The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-30
Nj. DOb|ey P|qS F00lDQl.
As Center Rush OF the Hardware
Eleven He Distinguishes HIMSELF
as Does the Whole Team
BY KATE MASTERTON.
Copyright, 1899. by Erpsn Wardmdrl.

Mr.. Dobley to his wife.
What notion has he put in your head
now r. asked Mrs. Dobley-
HE has suggested that we form a
hardware eleven"
"A what?y
"a football team composed entirely OF
hardware men. He says that college
athletes are being idolized to a ridicu-
lous extent and that there is quite as
much Drawn and muscle and skill among
ordinary individuals who make no bid
for notoriety."
"Well, what will be the object?"
"Why, in the first place, we will benefit
by the training. In the second place,
Freshington's idea is that we can de-
yelop a team so strong that we can make
these college chaps look like 80 cents"
But they won't play with you"
mot at first, perhaps. But when we
develop the wonderful team we have in
mind we shall be world famous Then
we shall go abroad, and when we beat
everything in sight on the other side we
shall challenge the world for the cham
pionship. Freshington already has de-
signed a cup
But you don't know how to play"
"Oh, we intend to engage a coach,
and, Of course, we know more or less
about the game. Some Of us have play
ed, you know, when we were college
boys ourselves. But this aristocratic
football trust must be broken up. At
present no one seems to be considered in
the game unless he is a long haired
heavyweight kid"
~But how can you attend to business
and play football too?"
I'VE intend to do most of our training
early in the morning before breakfast;
then we are going to have practice
games Saturdays and Sundays
Il nave heard it is a dreadfully dan
gerous game" said Mrs Dobley anx-
iously. Il do hope you will be careful"
st isn't a parlor game, certainly said
Dobley. but it's all right when You are
in condition. You MAY get jumped on a
little bit, but your flesh is hardened and
you don't feel it. Then the new rules
have abolished all the brutality of the
sport. There's no biting Or
Biting said Mrs. Dobley in horror.
"Nor kicking nor anything of that sort.
It's comparatively a gentle game Then
the clothing is made SO that a man is
thoroughly safe. I've ordered some
things that win be sent home in the
morning"
You'll be tired of this in a week. /
can just fancy you getting W early in
the morning to go out and exercise"
.And / must have a special bill of fare
now, Mrs. Dobley-soft boiled eggs,
rare steak and chops. only the simplest
desserts, plenty of prunes and fruit and
no stimulants of any kind"
"Hmm-m!" said Mrs. Dobley sarcastic
ally.
You may sneer now, Mrs. Dobley, but
one Of these days, when you see me car
plaudits of the multitude, you win stand
up and yell for the hardware eleven,
champions of the world"
Next morning a cargo Of boxes arrived
at the Dobley home. There was every
known garment and implement that ever
had been invented for use in the game.
They quite filed the study where they
were deposited awaiting Dobley's arrival.
When he came home, he put some of
them on and came out to show them to
Mrs. Dobley.
She shrieked with laughter when she
saw her husband walk around, uncon-
scious Of the appearance he presented.
He had a collection Of caps and leather
pads over his ears, chin. nose and eyes
that made him look something like a
diver arrayed for a trip below the sur
face.
you seem to enjoy yourself, Mrs.
Dobley," said her husband with an aw-
full ~sternness which made him seem still
funnier in his strange habiliments. "A
woman always has the most foolish sort
Of an idea that a man must look pretty
when he goes into a game"
"WeIl, you certainly don't, John!' said
Mrs. Dobley, drying her eyes. If ugli-
ness is any guarantee Of success, you VIII
most surely win"
sYou see, Mrs. Dobley, you women
don't realize what a wonderful thing
| football is. You grow wildly enthusiasts
tic over a college victory because a lot Of
| overgrown boys who have had their pic
| lures in the paper carry off a prize. Wait
till you see men-real men-play football
Then you win see the game"
81 can't see what fun there Is in play
| ing any game when you are padded up
in that fashion. Why, you look as though
you were wrapped up in a feather bed
THAT'S the best way to look when
| one gets into a football scrimmage, Mrs
Dobley. Yon don't seem to know that
when a man is playing football the idea
uppermost with him is not whether hIs
| hat is on straight or not. 1t is to get
| there. That's the idea, first, last and az
the time"
IT see,' said Mrs. Dobley.
II shall moi be home tonight, as our
eleven is going to spend a week out Of
| town with a trainer. We have a regular
| schedule for practice. Monday we start y
shaping back the ball; Tuesday we
| Tackle; Wednesday we agree upon oul
| private signals. and Thursday Freshing,
| ton has some newly invented tactics tha'
we are to acquire and with which we arc
to carry of all the Iaurels in the football
world
GLOW about Friday and Saturday
asked Mrs. Dobley. Going to return e
the city. or do you contemplate takina
| up a permanent residence out Of town.,
.On Saturday we play our first req
practice game, said Dobiey. Fresl'
ington has a brother at q prep school,
and we are going on there to try oul
hand. We don't intend to hurt the LADS
We are just going to play with fnen
for z little practice
II should like 70 see the game, sal1
Mrs. Dobley. Suppose Mrs. Van Kip
per and I take a trip up TO see you play q
well, you understand It's g purely in
formal occasion, Mrs. pobiey. No 4rass