The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-03
SPORTING NEWS.
Low Scores Made In Football
Games Played
College EIevens Open the Season
at Slow Pace
WEAKNESS is EXPOSED
Hard Work Ahead For the
Coaches In the East.
Harvard Shows Up the Best -
Cornell's Work Poor.

Chicago, Oct. 3.-Low scores predom-
mated in Saturdays football contests.
The paucity of touehdowns was most
noticeable among the bigger colleges,
both in the east and the west. Consid-
ering the opponents, more touchdowns
might have been expected, even TAX
ing into consideration the fact that the
big eastern elevens began practice this
year later than usual
There were some exceptions to the
general rule-Wisconsin and Notre
Dame, for instance-but on the whole
the records seem to show that the
smaller teams have begun to show the
effect of more systematic and scientific
coaching. Wisconsin played against
Lake Forest, a team that has had very
little coaching this year, and the same
holds true with NOtre Danes oppo-
nents, the Michigan Agricultural col
Iege.
At the University Of Chicago the ma
rooms went up against experienced
players, who We're handicapped by lack
of team work, however. Stages men
showed an Improvement both offensive
ly and on the defensive, but their Ia
mentable weakness in handling punts
gave the coaches something to think
about. Inability to handle punts has
been Chicagos weakness in years past,
and the slight Improvement shown last
year seems to have faded away.
The Northwestern team was defeat
ed and BANKED by the alumni team,
but the defeat will probably do the pur-
pie more good than would have been
the case had the score been reversed.
The game pointed out to Coach Hollis
ter the particular weak spots, which
seemed to be pretty evenly distributed
from end to end and from fullback to
the center rush. The men who defeat
ed the regulars will from now on help
to coach the team, and NOrthwestern's
eleven must be taken into consideration
in deciding the supremacy of the west
on the gridirOn.
In the east all the prominent teams
played what were in reality only prac-
tice games Yale met Amherst and
failed to duplicate the score of last
year. The coaches put in almost two
full eleVens against Amherst and the
contest finally resolved itself into a try
out for the new men.
At Philadelphia the University of
Pennsylvania lined up against the
scrappy Lehigh eleven and made a poor
showing. The backs funbled punts
with alarming frequency and McCrack-
en- and Hare seemed to be the only two
men on the quakers' team who played
any sort of a game.
Reports from the east seem to indf-
cate that the Quakers are not at all
sure of the game with the University
Marshall field October %, but from the
present outlook the marOons might
deem themselves lucky if they cross
PENIS goal line.
The reports from Harvard are rosy.
The crimson team showed splendid
form against the active Williams ag-
gregatiOn, scoring % points. Princeton
practiced with the scrubs and the
tigers true condition can only be guess
ed at Cornell, which also plays in Chi
cago and that within two weeks, made
poor showing against Hamilton, scor-
ing only two touchdoWns. Unless the
1thacans take a quick and decisive
brace the maroons stand q good show
of gaining a victory.