Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-03
YEAR OF FOOT BALL SURPRISES,
Unknown Teams Lean Into Promi-
nencc nnh EnNnritcs EnII.

Unknown Teams Lean Into Promi-
nencc nnd Fnvorites Fall
A foot ball season Of peculiar uncertainties
ended on Thanksgiving with another chapter
Of surprises. Wisconsin's easy victory over
Michigan was an overthrow OF all expecta-
tionc. When its reputation during the year
is considered, Michigan played a surprisingly
weak game, while Wisconsin showed consid-
erable improvement. The unexpected hap
pened also in the overwhelming defeat of
Columbia by the Carlisle Indians at New
York. Pennsylvania easily disposed Of Cor
nell, showing that the Quakers have re-
gained their time form. Illinois met the
worst defeat of its history in the game with
Iowa, which has maintained to the end the
matchless form displayed ca the Omaha
grounds.
The Wisconsin Michigan game was a
glorifcation for Pat" O'Dea and his Won
derful leg. Almost unaided and against ag-
gressive play, the Wisconsin mainstay hp r.ls
long punts and more than all ps an accurate
field goal, rolled up score of II to against
Michigan in the first half, the final tally be-
ing II to 5. The game was one long Wiscon-
sin jubilation, the eventual score being only
a question of size. The other game in Chi
cago between the maroons and the Rhode
ing without Kennedy. 1t was the third game
OF the west against the east and like the
others was creditable to the occdent. The
game was Chcago's in the first half and
Browns in the second, but the first was the
larger half, the final score standing II to G.
The laurels of foot ball in the west this
year have easily been won by Wisconsin and
Chicago who have come through without
defeat from a western team. Wisconsins
defeat at Yale 6 to 0, was the only victory
recorded against the Badgers. Michigan has
not put up the gait expected and Illinois,
usually the fourth eleven in the west has
dropped away down in the list and is abso-
lutely without class. The University of
Iowa is entitled on its work to rank third,
while it's friends would back 1t second to
,none if opportunity could be offered for
competent test. The western teams this year
have proved beyond doubt that they are
the equals in science and strength of their
eastern contemporaries.
Cornell seemed entirely inadequate to the
occasion on Franklin field Thanksgiving day,
and on only one occasion was it able to
make the necessary five yards. Only once was
the ball in Cornell's possession when less
than forty yards separated the Ithacans from
the red and blue goal Time and again
Pennsylvania marched the ball down the
field, paying small heed to the New Workers.
defense.
On the western coast the University of
California led Stanford by the decisive score
Of 81 to o. For the first four years of its
history the Palo Alto college was unbeaten
but Berkeley aroused it's sleeping energies in
1896 and since that time the blue and gold
has been paramount.
The results of the past few weeks in foot
ball have not lessened the complication of
the situation. Harvard, having beaten every
body, counted on defeating Yale and win
ming nominal championship. The Blue
line came close to scoring against the Grim
son, however. and the result was unsatis-
factory although the laurels still rest largely
with the Crimson.
Owing to the in and out playing OF the
other varsity elevens, it is useless task
to attempt to grade the other teams on per-
formance. The University of Chicago leads
the point list, with 300, won from prairie
college elevens in punches of IL to 76. In
seventysiX points scored off the Northwest
ern university eleven, Chicago holds the rec
ord of the year. The following point list
shows how the leading teams stands: