The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-11-07
THE OLD MAN ON FOOTBALL
Gets Very Enthusiastic and IS Strictly for
the Game

the Game
Minneapolis, Mimi, Nov. Bid
you ever see a football game? No!
Well, now take my advice and the
next time there is a big game any
where within two to four hundred
miles from where you live, go and
see 1t. Of course you may think
this is little strong-and if [ had
read such ADVICE week ago [ would
have looked at it in that way, but two
it's different now, and without bit
of affectation or exaggerationi [ can
say, after witnessing the game be-
tween Wisconsin anG Minnesota last
Saturday, that foot ball is the great
est athletic game in existence
There were about 10, 900 of us in the
grand stand and bleachers, and
thanks to Captain Chamberlin, of
of the Wisconsin team, the Wash
burn crowd was fortunate enough to
have the best seats on the ground.
There was few minutes of expect
ant waiting and then the Wisconsin
team came running over the ground,
and as the big manly fellows made
for the center of the field there was
a mighty hurrah from "our side of
the house, Then came the Mime
sofa team, "subs" and all, number
ing about thirty players. Our hearts
sank a little as we looked at the
great giants-for that's what they
were. Talk about big men-you
never saw SO many big fellows to-
gether in one bunch. The prelimin-
airy practice was over in a few
minutes and the game began. Wis
consin won the ball, and the great
sport was on. Being among the
INITIATED I expected to see some
great kicking, and the ball smashed
and pounded over the field-but
there was not to be much of that
in the game. Wisconsin's eleven
lined up to mark, Minnesota was
right in front of them. One Badger
grabbed the ball from the ground,
snapped it back to another player
and he to another, and then the
whole team made a dash to break
through Minnesota lineup
Eleven husky giants were instantly
engaged in battle with eleven other
giants. Wisconsin S players formed
around their man with the ball, anc
pushed and showed to advance his
position. but pretty soon one of the
great big fellows from Minnesota
succeeded in throwing down the big
Badger. Then they were up in g
minute and started over. There
were center rushes, flying wedges
and all other methods of going ahead
the whole aim being to advance the
ball at least FIVE yards in three
downs. If this was not done the
opposing team got the ball. The
ball must be got over the goal to
count. Once in a while a player
would get kick at the ball, and
send it out in the field-and then
there would be an immediate scat
tering Of players, and run towards
the goal by the man with the ball.
But even great Van Valkenberg, oil
Minnesota, couldn't get far, as little
Trait of Wisconsin, grabbed him by
the legs, and down he came. Some
times they would all be piled in a
bunch, with the plucky man with the
ball at the bottom of the heap. A
ton of hay wouldn t be greater crush
than was this on top of him, but
that's all in the game, and is nothing
when you get used to it.
How does base ball compare with
football? Isn't in it for a minute,
my friends. There is only one or
two men to make nice plays usually
in base ball, but in foot ball there
are twenty two men playing like
the very dickens all the time. It's
hot from start to finish, and when
they all pile up in bunch and you
think you see the ball just sticking
out from under, you are sometimes
surprised to find that it is, instead,
the leather helmet on somebody S
head. Wisconsin played the second
half with a dash that made the
Gopher's sick, but they fell down a