The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-23
Academy Line
Very Weak.
FRESHMEN WON.
Worcester Rallied, But Too
Late to Score.

on the Worcester oval, yesterday af-
ternoon, resulted in a game that was
in striking contrast to the exhibition
one year ago, when the two teams
lined up against each other on the
Academy campus.
In that game Worcester Academy
was victorious by score of - to 4;
in the game yesterday the Harvard
freshmen not only Won the match, but
kept Academy from scoring, the final
result being 10 to 0. One year ago the
home team showed far superior all
around playing ability; yesterday the
freshmen outclassed their younger OPP
onents at almost every point.
1t was far from an ideal day for a
football game. 1t had been raining
all the preceding day and all through
the night. The clouds had at times
broken away, but it was only for few
minutes. Then there would be more
rain, and when it was not raining
heavy mist was in the air. Taking into
account these wretched weather con-
ditions, the field was in surprisingly
good shape. There was not q foot in
the $500 square feet of playing area
that could be termed really slippery.
Before the game started everybody on
the grounds expected many fumbles,
due to a wet ball. This expectation,
however, did not materialize, for only
four times during the two halves did
the ball change hands because of fund.-
ling.
The Harvard freshmen made a
grand showing. Weakened by the loss
Of their captain, and one of their
strongest men, Dave Campbell and
playing with four other substitutes in
the lineup, these young men from
Cambridge did remarkably well. They
played together we'll; they knew their
signals; and every man was in every
play. Captain Campbell, who was out
of the game on account of a sprained
leg, sustained in practice earlier in the
week, watched the game from the side
lines. He was able to get around ali
right, but did not care to take the risk
Of playing. The other regulars,
whose names do not appear IN the line>
up, were Cole, the quarter back, who
has a sprained ankle; Lewis, a tackle
who is laid up with an ailing arm, ana
the two backs, Lawrence and Hall. who
are also on the list of MANNED ana
wounded.
The Harvard team was somewhat
heavier than that representing Wor-
cester Academy. Nevertheless, that
was no reason why Academy should
have allowed her line to be torn up so
badly and so frequently. Early in the
game Acting Capt Hollinsworth
touched a very tender spot in centre,
where Boyer has been trying to- play
in place of Forsaith Time and again
the man with the ball was sent be-
tween Boyer and big John Davis for
gains varying from to % yards. Da-
Wis could hold his own man all right,
but he received no support from the
others, and so was powerless to resist
the onslaughts. Cakes, who was play
ing on Davis left, although a regu-
lar man, is no means a star and yes
terday did not play so we'll as Nicker-
son, who succeeded him. All these
things aided the Harvard team in it's
line bucking.
For individually brilliant work the
two freshmen ends, Pryn and Risteen,
led all others. Their tackAng was sure
and hard and whenever Harvard punt
ed these two long haired, crimson
sweatered youth broke through and
were down on the Academy men almost
as soon as the bali was in his hands.
players, also distinguished themselves
in their work behind the line. Goodell,
when he was at the Academy, a year
ago, was not considered quite fast
enough for the first team. Yesterday
he was in the game every minute, he
made some good tackles and frequent
gains, and seemed possessed with that
all essential quality for a good foot
ball player, namely, sand, and lots of
it.
Shirk, the other Academy player
wearing the Harvard uniform, was
full back for the visitors on the de-
fensive. He made few brilliant runs,
but brought attention to himself by
his punting. Shirk still retains the
at the Academy, of punting the ball
when running with it. Two or three
times he did this and always it yield
| ed an advantage. While Shirks punt
! ing was good, he had lots of help from
the line, in that the ball was generally
out of harms danger before the Acad-
envy boys We're near enough to him to
| be dangerous.
Weakness in the line, which has al
ready been referred to, was not the
only failing on the part of the Acad-
envy. Norris and McDermott usually
good men, both played miserably.
| Once McDermott made a star tackle
1
| that was the only time. He handled
! Harvard's many punts in every way
| but the right way. -Four fumbled
punts, every one Of which went square
| ly into his hands in the first place, is
a record not of the best. Some other
man than McDermott should be as
| signed the duty of playing full on de-
| fensive work. 1t was surprising that
Coach Gammons did not make the
change some time during the game.
| Norris punting was just as poor as
McDermott's handling of punts COM
| ing from the other side. The fact that
Harvard players often broke through
the line, does not excuse his poor work
He was slow in getting the ball away,
and in punting every second-every
| fifth of a seconds precious Just
once-and Norris tried eight times-the
academy captain got the ball fairly into
the air for a respectable punt. The
rest of the time the ball had no sooner
| left Norris toe than a Harvard man
was on hand to retard its progress and
often to give an impetus in the other
direction.
| Worcester did not begin playing the
game until the second half Not that
academy could have won the game had
the clip she showed at any stage been
maintained during both halves. But
academy could have offered far better
| Resistance u 11dTNdTQ mass plays
| than she did in the first half Great
big holes were ripped in the line and
through them the Harvard backs were
sent for good gains. Occasionally an
end was skirted, but finding that the
line was so easy, Harvard directed its
attacks thereon, and in that way
scored her first touchdown.
The second touchdown came as a re-
suit of Shirk's punt, McDermott's mex
cusable tumble and a lot of juggling
on the part of Risteen and Pryn that
would have done justice to troupe of
Japanese performers. Shirk punted