New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-16
ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
THE BIG ELEVENS NOT YET APPROACH
ING CHAMPIONSHIP FORM-GOSSIP
OF THE PLAYERS


The struggle between Harvard and Pennsyl-
vania is now less than three weeks off. Yet
neither Of the elevens that will meet on Soldiers
Field on November 3 is in anything like the
form that II should show with one OF its most
important championship games Of the season
so close at hand. Much can he accomplished in
the brief space Of three weeks yet that time
just preceding a championship game ought or
dinarily to he devoted to perfecting the rival
elevens in team play and in the finer and more
technical points Of the game in making the
rough points smooth and rounding out the
whole. But before these finishing touches
he put on either the Harvard or PENNSYLVANIA
elevens, much work that is less funda
mental must 1t would seem. be done. At Phila-
delphia. for instance. Mr.. Woodruff has since
the game against Virginia last Wednesday. been
casting about in his own mind to whether
to break up the odtime trio at centre and put
Hare the big guard at fullback. Hare tried
in that position. and his two old mates at cen
ire Over1eld and McCracken. were shifted
about In his new job Hare acquitted himself
fairly. and broke the opposing line with a good
deal Of force. But ii became pretty plain that
the new combination was not a winning one, for
the centre was lamentaby weak under It, and
It was evident that Hare did not have the time.
even had he the ability, to develop into first
rate punting fullback. So. in the last half Of
the game with Virginia, Mr.. Woodruff moved
Hare back in the line and gave him his old COM
rades. But IT is not certain that Mr.. Woodruff
Will hold 10 this combination and q matter OF
such vital Importance remaining undetermined
near the Harvard game indicates pretty
clearly that the redoubtable Pennsylvania men
are not this season up to the form that they
usually show at this period Of the year There
Will be hard work and mighty dongs In
the practice at Franklin Field between now and
November 5. II Captain Outand is to head as
formidable Pennsylvania eleven as of yore.
HARvARD's TEAM STILL UNDECIDED ON.
There is a consolation for the Quakers in the
fact that Harvard is also in an undeterminate
state to a corresponding degree Thus far al
most all that Mr. Forbes and his assistants with
Captain Dibblee have been able to do is to try
one candidate after another for the various posi-
lions, observe their work. and then try TO decide
which Is the combination that must finally he
chosen and developed. AT the beginning of the
season IL was announced al Cambridge that the
eleven as it should play in the big games would
be selected at the earliest possible moment in
the season, and that then the whole task would
be TO play those eleven men together constantly
and round them into a strong offensive and de-
fensive team. Not yet. however, can 1t be said
that this combination has been finally picked
out though IT is probable that nine or ten out
Of the eleven men who. barring accidents Will
play in the Pennsylvania game are now pretty
we'll arranged in the mind OF the head coach at
Cambridge With the selection chaotic up
to this point. however, II may be seen that Har-
ward has an immense task before her to bring
her eleven to anything like winning form by
November D. For Pennsylvania, while also well
behindhand. has far more veterans In her line
than has her Crimson opponent, and therefore
the Quakers may be expected 10 round into
shape more rapidly In the days preceding the
great struggle. Harvard has certainly made an
advance In the last ten days. She has put
more vigor into her work. and there have been
many points Of satisfaction for the Harvard
"rooters" TO note These were especially promi-
nent in the games against Dartmouth and Am
herst But II should be noted that the plays
that were conspicuous were some apparently
brilliant runs that were brought about by the
easy boxing OF the rather soft Amherst ana
Dartmouth ends. There Is nothing on the footbAu