The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-12
Foot Ball Men Have
Begun Their Pre-
liminary Work.
DONOVAN At THE ACADEMY.
Holy Cross and High School
Players Have
Begun.

w. F. Donovan, gymnastic instructor
and trainer of athletes at Worcester
Academy, returned to this city yester-
day after the summers vacation. He
attended the summer school at Har-
ward, in which gymnastics were taught
Mr.. Donovan was an adept in gym
nastics several years ago, before he
took up sprinting and training of ath-
letes, but lack of practice made him
rusty, and he attended the Harvard
summer school to brush up.
He paid considerable attention to the
work, judging by his appearance, as
he has lost several pounds through Wig
orous work AT first the work was hard,
but after a little while his former
knowledge of the game began to assert
itself, and before the school closed he
was able to perform the difficult feats
with comparative ease.
He will begin gymnasium instruction
as soon as school opens and will also
take the foot ball candidates in hand.
He will have entire charge of the con-
ditioning of the men during the season.
He will also take charge of the rudi-
mentary instruction in foot ball, in
which game he is proficient. Before
the big games, however, coach Will
be secured who devOtes his entire time
to foot ball, as the entire work would
be too laborious for Mr.. Donovan. The
latter gained valuable experience IN
foot ball in several institutions, and
made quite a reputation as back on
the Duquesne Athletic Club team,
ia ctr
foot ball team in the country
Probably Mr.. Donovans strongest
point is his knowledge of track ath-
letics and ability to handle athletes. He
will give that branch his undivided at
tention, late in the year. The school is
the strongest in the country in this
branch of athletics, and a considerable
portion of that strength is due to the
excellent work which Mr.. Donovan has
put in there. He has developed more
men of first magnitude among school
boy athletes than any other trainer in
the country. The track athletes of
Worcester Academy will not be called
out until after the foot ball season. The
first games for which they will be pre-
pared will be the indoor championships
of the interscholastic association,
which are annually held in Boston.
. Mr.. Donovan has a nucleus of good
team in Scheuber and Gardiner, the
former a sprinter, hurdler and pole
vaulter and the latter an expert in the
vault, broad and high jumps. Mr. Don
ovan will probably call out new men
who are candidates for the track team
to see what is in them, so he can know
what to do when he is ready to begin
active training.
The foot ball season opened at Holy
Cross yesterday afternoon when Man
ager Peter Hand issued call for can
didates that was generously answered.
The men reported on the field for prac-
tice under the direction of Capt. Ken
ney. They were kept at work for near
ly two hours punting the ball, tackline
and learning the signals. The coach for
the team has not been selected, but it
is expected that Maurice Connor, who
coached last years team, will return
and handle the eleven again,
Peter McHugh, who played right end
last year, will not play, as he has left
college and entered the Catholic eccle-
sastical seminary at Rochester, and
will study for the priesthood. Lime
han. who showed up so well in the
games last year will return to the col
lege again, but it is feared that he will
not play, owing to an injury which he
received while playing base ball last
month. One of the new men who
showed up we'll yesterday, was McCabe
of Holyoke, who played right guard
on the University of Ottawa last sea-
son. He is one of the largest men on
the team, and it is expected that he will
have little difficulty in making the
team.
For the position of quarterback, there
are two andidates-Sullivan who play
ed the position last year, and Gaven of
Pittsburg. Three hard hours of prac-
tice will be put in Wednes-
days and Saturdays. The game Thanks
giving day will be played at the oval
with the University of Vermont.
Candidates for the high school foot
ball team entered upon their second
week of training yesterday afternoon
All the students who intend trying for
positions have not presented themselves
for work, and until they do, it is impos-
sible to get an idea of the probable
strength of the team. 1t is practically
certain however, that the eleven will
be a light one, and the team will have
to look for victories in fast snappy
play, rather than weighty, line bucling
plays.
Capt. Daily. Johnson, Hagberg, Hib-
bard, Rebboli, Shea, Dowd. McGourty
and Donnelly of last years squad are
out and have begun hard work. Until
some semblance of an organization is
possible. the men will devote their at
tention to preliminary work and learn
ing the forma tons for interference and
defensive work. Hagberg, who played
ct fullback last year, intends to try
for place in the line, and johnson will
likely be moved back into the fullbacks
position. He is heavy, a good punter,
and lively in his movements. so that
there appears good material for a star
fullback in him. Capt Daily will prob
ably be moved back to guard, and will
probably be used back of the line in
offensive work. Both Dowd and Shea
although light, have the ground WORK
for good backs Dowd especially So
He is lighter than the other man, but
shows an aggressiveness and ability 20
move quickly that will likely secure
him a place on the team.
The majority of the new candidates
are green at the game, but all of them
display an aptitude in the, work that
augurs well for the success of the elev-
en- Manager Rebboli has not completed
his schedule for the fall, but expects
to include a game with the Worcester
academy i'm his list The team will
seek games with teams of it's class this
year. and no attempt will be made to
arrange contests with the higher pre-
paratory school teams
RAIN EVERYWHERE
Chicago. Sept 1.-THE New York game
scheduled to be played here today was
postponed on account of rain.
Philadelphia, Sept. 1.-THE Cleveland-
Philadelphia game was postponed on ac-