The San Francisco call., 1899-12-26
AN EXPERT
ON THE GAME
The Match OF Yesterday a
Great Comparative
Basis.
BY ,. r. sHEEnzR JR.

University OF California eleven Of 'ee
demonstrated yesterday beyond question.
The team OF the blue and gold surprised
itself, surprised the football public and,
lastly, surprised the great eleven from the
Carlisle school. And, further. when East
ern experts appreciate the fact that all
things were practically equal relative 10
eNtraneous elements that affect a team s
play, perhaps, II anything, favorable 10
the visitors. an eye will be cast westward
and the eleVens OF California found 10 pos
sess much comparative merit with the
'varsiues OF Harvard. Yale and Princeton.
California did not realize its nearness
70 equality with Eastern form, all things
being considered. Before the game, IL is
the opinion OF many who had sounded"
the Berkeley team that a y to score
against them loomed up like q victory.
Thus there was lacking the spirit that
normal confidence engenders. and thus a
certain after-season desultory manner OF
practice ensued. even under the sharp
goading OF Cochran and Kelly, which
/ caused q decided setback IN Berkeley
from the Thanksgiving form. In short.
stronger team physically and a faster
team In point Of execution Of plays has
represented California IN the two seasons
just past. ! make this opening statement
in all fairness TO our State team and as a
sort OF defense in her behalf against many
rumors OF arguments OF a technical ma
ture wherefrom the conclusion is reached
that Carlisle's scoring proves ii was mill
tated against by the difference IN the size
OF ball used yesterday from that used on
Eastern fields. by a certain slow condition
OF the field and by other new conditions,
and added 10 which IL is stated that lack
OF actual team practice since Thanksglv-
ing day has sadly interfered with the
Indian offensive machinery. Poised against
each other the two theories OF argument
have only a sort Of technical force. all Of
which sinks into insgnificance when the
broad fact stands out that while Carlisle
certainly demonstrated her superior foot
/ ball ability IN general force, aggressive
and defensive, and In nnesse OF execution
and of individual prowess, yet the two
eleVenS fought each other 10 Dltter
] standsul IN the grandest football match
] ever seen in the West. wherein victory is
carried back over the mountains TO the
/ Eastern States by a meager nuke-a
safety score. And IL viii be accompanied
by an inwardnes OF feeling among the
Carlisle boys which Will reflect itself 10
Californias credit that our great college
game, through the teaching OF Cochran
and Kelly for Berkeley and Camp and his
disciples for Palo Alto, has wopderful
comparative possibilities on the Pacinc
For aerceness and. yes, fairness OF play
the game had no equal IN our coast foot
ball annals. Il IS the spirit or this spaCn-
didly trained Indian 10 enjoy certain
| reckless desperation in attack and de-
/ fense. California caught the fever ard
principally in guarding her often closely
assaulted goal held her ground for downs
I IN q manner that inspired. the cheers OF
| her followers. All credit ana praise TO
/ the stout work OF Smith, Hall and Ellis
/ in backing up their line and forcing me
downs at critical times against such pow
/ erful plunging as the peerless 1letoXen
oGensively in point Of the overwhelm-
| ing number Of yards gained Carlisle chef
/ ly demonstrated her superiority and the
very patent Eastern superiority over our
/ Western game. This difference is en-
braced in the single phrase Every man in
every play a maxim the Indians follow
4 TO the letter. Time and again back
made his distance alone 10 be caught by
| A comrade who whirled into the play from
! behind or the side and forced him on for
another yard or SO. In short the other
| ten me- when the play is on, whether. IL
/ be an intricate close formation or a sin
gle straight buck OF half back. follow
Again the Indian of1ense was far more
varied than that Of California. whose
4 backs alone bore the brunt OF advancing
/ the ball. Aside from Metoxens desper-
ate dashes, the good consistent ground
gaining forte Of the Indians and Miller's
/ and Seneca's whirls around tackle for
short distances. Red Water. Pierce and
! Wheelock IN the line added many yards
l when the pigskin was tossed them.
/ turtle back play, two four men back
/ modes Of attack and the effective double
] side formation rather infrequently used
until the last, also came in from their
| repertoire. This is decidedly up TO date
4 IN methods Of offenEe and the Berkeley
! eleven found the versatility OF attack diff
/ ncult TO meet. However, II must not be
/ understood that Califonia's coaches are
! lacking In ability 10 evolve a diversified
] series OF plays
1t is simply fact which even In the
face OF Berkeleys great team play devel-
| tory OF the California game that unfortu-
natey, unlike Stanford's great eleven OF
I 1897, the scoring force lies In the strength
/ OF quartet. Perhaps aside from Califor-
MAS obvious lack OF Thanksgiving day
ginger this simplicity Of attack for the
/ poorly executed open trick plays were OF
no avail, was a cause of the absence of
expected scoring power. In all California
/ gained only some seventy yards on
straight plunging. against two hundred
/ and thirty odd by the Indians the. bulk
] OF which gains by the latter team COM
/ ing In a magnificent squirt at the end OF
each half. the last fairly stampeding the
/ California players in the desperation OF
the attacks when the red men realized
that only a minute or remained TO
cross the goal line. Hudson's injury COM
ing, II the expression may be used, fortu-
nately for the spectators. late in the game
after the famous little quarter by his
wonderful interfering and back-fleld
tackiing, had justified his reputation.
robbed Carlisle OF a chance for a sensa-
tional try at goal as the game was clos
and his two center mates outclassed the
rather phlegmatic California trio.
Wheelock and Pierce, both strong in ad-
vancing the ball, were respectively given
battle royal by the new man, Clay, and
by Pringle, whose open field work was
heady and brilliant in the extreme. Wom-
bic played HIS usual fine game. Masters
proved a pleasant surprise, while both
Carlisle ends were certainly marvels OF
speed and sureness OF tacklng, besides
/ demonstrating an Eastern cleverness OF
end team work new TO the California
gridiron.
also was the play Of Carlisle in the many
departments Of our college game and les
SONS OF possibilities Of Improvement were
certainly presented 10 every Berkeley and
Stanford football man In attendance AS
n generality covering II all. the fact that
every Indian in every moment OF active
play in the game found something with
which 10 occupy his mind and his physi-
cal ability stands out We now notice.
confronted by Carlisle cleverness. that
there are still rough edges on California
football. Perchance our players may be
termed diamonds in the rough. for as
such. applied as a football figure. they
nre. Yesterdays game of a 20 score IS
sufficient incentive 10 the athletic men OF
the West 10 strive 10 polish Off that
roughness.
Mr.. Goodwin refereed the match in