The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-27
Nj. DOb|ey P|QyS FO0tbQ||.
Az Center Rush Of the Hardware
Eleven He Disting uishes Himself,
a. Docs the Whole Team.
BY KATE MASTERTON.
BY KATE MASTERTON.
COPYRIGHT, 1899, bU Errin Wdrdmdn.

! O~~~~~~><~~>>
"Freshington is man of IDEAS" said
Mr. DObley to his wife.
"What notion has he put in your head
now?" asked Mrs. Dobley.
"He has suggested that we form a
! hardware eleven"
! "a what"
"A football team composed entirely Of
hardware men. He says that college
athletes are being idolized to a ridicu-
lous extent and that there is quite as
much Drawn and muscle and skill among
ordinary individuals who make NO bid
for notoriety."
"Well, what will be the object?"
"Why, in the first place, we will benefit
| by the training. In the second place,
Freshington's idea is that we can de-
| velop team SO strong that we can make
these college chaps look like 80 cents"
But they won't play with you"
mot at first, perhaps. But when we
develop the wonderful team we have in
mind we shall be world famous. Then
we shall go abroad, and when we beat
everything in sight on the other side wo
! shall challenge the world for the cham
! pionship. Freshington already has de-
signed cup"
But you don't know how to play"
"Oh, we intend to engage coach,
and, Of course, we know more or less
about the game. Some Of US have play
ed, you know, when we were college
boys ourselves. But this aristocratic
football trust must be broken up. At
present no one seems to be considered in
the game unless he is long haired
heavyweight kid"
But how can you attend to business
and play football too?"
Eve intend to do most OF our training
early in the morning before breakfast;
then we are going to have practice
games Saturdays and Sundays"
II have heard it is dreadfully dan
gcrous game" said Mrs. Doblcy anx-
iously. II do hope you will be careful"
at isn't parlor game, certainly" said
Dobley. "But it's all right when you are
in condition. You may get jumped on n
little bit, but your flesh is hardened and
you don't feel it. Then the new rules
have abolished all the brutality of the
sport. There's no biting or
"Biting!" said Mrs. Dobley in horror.
"Nor kicking nor anything of that sort.
It's comparatively gentle game. Then
the clothing is made SO that a man is
thoroughly safe. I've ordered some
things that will be sent home in the
morning"
you'll be tired Of this in week. I
can just fancy you getting up early in
the morning TO go out and exercise"
"And I must have n special bill of fare
now, Mrs. Doblcy-soft boiled eggs,
rare steak and chops, only the simplest
desserts, plenty OF prunes and fruit and
no stimulants of any kind"
"Hmm-m!" said Mrs. Dobley sarcastic
ally.
"You may sneer now, Mrs. Dobley, but
one of these days, when you see me car
rying the ball over the line amid the
plaudits of the multitude, You will stand
up and yell for the hardware eleven,
champions of the world"
Next morning a cargo Of boxes arrived
at the Dobley home There was every
known garment and implement that ever
had been invented for Use in the game.
They quite filled the study where they
were deposited awaiting Doblcy's arrival.
When he came home, lie put some of
them on and came out to show them to
Mrs. Dobley.
She shriekcd with laughter when she
saw her husband walk around, uncon-
scious of the appearance he presented.
He had collection Of caps and leather
pads over his ears, chin, nose and eyes
that made him look something like
diver arrayed for trip below the sur
face.
"iou seem to enjoy yourself, Mrs.
Dobley," said her husband with an aw-
full stcrnness which made him seem still
funnier in his strange habiliments. "A
woman always has the most foolish sort
of an idea that man must look pretty
when he goes into game"
swell, you certainly don't, John" said
Mrs. Doblcy, drying her eyes. "If ugli-
ness is any guarantee Of success, you will
most surely win."
"You see. Mrs Dobley. you women
don't realize what wonderful thing
football is. You grow wildly enthusiast
tic over college victory because lot Of
overgrown boys who have had their pic
lures in the paper carry off n prize. Wait
till you see men-real men-play football.
Then you will sec the game"
II can't see what fun there is in play
ing any game when you are padded up
In that fashion. Why, you look as though
you were wrapped up In a feather bed"
"That's the best way to look when
one gets into a football scrimmage, Mrs.
Dobley. You don't seem to know that
when man is playing football the idea
uppcrmost with him Is not whether his
hat is on straight or not. 1t Is to get
there. That's the idea, first, last and all
the time"
II see," said Mrs. Dobley.
II shall not be home tonight, MS our
eleven is going to spend week out Of
town with trainer. We have a regular
schedule for practice. Monday we start in
shaping back the ball; Tuesday we
tackle; Wednesday we agree upon our
private signals, and Thursday Freshing.
ton has some newly invented tactics that
we are to acquire and with which we arc
to carry off all the laurels in the football
world"
"How about Friday and Saturday."
asked Mrs. Dobley. "Going to return to
the city, or do you contemplate taking
up permanent residence out Of townW
''On Saturday we play our first real