The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-10

While the Boston College men were
preparing for the return to Boston,
Manager O'Kane gave his version OF
the affair to The Spy man. lie sald;
1.-THE discussion was regarding the pos
session of the ball Our captain
claimed that Mercer was not entitled
to the leather, it having been fumbled'
While Capt. Kinney was arguing with
Referee Murphy, the Holy Cross team
lined up and scored touchdown.
coach Conner of the Holy Cross
team got excited and rushed on the
field yelling. "Lawlor, take the team
off. We won't stand this any longer.
OF course the team left and there was
more than two minutes of the first half
lnplaved. 1t is not for me to pick the
winning team or judge of the merits
of the elevens based on the meeting OF
today. But Boston College has not
been treated fairly.
"a biased and incompetent ofhclal
was RESPONSIBLE for the unsatisfactory
ending of the contest. But he should
not be censured. do not believe Mr..
Murphy intended to be unfair but it
was only natural that he should see
things through purple glasses. He
would show no rule book and was I'M
willing at any time to produce backing
for any of his decisions When man
had gone out of bounds, he claimed
that as the ball was not out Of bounds.
the hall should not be moved toward
the centre of the field. The rules
plainly provide that when any of the
nlayer's person is out of bounds, the
bali is declared to be. When Mr.. Muir
nhv was impressed with this, he
changed his decision. When the ball
was on our goal line, a touchdown
should have been declared. But Mr.
Murphy didn't know the rules.
.'Holv Cross herself is at fault. A
man from outside the school, at least,
should have been chosen as referee. I
have been told that Coach Atkins OF
worcester Academy had been invited
but that he had not accepted the invi-
tation. There was absolutely no need
If having a Holy Cross man Ofiiciate
when another man could have been Sc
cured. At least half a dozen we'll
known football men were on the
grounds. but so far as l know none was
invited by Holy Cross to onclate'
.tJust how important it is to have
canable men in charge of football
game NAV not be generally understood
hut think Holy Cross has only herself
to blame for today's tiasco- There was
unnecessary roughness as is alleged by
HOLY Cross men, but players of both
teams were participants in 1t. l saw
HOLY Cross men and also Boston Col
lPge men VINO SibAlu nav S bNNAA "a - -
off the field. A competent official
would have taken that action, but Ref
cree Murphy didn't and because he
didn't have ability to control the play
ers the scrapping continued and event
uallv broke UP the game. 1 wouldn't
care. personally, had Boston College
heen beaten by score of 40 to 0, but I
do believe that it is through no fault
of Boston College that the game didn't
continue.
LET me show you how differently
Boston College acted on the matter of
officials. All season, Charles J. Kiley,
a former Boston College athlete, well
known for fairness and ability in the
direction of sporting events of all
kinds. has been our official at foot
hall games. There has never been the
slightest objection to his rulings. Fri
day he asked me whether he would
have the opportunity of officiating at
the game with Holy Cross and 1 told
him. that. although I felt sorry. 1 be-
lieved it better to have disinterested
man. realizing the rivalry between the
colleges. Accordingly 1 turned down
Mr.. .Kiley because I believed it sports
manlike to have an bipartisan ON
cial and I secured Mr.. Butler of TUFTS
who was recommended as capital
official. The Tufts man doesn't know
a member of the Boston College team
and of course is entirely impartial.