The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-02

u ICKLE FORTUNE yesterday took
wings and, after lowering over
the animated forms of twenty
two gridiron warriors for a disturbed
period Of fully two hours, finally
Rlighted upon the banner Of the Ma
tionaI Guard team and placed upon the
brow of eleven dirt begrimed and
disheveled-locked athletes, the proud
title of Utah champions. The sons Of
Utah, who for over two years have
never once had their goal line crossed
by the e.femy, were yesterday forced to
bow their proud heads to a newer claim
ant for football honors.
The game was complete surprise to
those who have watched the onward
march Of the east bench students, and
Pfter the contest was over, the Var
Eity and their friends could scarcely
believe that defeat had at last been
their lot. The game with the Colorado
Aggies was a bitter pill to swallow,
and yesterdays defeat will come even
harder. It has been said that lightning
never strikes twice in the same place,
but the thunderbOlts have certainly
been playing fast and loose around the
state university of late.
Poor Showing Made by Varsity.
1t was not so much the good showing
made by the National Guards that oc-
casioned a surprise to those who wit
messed the game as the poor exhibition
put up by the defenders of the univer-
sity. They failed to get together and
play in the game with the Colorado
team week ago. but even in this they
were far superior than in the work
done by them yesterday. From the
very first kickoff the team seemed to
have bad case Of the rattles, and as
the contest proceeded it became more
noticeable.
While the Guard players were busy
putting ginger into each other the stu
dents stood back and looked on. Even
Jimmy Wade, the life Of the team, took
q seat in the background yesterday
and had not a word of cheer for bis
comrades. The students seemed to be
dumbfOunded and failed at any time
to use their knowledge of the game.
Individual work was often brilliant. but
as a team they utterly failed to work
together. This was more noticeable
among the players of the back field.
Back Field Was Slow.
WADE, Bennion. Roberts and Brown
are as good a team back of the line as
can be found anywhere, and their fall
ure yesterday to get into the game
cannot be explained. They were slow
on every play and before they got
kLaILEu Lle Whole team WAS
upon them. End runs were passed up
entirely and their constant bucking of
the line was so slow that the Guards
had plenty of time to mass at the point
OF attack and throw them back
The work Of Burmester and Evans
was far superior to that put up in the
game with Colorado but the other nine
men on the team did not play in nearly
rs good form. Bennion and Brown,
two terrific line smashers, both failed
to put that force in their plunges they
are able to do. and once. and only once.
did fleet footed Roberts get into action.
The line held well, Zilligan and Carl
son doing great individual work I'll
ligan especially did grand work and
several times stopped plays on the spot.
Once a play was aimed right at the
giant tackle, backed by several mem
bers Of the Guard team. He took a
brace went down. caught the foremost
man and unaided stopped the play
where it struck hin. Again, when
within one foot of touchdown, Zilli-
gan braced and forced the combined
efforts OF the Guard players for a loss.
But the work Of the team as a whole
Was the poorest it has displayed on the
gridiron this SEASON
Davis and Christy the Stars.
Young Davis and Sid Christy were
the real stars OF the game and to
them belongs a great amount of the
credit. Davis runs around the end
were one OF the features of the day.
ONLY receiving the ball half as often
ras the backs, he gained more ground,
almost twice as much as any man on
the team. His run around left end
was almost always sure for the de-
sired gain, with several yards 20 the
good. He was always where the ball
was to be found, and tackled many a
s.lu ha 0Ir ~ he NJ
Christy was half sick when he en-
tered the game. but even at that he
PLAYED with the best of them. The
single touchdown was scored by him
by clever work. With scarcely any in
reference he, unaided, lodged two
Varsity tacklers for fourteen-yard
run and touchdown.
Groesbeck, the captain Of the Guards,
used rare judgment in running the
plays and when he found the left side
of the Varsity line invulnerabie he
let 1t alone and sent his ground
gaining plays against the weakest
points.
The Guards strong point, however,
was their interference. Nearly every
play was backed up by enough men TO
take care of the students as they
rushed through the line. The Guard
players knew where every play was
going to be sent and their men AL
halped to put it there. The Guards
got into the game with heart and soul,
and although they were physically
weaker than their opponents. they put
IN enough vim to make up for the
loss.
Brown Complained of Officials.
Captain Brown complained of the
work of the officials, and on one occa-
sion he was perfectly justified in doing
SO. Bassett fumbled the ball and
Brown himself fell on the pfgskin. It
was plain to those who were following
every play from behind the line. but
the officials ruled against the Varsity
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