The times., 1899-11-07
GOSSIP OF TIE GRIDIRON
Status of Three Pennsylvania Play
ers Questioned by Harvard.
An illustration of the Changes Made
in Recent Years Found in the Co
for TOdHy-DcductiOns From YaIe's
Unexpected Defeat in New York.

3
manding purity in intercollegiate athlet
les, and since some compromising statis-
tics as to the careers of three of Penn
sylvania's 5 mainstays on the gridiron have
but recently been placed before her foot
ball management and faculty committee
on athletics, the Overfeld incident may
properly be regarded as but the climax of
q series of difficulties. Overfeld's action
at the close of the Harvard Pennsylvania
game Will doubtless precipitate matters.
Accumulating evidence had already threat
ened the giving up of that game few
days ago, and some interesting develop
ments may, therefore, be looked for this
fall. The hard feeling aroused by Over
fields attempt TO steal the ball with which
Harvard had won the game so decisively
has been generally regarded as but fore
shadowing a possible breach, but it is an
incident that tends to hasten an inevi-
table result Without McCracken, Outland,
and Overfield in the Pennsylvania lineup,
the game on Saturday would have been
farce. While no direct challenge was
made. il is an uDquestionable fact that
Harvard 5 faculty committee on athletics
questioned seriously the eligibility of these
men and only the assurance of a promi-
nent member of the University of Penn
sylvania faculty put an end temporarily
to the embarrassing enquiries.
Acting upon information that was suffi-
cienuy trustworthy to cause an investi
cation of the atheletic career of the three
men, the Harvard management became
satisfied that each of the three cracks had
already played for the full four years al
lowed by the articles Of agreement govern
ing the Harvard Pennsylvania contests.
Their participation in Saturdays game
would thus make it their fifth season a
fragrant violation of the RUE. The stats-
ties were gathered chiefly from Kansas and
Nebraska sources, as the three stars had,
before entering Pennsylvania, been mem
bers, it was learned, of football eleyens,
and McCracken also of track team, repre-
senting reputable Kansas institutions. The
matter was then formally brought to the
attention of the Harvard faculty after the
management had made searches far enough
back to assure itself that there could be no
mistake. To the faculty committee the
evidence was of such a convincing nature
that an enquiry was hurriedly made Of the
Pennsylvania faculty body that governs its
athletics as TO the eligibility of McCracken
Outland. and Overfield.
The matter was still in allegiance when
the football world was startled by the re-
POI AAOiu Atldnllt OliA JUdI NitATdtkeN
and Outland had been so injured in the
practice there preparatory TO the Harvard
game that they would be unable to enter
the game The report was based on the
authority of DR.. J. William White, sue
cessOr to John c. Bell as Pennsylvania
chief athletic adviser. Coming from such
high source, 1t spread CONSERVATION
throughout the Quaker camp II was also
announced that Davidson, the fullback,
had been disqualified on the eve of the
game because of his low standing Mean
while Dr.. White had assured the Harvard
authorities that there was no ground for
question as to the status of McCracken,
Outland, and OYerfield On this statement
the Harvard men gracefully refraiued from
a formal protest. Then came a second re-
port from Atlantic City that the injured
men would be able 10 play against Har-
ward. Harvard let the matter drop tenn
porarily, relying on the superior strength
OF the crimson eleven to make the pres
ence Of the questioned men in the game
matter of indifference so far as the out
come OF that one event was concerned.
DayidsOns low standing had been a matter
Of more or less common knowledge on the
Pennsylvania campus long before he was
disqualified at the eleventh hour.
As Davidson was new man, whose work
against Chicago had lacked brllliaucy and
regarded as coming man. those cOnVers-
ant with the facts that have now been
made public looked upon DavidsOn's dis
qualification at the eleventh hour as a
grandstand play to the outside public and
an action designed to placate Harvard
while not weakening the team. 1t was
generally believed, up to the present Incl
dent, that Pennsylvania had placed her
athletics on a pure footing but that belief
M q,
Yale and Princeton were severely Criu-
cised when they parted company With
Pennsylvania, but there was never any
great doubt at that time that PennsyI-
vania gave them ground of complaint
Should Harvard take a similar course
after having placed implicit trust in Penn
sylvania's assurances of reform, the out
look will be an extremely serious one
for Pennsylvania.
COIumbin-COrnen Game.
An apt illustration OF the changes that
have been made in football in recent years
is the unique interest that attaches to the
Columbia Cornell game to be played on
Manhattan Field today. Cornell by her de-
feat OF Princeton and Columbia by virtue
OF victory over Yale have attained un-
usual prominence in this years football.
u
university eleven appeals to the public and
their victories are the more significant be-
cause all the football knowledge in the
land was long supposed TO be held by Yale
and Princeton. The victories have also
resulted in a tendency 10 place even money
on the game. Columbia, however. will play
on her home grounds and will be backed
by tremendous individual following. On
form, the teams appear to be almost even
ly matched yet Columbia possesses the ad-
vantage. irrespective of home grounds
COrnells back field is fast and well-bal-
anced one and Starbuck can uutkick VIII
son, but Columbias is the superior ground
gaining machine. The lines are well match
ed with little apparent advantage for either
team.
The value to Cornell of a player with the
indomitable spirit Of Walbridge is great,
but he viii have two most difficult ends TO
turn in Slocovitch and Nedlinger. and
those ends are backed by two half backs
who have no superiors in defensive abb ity.
Weeks and Morley will be of great assist
ance to their line Morley on close defence
and Weeks as the reserve man TO cut down
any runner who passes the first and sec
Ond lines of defence. Wilson and Larendln
are also strong on the defence. On the of
fence Columbia has some sterling ground
gamers, especially in Weeks and Morley
the best pair in the country, and there are
also some able substitutes to draw upon
On C.rneu's side Windsor is a substitute
back whose worth has been proved, but
Otis, who has been acting as substitute
half on Cornell, lacks aggressiveness In
Get Iight