The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-22
were OUTCLASSED.
Harvard Freshmen
Rip the Academy
Team to Pieces.
CAPT. NORRIS HAD LITTLE HELP.
Slow Ends and Poor Backs
Enable the Freshmen
to Win Easily.
CAPT. NORRIS HAD LITTLE HELP.

Worcester academy foot ball team at
the oval yesterday afternoon. winning
by a score of II to 0, the same score
by which Groton defeated academy.
The game was lost more through the
weakness of the Worcester team than
by the strength that the freshmen
showed. The tackling of the academy
lads was something frightful. Norris
was the only player who did anything
like good work in that respect.
The freshmen team showed a good
interference which tore holes in the
academy line at will and disposed of
academy players as easily as If they
were lightweights. The academy lads
held them few times, but only a few.
The freshmen backs seldom failed to
make the necessary gains, and kept the
ball advancing toward the academy
goal nearly all the time.
The Harvard men showed a decided
weakness in fumbling which was re-
sponsible for their failure to pile up a
higher score. They lost the ball or
were forced to punt several times
through fumbles. They outweighed
their prep school opponents several
pounds, presenting a stalwart looking
line. The line easily outplayed the
academy team. Holes were opened for
the backs big enough to send a horse
and carriage through. The freshmen
backs found the holes prettily One
of the best features of their play was
the way the runner followed the inter-
ference or tore through a hole which
was opened for him.
Had the academy players done any,
thing like the tackling which a team
as well coached should do, Harvard
would have been held several times.
Again and again, until it grew monoto-
nous the Harvard runner went yards
after being tackled. Too many times
to be noted, the runner eluded the
Would-be tackler, simply because the
Worcester man failed to go low at the
runner. With the exception of Nor
ris. it seemed to be a rule among acad-
envy men not to take hold of a runner
below the waist The result was that
Norris had to do it all. He was into
every play and tackled like a fiend
When he got his arms around a Har-
ward man, he threw him fiercely. His
work was wonderfully good. If he
couldn't reach the man, he threw back
tne blockers on to the runner and
downed him as effectively as if he had
tackled the man with the ball. He
received practically no assistance from
his men. But for his wonderfully good
work back of the line, Harvard would
have scored again and again.
In aggressive play, academy was also
weak. c. Wheeler, who was tried sew
cral times in advancing the ball, was
found warting. He repeatedly failed
to follow his interference. Harrison,
the big guard, who is rated as a crack
a-1ack at the academy did not give
any evidence of unusual foot ball abfl-
1ty. He played too high on defensive
work, and Wright threw him around
as If he was baby. When he was
used on aggressive work, he was as
near erect as he could be when he
struck the line, making it easy for the
Harvard line to stop him. Norris
didn't buck the line much, but he
played finely when he did. He re-
celVed little assistance from the other
backs, but worked through himself
In plays directed at either end. Wor-
cester academy could not get together
an interference which was effective.
Sanderson made a better attempt to
Keep close to his blockers than did his
mate, but only once did it avail much.
The Harvard men smashed the inter
ference and downed the runner with
cut gain several times. The interior
ence on the other side of the line was
to it, and couldn't gain.
Norris didn't do much line work, but
when he did he hit it low and hard and
without any pushing from his backs
wormed through for a gain
1t was an excellent day for the
players the weather being cold enough
to infuse them with life. For the spec
tators it was an entirely different mat
ter. The attendance was not as large
as might be expected, there being
about 600 people present. few sat in
the stand and shivered, a small CON
tingent of Academy students loyalty
cheering for their team.
Harvard had the advantage Of field
at the start, taking the north goal
from which a stiff wind blew straight
down. Although Harvard did not punt.
the wind prevented Norris from trying
in the kicking line except
once or twice, when forced to put his
toe against the ball on the third down.
In the last half the wind was not as
strong, so that Norris did not get as
much benefit as had been figured on.
He outpunted Stillman easily enough.
but his ends gave him no assistance,
and their failure to get the man with
the ball allowed him to come back
several yards, equalizing the punts.
The ends showed a lamentable weak
llcoS III S6ILlllB OON II the Uelu on DuQIS.
kruse did the best work in this re-
spect, but he was yards back of the
ball. Kelinei did fairly we'll on line
plays, but when the ball was punted
down the field Keline couldn't be seen
with a telescope.
The best runs of the day were made
by Sanderson and Derby, each of
whom made 80 yards. Derby played a
good game all through, following his
well and hitting the line
hard. Stillman made tough plunges at
center. After several minutes of play
in the opening half Worcester held and
got the ball on Harvard's 35-yard line.
A plunge of 10 yards was made by
Sanderson, but the Harvard men held
and Norris was forced to punt. Bald
win got the ball and carried 1t to the
academy 40yard line. The ball was
rushed down the field and Stillman
crossed in - minutes of play. He
kicked goal Harvard kicked off in thel