Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-13
GOSSIP FROM The CRIDIRON
Pennsy's Defeat at Cambridge Sets the
College Politicians at Work.
CRIMSON MAY DROP THE RED AND BLUE
OId-Tin,e Antngonism Now Finds mn
Excuse for FIaring Up aud the
Outcome May Eject Some
Radical

The defeat Of the Blue and the Red by
the Crimson a week ago may mean more
than simply a victory Of Harvard over Penn
'sylyania, unusual as that Is, for cut OF the
result Of that game have grown rumors that
are more or less disquieting to the present
status OF foot ball among the big four teams
OF the east. There is a possibility that its
consequences may be the formation OF some
thing like a foot ball league among the
members Of this quartet, that Is. ultimately.
1t is not probable that tedious college
diplomacy will permit this desirable result
10 be consummated at once, but even II a
start Is made in that direction footballists
will be satisfied.
II has long been no secret that there has
been a not inconsiderable element among the
Harvard undergraduates who have never
cared much for a game with the Quakers.
This hostile feeling toward the Penn
eylvanians eliminated last spring when
Penn carried off everything at the Mott
Haven games, when the other contending
colleges, and particularly Harvard. alleged
that Pennsy was represented by men VINO
had not entered the university with the sole
and simple intent Of acquiring knowledge.
This element in Harvard has long wanted
10 discontinue Tue Bdue, oub 'hS iooS D"'
management could not well do SO as long
as Pennsy was regularly beating them.
Now the opportunity offers to cast off the
Red and the Blue, however, and it is within
the range of possibility that Harvard will
do so, although denials have been entered.
II this action should be taken there Is no
doubt that Harvard will play with Prince
ton again and the result will be that a
triangular league will be formed once more.
Yale is in favor Of this plan and will I'M
doubtedly urge the Crimson to enter into
such a deal. Princeton would readily enough
consent to the arrangement, for the last two
wears Rave found her with only two big
games on her hands-Cornell and Yale.
In case that the Penn and anti-Penn ele-
ments in Harvard can not get together on
a scheme of this kind, a very satisfactory
quadrangular league is suggested, and this
would DO a better idea than the other. the
plan Is that Harvard and Yale shall play
Princeton and Pennsylvania early In NO
yember on the same day, and the winner
and loser play two weeks later. 1t will
be a difficult task to reconcile Yale and
Pennsylvania, as well as to induce Penn
and Princeton to make up their differences,
but the suggestion is sensible, and will
have to be accepted by the colleges in time.
The eridiron contest of the season up
to date was easily the melee that occurred
a week ago between Pennsylvania and
Harvard. Its Importance lay not only in
tho splendid foot ball that it brought out,
but also in It's sensational and somewhat
unexpected result. Four years Of defeat
of the Crimson by the Quakers, sometimes
when the former appeared to have had the
superior team, had taught the lesson that
Harvard might be expected to go down al
most under any circumstances before Pennsy
but the Crimson this season disappointed
the anticipation, and it did it altogether
by long continued able effort. There was
no luck, nothing OF brilliancy about their
play.
The Crimson team Of this fall Is probably
one of the best that Harvard has ever turned
out. In point OF physical condition and
team work it Is perhaps the best. 1t played
an almost errorless game. 1t is probable
that never in the history Of foot ball In
this country have two teams met that were
SO evenly matched on offensive and defen-
sive tactics on line work and SO u%nevenly
matched when 1t came to play a kicking
game. In the latter department Harvard
was very nearly perfect. Haughton's punts
were long. and at the same time high
enough to enable his ends to get down the
field and under them. They were also con-
sistent and accurately placed. On the de.
Tense the Harvard backs handled kicks ir
almost f~aultless style. On the other hand
penis kicking game would have been dis.
creditable to a prep school team. Hare
was slow in getting his punts of, and wa.
at the same time erratic in placing them
On the defense the work of the Penn backs
~,,n, , vc-na~&o1Vo ..hthftto. ,o. r;Nh
out exception they either muffed or tumble
the leather when Harvard punted. Had
the Quakers' kicking game been as good al
chat Of the Crimson it is not unlikely tina
the game would have resulted in a tie.
Harvard's supreme test will be wit.
messed next Saturday with the Crimson
clashing in Rugby battle array against tn,
Blue Of Yale. 1t will be the final. culminat
ing. climatic gridiron struggle between
those two teams and when 1t is concluded
their seasons will be ended. The game
promises to be fully up to the important
position 1t occupies upon the schedule, TO
the sting of defeat always cuts either to tn
quick and only after a desperate struggl,
will either be laid low. Harvard's sensa
tional victory over the Quakers has boone,
the Crimson stock twofold In the estimation
of those who have tried to figure out tn,
result OF. the coming encounter. According
TO the reports from New Haven Yale SHOULD
be In such poor shape that her opponents
ought to enjoy an easy victory, but that l
an old Yale trick and is never taken witt
much seriousness. That Yale has tn
material to develop a team as strong as tn
victorious eleven Of last year there can be N
doubt and the advent Of an army of coache
to New Haven is slowly bringing about tn
needed Improvement. Harvard men, tina
Is, the coaches, have not lost their head
because of their teams triumph over oil
Penn. On the contrary they regard Tia
game with Yale as even a harder proposition
to solve than with the Quakers. The fac
that Harvard will be compelled to play O
Yale's ~gridiron is In itself looked upon as
serious obstacle which has been known I
bring defeat for the Crimson men. Harvar
ought to improve greatly during the neS
week. The attack and defense can be i'm