The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-20
6ARN8M NaNA
A FOOT BALL STORY.

heavens overhead. The largest most
tion of the oldest graduate. came out
to witness the most memorable battle
| the two colleges had ever fought.
1t was. indeed, Il struggle Of giants
ana every man fought as if OF him de.
| pcnded the issue of the contest. So
first Littleton drove Landor down The
field, and then weakened and was il
| turn pushed back. And thus they
| kept ii up with never Il scor"-eTcept
one. 1t was toward the end of The
first half Landor had the ball fortyiivo
yards from their opponents goal The
| quarter back gave the signal, the two
teams rushed together and the men
| piled one on top Of another IN Il Strug-
! cling mass; the next momenl Little
| ton player was seen ruunin" swiftly
| down the field, with the ball under his
| arm. and the bright colors Of his fran
tic cheercrs Suddenly, sprung into re-
| spiendent prominence, waving over the
| heads of the multitude as though the
enthusiasm of their owners had been
! impaired to them. The Lander players
| were almost too astuundcd 20 pursue;
| the touchdown was made; bul tn" at
| tempt to kick goal failed. And TIL"
score at the end OF the first half Wu.'
L.ittleton. >; Lander. 0.
The second half had begun: there
| Was scrimmage, and when The m"t
| ind gotten up Copeland was seen lying
| on the ground. rolling his head from
, side to side and emitting an occasional
| 2roan. All efforts 10 revive him prove"
Of no avail, and. still unconscious, hC
| was carried o,r the field. The Lanhor
| partiSans rose and gave q cheer 'ior
torpcland; but their hearts We're net
in it; their hopes had gone With .ho
man whom they We're cheering.
The captain took Il hurIiel look at
the substitutes. Along the line every
man OF them eager to get into the
game The captain beckoncd to Rice;
and Rice pulled of his sweater, and
strapping Il guard around his
head. took his place in the line.
II have my chance" he muttercd TO
himself. Il lost my nerve in that last
game. Now I'll show them what |
can do
He crouched down low, Ills hcatt
stout for the combat. In the very fi:St
play he broke through The opponent g
back almost before he had started, And
the Landor partsans rose as maa,
and rheered for Rice.
| shall not attempt 10 describe The
soul-stilring struggle for victory of
the two teams in this cver-memorable
half, nor the terrific plunges that Rice
made through the Littleton line, ana
which are still II theme for TAX among
those who Witnessed them. Nor shall
| tell you of how in the very last OF
play. every gallant warrior was gasp
ing fOg breath ana suffering from some
injury, Rice, With an effort almost su-
perhuman, struggled through the Lit
Teton players and carried the ball over
the line for n touchdown. That is all n
part of the history of the college.
llut there is something more, seldom
spoken Of, but which | think Is the iirSt
thing in il all.
The score VAS lied: could It be bot
tered? Was there Il man 10 kick the
goal? For il was u most diiicult one,
The touchdown had been made far OF
To the right from the goal posts. .At
such an apgle 10 send the ball between
those posts, would require "Xtraordin-
airy precision ana cooiness.
Rice was seen in earnest colNerSa-
tion with Lodge, the captain. y mo-
ment later, Lodge signaled he quarter
back tn bring the bah out. And as the
other players trotted slowly down 'he
ilcld, there was Rice, plain before The
eyes OF all, calmly directing the little
quarter back how to hold the ball
Now, it is one thing to take the bah
in The moment of excitement, and with
thousand madmen urging you on
with their shouts, TO eat out Your heart
All The way down the field aud across
the goal line, 1t Is another thing when,
With -four thousand pairs of eyes intent
upon you, an unuttelable stiffness all
around you. your own honor, The fate
of n game. the glory of Alma Mater de-
pendent upon YOU, 10 keep Your heart
from beating like Il trip-hammer. and
at the shrlll sound OF the referees
whistle. send the leather ball before
YOU, spinning between the goal posts
That is what Rice did.
A few minutes before eight o'clock
on the evening of that day, Riee and