New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-21
PRNCEToN's ERRATIC PLAYING.
THE COACHES ARE AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN
THE SUDDEN CHANGES IN FORM


THE SUDDEN CHANGES IN FORM
- Princeton. n. J., Oct. 20 (speciaD.-The Princeton
coaches are entirely at a loss to explain the
ratio playing OF their charges. 1t is always ex-
pected that football team will play better at one
time in the season than at another and that even
one weeks play will be better than another; but
single intervening night seems to be long enough to
change entirely the play Of the Princeton eleven.
They started out last week rather poorly, and on
Tuesday their playing would have disgraced a
good school eleven. Wednesday they braced up
and almost drove the Syracuse team off the grid
iron. A large crowd of students went down to
varsity practice on Thursday expecting to see
sharp. snappy playing the part of the eleven,
and saw the scrub players make the varsity Took
like thirty cents" ef7s-z ~
This tendency to slump and recover almost in
day has not been before on the Princeton
gridiron in years. However, the coaches are unan-
imous in thinking that it is much more encouraging
than tendency to slump and not recover would
be- and do not at all despair OF bringing the cham
pionship to Tiger town
The week has seen the return from the hospital
ranks Of some valuable players and the donning
Of armor on the part of much needed varsity
veteran, Reiter. the star halfback Of last year
Gilbert Kelly, the little end who was laid up in
the first week of practice is again the varsity
and is almost beat Little out for right end
He is nervy, fast end, and the only difficulty is
that he plays too fierce a game for one of his
also crippled in the early practice has been doing
light work this last week. Dr.. Wright will not
allow him in the scrimmages yet. John Dewitt the
guard who is, perhaps, the most needed man on
Inc squad, is still mournfuly ornamenting the side
unes, with his hand in splintS. 1t is difficult to
tell just when the young giant will be able TO take
his place in the Tiger line. Wright is doing fairly
Wei at guard, but ne showed poorly against guards
pack he is strong, but seems slow learn the
game.
Dana at guard is practically sure of his place
now though Fisher is keeping him his best
McCord and Captain Pell the l. kles with
RIGGS and Black for substitutes. McC, "a, II will
be remembered, hafDack on the eleven last
year. Captain Pells decision in moving him up
into the line seems to be justified Roper Kelly
are favorite ends with the coaches just present
but Little and Davis and Ross McClave all have
the varsity signals and called into all the
practice games In spite of the abundant ma
terlal, there viii be such ends Princeton had
last year. Meier and Duncan are both playing well
al quarterback, and young Humbird, of the scrub
IS winning lots of applause by clever running. In
addition to Reiter, McClave, Henry and Hodgman
there IS another star hafback, who has a
reputation. The is Ridge Hart, who
nearly went to Yale. The coaches think he gives
great promise Maths is superior TO Underhill at
fulloack only by reason Of better work in the in
reference Underhill has at last found himself
at drop kicking, ii seems and this ability will prob
ably win him the coveted varsity ''F.