Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03
Sun SETS on THE GRlOIRON
8 son Of Foot Ball Surprises Sees It's
eliminating Hour,
HIGH SCHOOL ELEVEN HAS AN ADVENTURE
Omnhn Youths Encounter Red oak
Hospitality of n Peculiar Brand
Harvard Carries on the
Seasons Honor.

The Omaha High school eleven ventured
into the enemy's country on Thanksgiving
and had an experience II was shorn OF
every privilege usual to visiting team by
Manager Pearson OF the Red Oak aggrega-
tion. II was fed on ancient fowl for its
midday meal and was served with muddy
coffee. The visitors were assaulted on the
gridiron by the townspeople Of Red Oak
and several were roughly handled. When
they attempted to resist, four Of the Omaha
players were arrested by a deputy sheriff
and thrust into a dilapidated Jail on the
criminal charge of assault with intent to
do great bodily injury, They spent the
night in an unheated room, with scanty bed
clothing. They received bare travelling eX-
penses amounting to $40 when one half OF
the net proceeds. S4O0, was theirs accord
ing to contract. In spite of all obstacles
Omaha won by the score of II to 6. AL
together the excursion was one which the
local players look back upon as an adven-
ture rich with incident.
Teams Supporters DwindIc.
When the team left for Red Oak in the
morning 1t was accompanied as far as the
depot by about $50 supporters 1t was the
intention of the rooters to follow the
eleven to the grdiron, but they were con-
fronted by rise in the round trip rate
for which most of them were unprepared.
The railroad company had offered a fare Of
$l60 provided $50 were contained in the
party, and as the crowd fell short of this
number the regular fare was collected and
less than twenty made the trip, an added
unpleasant feature being the necessity Of
spending the night in the Iowa town.
When the team reached Red Oak it was
escorted to hotel for dinner, but found
that it had been preceded by the second
eleven of Villisca, which had left famine in
its wake. The steward had mistaken the
Nillisca lads for the principal guests of the
day and had served to their table the choice
Thanksgiving repast intended for the Ne
braskans. The Omaha boys were informed
that the earlier comers had practically eX-
hausted the supplies. What remnants came
to them were scarcely a start on the bounti-
full dinner which they had expected to dis
pose of. The captain. after tasting the coffee
in an official capacity announced that it
was not fit to drink. The turkey was dis
sected with difficulty and the gravy was
chilled The squad left the table hungry,
but there was no weakness visible when it
lined up on the oval.
ScuHbbie over Competency.
Before the game opened Manager Pearson
of. Red Oak entered protest on Mccormick,
whom he claimed was not carrying high
school work No proof was offered and GER
tllcateS nau not Deen eNCHaHStu, DuJ lne
manager refused to allow his men to play
until his request was complied with and the
visitors yielded. The Omaha manager also
protested against a player on the same
ground. but was unable to secure any con-
cessicn. Red Oak then demanded that the
halves extend for twenty five and thirty
minutes. The Omaha lightweights preferred
a shorter time limit, but were obliged to
yield this point also.
Captain, Tracy of Omaha won the toss and
chose to defend the north goal with a strong
wind lat his back. Red Oak attempted to
kick off but the ball twice rolled out of
bounds and came into Omaha's poss ession. 1t
was kicked to Iowas twenty yard line and
was brought back to Omaha's five-yard line
by successive plays. At this point Tracy's
on downs. BY tackle bucks and line plunges
they carried tho pigskin down the field and
pushed Englehart the line for touch
down, Thomas kicking goal.
toyvnns Become BclIigerent.
At this juncturo hostlites commenced.
A Red Oak enthusiast with an unsteady gait
crossed tho sidelino and pointed out the
faults OF the local team to the captain and
various players. An Omaha player protested
mildly against coaching on the field and the
instruder struck him with a cane. The Ne
braskan returned the blow and in an instant
tho field was a surging mob. Several of
the Red Oak players, appreciating their duty
aa hosts, Joined the Omaha squad and the
battle waged fierce. The townsmen used
their canes and horns as clubs and the visi-
tors were barely holding their own when a
deputy sheriff catered the field. He queled
the riot, but by an oversight which he alone
can explain, failed to apprehend the real
cause of the disturbance. Instead, he took
four Omaha players into custody and con-
Quoted them to the county Jail, which was in
this instance a vacant store building. The
game seemed hopelessly interrupted when
a Red Oak lawyers sense of justice over
came his partisanship and he secured the
boys release.
The prisoners bound up their broken heads