The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-11-07
BY Superior Weight, They De-
feated the High School
Team at Football.
1T WAS A GOOD GAME
The First Football Ever Seen in Bill
ings-HOme Team Shows Up
Well-ScOre. Is to O..

The giants of the State Agricultural.
college football team came, saw and
conquered. Just as soon as their men
stepped from the train, Saturday morn
ing, it was apparent the high school
boys were/ outolassed, Nor was this
feeling lefsened by TIC undoubted all
of confidence which, tleir men betrayed
after seeifg the local team. In arrang'
ing for this gsz6e the Billings manage.
ment hadAaxpressly stipulated that the
college team should not exceed an aver.
age weight of 140 pounds. As their
apparent excess of this weight was SC
evident, the management mildly pro.
tested, when, to their astonishment,
they were informed that the college
managers understood this to mean the
net or stripped weight of the players.
AS it was so VIGOROUSLY apparent that
the men would not play in MAT condi-
tion. and as their clothing would GER.
tainly add to their playing weight, it
was somewhat difficult to reconcile
their logic with thsraotual facts. Their
real weight was almost 100 pounds
average, from which they asked a de-
duction Of ten pounds per mar for
clothing. Our players averaged l4O
pounds, which, according to the Boze-
mar experts, would really be 1870
pounds. In short, the average differ
enoe Of weight was nearly ten pounds,
which gave them an advantage in
beef amounting to the weight Of Il
extra player.
But the game was not lost on that
account. The college men did not play
good football all of the time, and a
team Of our weight, playing a strictly
first-olass game, would unquestionably
have won against them. There were
fumbles, too many, and muffs Of punt
ed balls and kick.offs that would make
the eyes Of q statue run awash with
salty tears. Among these errors there
were many fine plays; just as good, in
fact, as any men Of like size can put up.
Tho college men were quick in defen-
sive work, often tackling the opposite
player behind his own line. They were
usually good in breaking up interference
and stopping end runs. The high
school boys exoelled in taokling, some
Of their work in this line being very
fine. Mills was the bright particular
star Of the locals, but the work Of
Davis, Lavigne, Morse and some others
was worthy Of especial note.
\ The college chose the east goal and
Morse kicked off to their twenty yard
line, whence the ball was returned
about ten yards. Here the play CON-
menced with a small gain through the
high school line, but a tumble permit
ted Davis to secure the ball. The high
school was equally unfortunate and the
ball alternated between the contestants
anywhere between Bozeman's $3.50
yard lines. A bad tumble by Bohemian
gave Mills the ball and he improved
the opportunity to carry it down to
Bozeman's 35-yard line. Here the real
play of the game began and Billings,
by a beautiful rally of real football
playing, carried the ball by a series of
plays mostly through the right side of
the college eleven (their weak place).
down to a poin tabout d yard and a half
from their goal line. A touchdown
seemed inevitable, but poor Judgment
sent the ball against the college left,
their strong side, and the high school
players were forced back. From this
point Bozeman rallied and by a series
Of heavy plunges though the line
worked the ball we'll up toward the
high school territory. An exchange Of
punts here left honors about even and
Bozeman resumed their bucking tactics.
Slowly the ball was forced down to
Billings 35-yard line, where. with only
fifteen seconds to play, King was sent
around Billings left end for a touch.
down. Adams failed to kick goal.
Score first half, college 3. Billings 0.
In the second half Bohemian kicked
of and the ball was downed on Billings
4O-yard line. Billings soon sucoumbed
to superior weight and the ball changed
hands. Again the line was tried and
a series of heavy rushes carried the ball
across Billings line for the second
touchdown. Time six minutes. Touch
down made by Parker. No goal result
ed. Score Bozeman 10, Billings O..
Billings kicked off. Similar tactics
again carried the ball across the line,
this time by Adams, who showed the
locals as fine a chain of line bucking
Of they will often see. Time, 10 min.
utes; no goal. Score, Bozeman Is,
Billings 0.
On the following kickoff Billings
showed their excellent staying qualities.
During the last eight minutes of play
they kept the ball all of the time in
Bozeman's territory, except when punts
were exchanged, in which play Billings
seemed to get the best Of it. Time was
called with the ball in Bozeman's pos
session on their own 35.yard line.
Length OF halves, 30 minutes. Referee.