
have had hard knocks in their games,
and there is a delightful uncertainty
about probable results when the strong
est elevens meet each other
The Harvard team has been sailing
along serenely the past few weeks un-
til a spirit of great satisfaction has
spread itself over the college-players
as well as rooters. All this air of
hauteur came to an end Saturday night
after the close of the Indian game, with
all its discouraging features. 1t is safe
to say that some lively coaching will
go on the first three days of the pres
ent week. and for the sake of the Grim
son. let us hope that many of the weak
nesses displayed Saturday will be erad-
lcated. The most discouraging feature
OF Saturdays play was that weakness
again appeared in spots where it was
hoped cure had been effected. This
was in the defensive playing outside
tackle. Again Harvard showed up
weak where she was supposed to be
strong-namely at the tackles, where
the two Pierce boys made monkeys Of
NILS and Donald, the veteran Cam
bridge pair.
Furthermore, the offensive on end
plays, which had shown up so well
lately was broken to pieces by Rogers
and Archiquette. OF course the RAINY
day lessened the efficacy of end plays
but on the other hand, the boasted in
reference of Harvard appeared in its
true light, veritable she'll To let the
braves of Rain-in-the Face waddle
PACK TO their wigwams with five points
70 the crlmsons eleven, is not a good
showing, and all Harvard admirers
nope the playing and the score will be
valuable as object lessons. Harvard's
score does not compare favorably with
ale S eighteen to FIVE, made one week
ago, but on the other hand, conpari-
sons of foot ball scores are bad things
10 deal in. The fact remains that the
braves always play their mightiest
when they see the red jerseys of the
Cambridge team.
AS the Harvard d-Pennsylvanfa game
is less than a week off, a comparison
OF the two teams i'll all respects is not
ainlss at the present time From the
way the two teams have played against
thelr strongest opponents, which is the
best comparison obtainable one draws
the conclusion that Harvard is below
her usual average in defensive work.
while she is above her average in often
slYe playing. This is obviously so when
one remembers that but two of Har-
wards present line have ever played as
regulars. The present weakness in de-
1enslYe work is sad blow to the strong
harvard supporters, who in spite of the
slurs of outsiders who scornfully draw
attention to the fact that Harvard has
beaten Yale but once in 20 years, de-
llght in recalling the close scores of
the Yale games at Springfield What
ever else she may not have done. Har-
yard has always played well on the
defensive, and has never stopped until
the last line was crossed.
This year with fast spectacular
backs, she is strong on the offensive.
but not strong enough, The great, big
weakness which the writer sees in the
offensive work, after witnessing most
iof the games, is the lack of enough
mass plays and centre plungers. Up
to date, Boal and Haughton alone Of
the linemen, have been used in line
bucking, and there are none of those
carefully evolved mass plays that are
so essential on a rainy day If next
Saturday should prove to be a repeti-
tion of last Saturday in weather. Penn
sylvania viii win handily, Just because
her plays are all mass plays, while Har-
wards are of the end variety which dis
tinctly do not work well on slippery
field. 1t is safe to say after Satur-
days experience, that some mass plays
will grace the crimson's repertoire next
Saturday.
On the other hand, Pennsylvania is
stronger on the defensive than Har-
ward, but her offensive is not up to last
years standard Whether or not it is
the equal or superior of Harvard's this
year. depends much on the weather.
If the day is fine we shall have just
another such game as when last the
same two teams played in Cambridge,
in the fall of '95. On that day neither
team could hold the other, so that the
score of both sides mounted up and
Harvard should have won but for
Charlie Brewers poor work in kicking
goals. That the Quakers' line is not
impregnable. Saturdays game with
Chicago University showed. Whether
or not it will yield as well to Harvard,
Is a matter of speculation.
In brief, it may be said that Har-
ward looks slightly superior in offen-
sive work. which of course means
scoring, and Harvard is going to do
some scoring without doubt The
Crimson outclassed the Quakers in
punting ability both in distance and
effective placing, o vital point on a
windy day. On the other hand, Penn
sylvania is superior IN defensive play,
which means keeping down Harvard s
score and in interference for the
catcher of punts, thus lessening Har-
wards superior punting ability. Infany
case the game win be close and we'll
contested perhaps the best the two
teams have ever played.
Yesterdays game may result in
changing the Crimson lineup next Sat-
urday in several spots First of all,
Farley may replace Cochrane at left
end and Haughton supplant Miles at
right tackle. The first change would
weaken Harvard's punting and goal
kicking department, but would
strengthen the end against Pennsyl-
vanias tackle plays to break up