Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-17

or the Waterville Football Game Con-
troversy.

Hultur NenneDec journal. Sir:
VIII you kindly permit Bates
spectator OF the football game at
Waterville last SATURDAY,, to correct
some nisstAtements made hv vm,r
Waterville correspondent ii Mis- story
Of the game in the journal 81 last Mon
day. do not desire TO comment upon
the account itself further than 10 saw
that IL the exhibition BY Bates was any
more disgusting than the tone of the
article in question 1t is wonder that
the spectators permitted the team to
leave the field alive, Neither do de-
sire to more than call attention to the
treatment of Manager Roberts of
Bates by Manager Abbott OF Colby on
the field during the game, when he
called Mr.. Roberts liar and cheat,
in the presence of hundreds Of spec
tators, and by his loud talk and evil
dent rage at defeat disguised" a large
numberof the spectators far more than
anything that happened in connection
with the game itself, or to the action
OF the Colby sympathizers in rushing
upon the field In such manner as to
almost prevent the continuance OF the
game. These. however, are facts
which can be vouched for by, many
who were there.
The article. however. contains many
direct misstatements, which in justice
to the Bates team should not be al
lowed to go uncontradicted. TO take
them in their order. The correspond
ent states as follows:
When the arrangements for the
game were being made three men were
suggested by the Bates manager for
referee and umpire, and Colby given
her choice. Manager Abbott picked
his man, but when Bates arrived, Sat
urday, they did not bring Colby's
choice with them. claiming he could not
be secured.'
The facts in regard to this are that
Manager Roberts some time prior to
the game wrote Manager Abbott sag-
costing the names Of Charles Carter
OF Auburn, George S. Mccarthy of
Lewiston and r. d. Purinton, captain
Of the Bates team last year. from
whom TO select the Bates official. He
received no reply TO this cofnmunica-
ton up to noon OF Friday before the
game was to be played. and as he had
To go Ia Brunswick that afternoon he
called Mr.. Abbott up over the telc-
phone and asked him why he did not re-
ply. Manager Abbott said that he had in
tended to telephone sometime that af-
ternoon. to which Mr.. Roberts replied
that the time was getting rather late
Mr.. Abbott then said that he would not
object to either of the three men
named. though he would prefer not to
have a Bates graduate. and would pre-
fer Mr.. Carter If he could be obtained.
He further said that il Mr.. Carter
could not come Mr.. Mccarthy would i.e
perfectly satisfactory. Mr.. Carter was
also MIR. Roberts first choice and on
his return from brunswick that eve
ming he interviewed him. but found
that II would be impossible for him to
GO to Waterville. Mr.. Roberts accord
iugiy secured Mr.. Mccarthy as was
agreed by Mr.. Abbott he should do
There was no ringing in OF a new man,
or springing of any surprise on Colby
in the matter at least.
1t is next stated that Mr.. Mccarthy
is former Bates man and at present
has a very warm interest in the team. "
Mr.. Mccarthy never attended Bates
College for n single day. is not col
lege graduate at all. and his interest in
the team is just what that of Mr..
Mutty is in the Colby team. that of a
resident of the same city in which the
college is located
Further along in the account Of the
game it is stated that Bates rushed
| the ball to Colby's 10 yard line where
| Colby got the ball." The only mis-
statement in this is the implication
| which any reader would get that Colby
got the ball on downs, whereas the fac
| is that it was given to Colby for Off
side play by Bates. Although Bates
was several times penalized for Off
side or holding, the reader would get
the impression from the story that she
was never penalized at all.
In regard to the third touchdown of
Bates your correspondent says that
the ball was downed by Colby and
then passed forward and carried over
for touchdown, and charges that this
was robbery" and that it was COM
mitted by the Bates official. that is Mr..
Mccarthy. Now, in the first place,
deny that the ball was downed or
passed forward. but regardless of that
the fact remains that the sole and only
Judge. of forward passes, and of
whether a touchdown is made or not is
the referee, and at the time this touch
down was made. Mr.. Mutty. Colby's
own official was the referee, SO if Colby
was robbed she was robbed by her own
official and not by Mr.. Mccarthy.
Again the. statement was made that
the game was stopped by Colby's re-
fusal to continue, and that the half
was practically completed. Now this
would have been entirely consistent
with Colby's usual course Of procedure
when she is getting beaten. as is
shown in her action in the baseball
game here last spring. but the fact is
that the game was stopped on acco,ln.
of darkness. at the request of Captain
Moody, and there were nine minutes
ard forty-five seconds left to play. AS
Bates was rounding Colby's end for 50
ana 20 yards on every line up. and
Colby was going to pieces rapidly there
is every reason to believe that Bates
would have scored at least 80 if the
game had been played out.
Finally Saunders touchdown is
described as having been made by
run through the entire Bates team.
Haggerty interfering for him. AS
matter OF fact the touchdown was the
result of the worst kind Of fuke. for
which Mr. Saunders is entitled to the