The San Francisco call., 1899-11-25

TRoM early autumn until Thanks
r. giving day OF each year the inter
IL collegiate game OF football holds the
attention of thousands OF Ameri-
cans OF every class. Especial interest Is
being centered IA the various sections Of
the country upon the result OF the match
games between the rival teams Of the
larger educational Institutions Eight
years ago the sport, IN the higher sense
OF its development, was confined almost
wholly 10 the universities OF Harvard,
Yale and Princeton, the teams of which,
by reason OF years OF experience and the
wealth Of sturdy athletic material,
formed a class by themselves In the
early nineties, however. graduates OF
these three Eastern colleges, experts in
the science Of the gridiron game. com
menced 20 give their knowledge TO the So
called minor universities, and the dawn
OF a new football era was marked. To
Pennsylvania went Woodruff Of Yale the
inventor OF the guards back forma-
tion, and in three years time "Pennsy
ranked with the original three Cornell
made strides under systematic coaching
and the adoption OF stricter methods,
while Wisconsin, under Stlckney Of Har-
ward and Phil King OF Princeton, and
Chicago, under the versatile Stage OK
Yale and Michlgan-an eNcepuon-sincc
secured the recognition Of possessing
eleVens OF worthy caliber. IN our own
State, Walter Camp came 10 Stanford and
McClung 10 Berkeley, and the football
missionary work Of the sons OF Harvard,
Old Els and Princeton was complete. Inc
universities OF the Middle West and OF
California have certainly lessened the gap
OF the utter disparity Oi ten years ago 70
q considerable degree. As TO the Middle
West while compare tive scores are often
misleading. they AFFORD fair line OF
Judging the str ength OF play IN LhlS re-
spect it must be noted that where several
years ago there was no worthy opponent
IN that entire section OF one OF the Big
-Four" OF the far East this year NlscOn-
sin displayed some strength against the
Yale team in the mid-season development
no fair criterion, Of course. Michigan
played Pennsylvania an eleven 10 ten
point game. ana Chicago allowed the
same Eastern team lie game, which in
the opinion Of unpre1udiced experts dem
onstratcd that the Western eleven was
three tOuchdowns better than Pennsyl-
van.a. This places the Chicago eleven IN
the ranking four elevens OF America In
deed. Mr. Stagg asserts that MS team
would play Harvard, Princeton or Yale
a close game with nearly even chances OF
winning. Chicago, according 10 waiter
Camp, has the fastest set OF packs IN the
country.
From our Far Western standpoint, 10
what extent California and Stanford have
developed. having no comparative games
upOn which 10 judge the merits OF play
NAV be answered In really no more than
"a theoretical manner by a brief compari-
son OF the conditions as they exist to-day
in the East and in our State, with also an
eve 10 the prOwess Of the individual FOOT
ball hero OF each section.
Big as the East IS. with Its many d.
verslned sporting interests alive at all
seasons OF the year, football STANDS
premier In the autumn months Genera
tions Of college graduates have given even
the commercial. aside from the profes-
siOnal world. a university tone, and as
men are but grown-up boys. The great
alumni bodies Of the colleges follow
every step In the development OF the team
OF their alma mater with feverish IN
terest The non-cOllege population must
necessarily catch the fever and so the
Eastern world Is agog with excitement
over the CridirOn war
Commencing with the lst OF October the
big teams play on an average two games
a week with the secOnd-class colleges.
meeting an absolute diversity and often
tends TO bring out all there is in the vari-
Gus candidates for university honors. IL
relegates many during the first two weeks
OF the season 10 obscurity and on the
other hand showing possibilities OF
greater deeds IN others. In this respect
how apparent IL is that football develop
ment In California Is sadly handicapped
for want OF more strong opponents FOR the
TWO university clevens Mhilc all praise
must be given the olympic Athletic Club
for maintaining a splendid eleven during
nevertheless a fact that our preliminary
schedule has developed into a stale one
both TO the public and 10 the players OF
California and Stanford. The innovation
Of match games with Nevada and Oregon
s. a step toward Eastern conditions.
Twenty years OF football have given
Yale. Princeton and Harvard a well-set.
tied policy OF development. the last named
university, however, only reaching a sue
cessful stage two years ago. while Penn.
Fvlvania mas scarcely demonstrated thai
she possesses a stability Of system. s.
II must be noted with plenty Of hope foi
our Western game that age counts for q
great deal
The three colleges OF greatest football
prestige train their men under conditions
which 10 one accustomed 70 our Western
crudity must seem almost Ideal Observe
the scene al the big institution on an or.
dinary practice day, even carly In the sea
son. Al Princeton about fifty candidate:
Bauntcr from the beautiful athletic club
house or the smaller scrub training