The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-22

Michigan would stand a show with an east
ern championship team, and since Michi-
gan Is popularity supposed to be the strong
est eleven in the west this year, and since
the wolverines are held by some to be the
| best team ever turned out in the west, the
question of equality is not admitted I'M
less Michigan Is conceded a. chance with
championship eastern aggregation. r.
| Small Chance for Fair Test.
Nor is there much chance that this
contended equality can be proven, be-
| cause it is practically impossible to get
a western team to meet an eastern
eleven under conditions favoring both
| alike. In nearly every such contest here
tofore, the. western team has had the
| disadvantage of long, hard trip, and
! of playing away from home. not to. men
| ton the prestige Of the east, itself a hard
| matter to overcome. Moreover, contests
! between east and west have been usually
held early in the season, when one team
or the other had not reached its stop
notch form. ~.
| Could Michigan have arranged a game
with Yale or Harvard this season or last,
upon grounds situated midway between
| the two institutions, the egotism Of the
| east might have received a severe shock.
| The east, however, has for the last two
or three years fought rather shy of the
west When games have been arranged,
the east has always dictated terms, and
| they have not been terms unfavorable to
the east The east has nothing to gain
and everything to lose by giving the west
| chance, Defeat by. a western team
would be a fearfully bitter spill for Yale,
Harvard or Princeton to swallow. r..
Practical Difficulties =
! Then there are practical difficulties in
| the way. The strain of a game with
! Michigan, Wisconsin,, Chicago or Mime
sofa would be great, and especially when
the already heavy schedules Of the east
ern elevens are considered. And the
western elevens find the task of prepar-
| ing for game with an eastern college
early in the season a heavy, one, and one
which is likely to affect the record Of the
eleven against its natural western rivals
unfavorably. The average western team
| prefers the chance Of a championship
In Its own territory to the rather doubt
full opportunity to down an eastern ag-
greCat1on. ......-, =.
Another point to be considered is, that
nothing short Of an actual victory will
ever be recognized by an eastern team
as showing the superiority of the west
To hold down the score to one touchdown
or even to tie, IS not enough. Yale will
never admit that her low score against
Wisconsin In 1899, considering the dis
advantages under which the badgers
played, indicates practical equality be-
tween the two elevens. When the east
can find no other ground for argument, it
always refers slightingly to western ethics
IN sport. So for years to come the east
will continue to assert it's superiority and
belittle the achievements of the west until
fortune favors some western team, and
one Of the best eastern elevens is defeated
by M1chigan,s Wisconsin or Minnesota.
! Howl from Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Free Press this week
comes out with a story to the effect that
athletic relations between Minnesota and
Wisconsin are to be severed. The article
reflects little credit upon the writer, be
cause of the reasons assigned for the pro-
posed d1scontinuance Of the%annual game.
! Wisconsin has formerly threatened to
break off with the gophers because the
latter team was not In the badgers class.
Needless to say that was in the period
between 1895 and 1899, period for which
I Minnesotans are trying the memory cure
Il But never Before has Wisconsin "squealed''
7 after a, defeat, and it is difficult to believe
now that any of the badger, team inspired
the article in question.
! 1t is asserted that Minnesota was guilty
OF unpardonably rough play in the game
last Saturday. Strange to say, neither
! Coach King nor any of the Wisconsin
! players made any assertions to this effect
while in Minneapolis. King himself Said
after the contest, I'VE were fairly beaten
and have no excuses to make Members
Of the team spoke in the same vein, and if
any Of them had any complaints to make.
they forgot them.
! Although the typical Wisconsin eleven
always fights to the finish, the badger
players have always taken defeat grace
fully, and it is hard to believe that at this
time they have begun to make excuses.
Gain Reflected Glory.
/ 1t Is strange what a lot of reflected glory
I other elevens are drawing from every
victory won by the gophers Nebraska
went into commissions of joy when Mime
| sofa beat Illinois and Wisconsin, for on
the strength Of their game with DR.. Will
| liams' men, the cornhuskers figure that a
| boost for Minnesota is a boost for, them
| Selves. Then Colorado on the strength of
| holding Nebraska to ten points, considers
| every victory by Nebraska boost for the
Boulder team, and hence every point
gained by Minnesota a point for them
selves. 49,
Roosevelt lntercedes for Herman.
But for the fntercession OF President
Roosevelt. Harvard might be without the
| services of its clever captain and half
pressure to bear as would make the father
had an idea that his son had played enough
football, and thought to have him stay at
home and go into business. But the
sons mates at Harvard, realizing what a
4 loss that would be, set about to bring such
pressure to bear as would make the father
change his mind. The offices Of Har-
wards most distinguished alumnus, Theo-
dore Roosevelt, were sought. and when the
president wrote to the father. that he
hoped that nothing would interfere" with
Kernan's return to Harvard there was an
end to t. and the captain went back to
the eleven. Herman is a good player,
quick and heady in a game. He chooses
his openings we'll and follows interference
quickly. He Is dangerous man carrying
hte ball and usually makes his gain.
Some Pertinent Comment. -
The Chicago Record-Herald makes some
pertinent and amusing comments upon re-
cent football events. Here are a few OF
the best: '. IN =. 4s@.s .-
The University Of Iowa would be JUS
titled in demanding a recount Of the score
, made against it by the Michigan football
team. Keeping track Of touchdowns thai
day was something like counting ballots
and it is just possible, that in counting Sc
rapidly the Ann Arbor reporters got, aheat
of the team. Let there be a recount
even if it is discovered that Michigan
, scored two or three touchdowns tina
were not recorded. ~ ~
Northwestern, Iowa and certain othe
| teams report great victories over thei