River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-12-05

three Ms has all of the praises of his
school and of his schools graduates.
What feature of football for 1901
strikes you as the most important?'
l asked well-known coach and
gridiron tactician.
'The absence of great goal kick
err" was his reply. Neither in the
east nor in the west has there been
what you might call first-class drop
kicker, a steady and reliable man in
place kicking or a really remarkable
punter. The reason? Why, all the
coaching in the world will not make
one of these out of ordinary mate
rial. Good goal kickers, like Pat
o'Dea and ,Herschberger or Baird, are
born. Experience on varsity teams
serves to bring out their latent tai
ents.
"One man in high school life of
whom l would say he may become
another Herschberger, is Capt. Eek
ersoll, of the Hyde Park eleven. His
punting is sure, his drop kick is
~
has been the equal of any candidate
on a western varsity team.
This drop kick, for the reason
that the goal kiclers are so scarce,
has been eliminated to a great de-
gree, and the coaches are relying a
great deal on trials for goal from
placement. The latter is safe as
rule, although primarily it requires
a strong line to give the fullback
chance to work the goal from place
ment.
Fans will remember that Cochran,
at Princeton, abandoned the place
ment in 1896, principally because he
had in Baird such a fine drop kicker.
Chicago the next season adopted it,
and Coach Stage found in Gordon
Clarke and Herschberger a fine COM
bination to work the play success
fully. In addition to this, Chicago
had in Herschberger a player who
was to be feared every time his team
had the ball on the 25-yard line, for
he could make goals from field with
has experimental with Capt. Shell
don, and Ellsworth in the goal kick
ing department with little success.
The goal that was kicked against
Northwestern was of such lucky
scratch order that no one became
much excited. Capt. Henry, had he
remained with the Maroons, might
have changed the scores by his PROV
ess in drop kicking. Northwestern
had no Perry this year to essay any
goal kicking, and in punting was no
better off than other western var
stiles.
Wisconsin has missed O'Dea
great deal in the kicking depart
ment, but the team this season has
developed such an irresistible dis
play of united effort that even the
mighty Gophers were beaten without
much recourse to kicking. Juneau has
been tried repeatedly in games for
drop kicks, but he will have to i'm
prove a lot before he can approach
0'Dea's wonderful work. 1t will be
remembered that the latter thought
little of making goals from the As
yard line in practice-Juneau, too, is
good in practice -and in the game
against Northwestern established
record with a goal from the 57-yard
line. Knowlton, whose punting this
year has been excellent, except In
the vital game at Madison, when
Drivers work shone to a better adj
vantage, is dangerous fullback
when place kicks are wanted, but he
is not so sure as was Herschberger.
LAST year Griffith was a star
kicker for Iowa, although the Hawk
eyes had such formidable eleven
that they did not seriously consider
that department, but this season
Iowa has been without q great star.
Purdue has missed Robertson, and
has supplied no wonderful player TO
take his place.
E. G. WEsTLAKE.