The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-30

6-Dartmouth. 2o-Illinois
s-Pennsylvania. 22-Virginia. -:
0--C0rnell. 23-Clemson.
10-Amherst. A-North Carolina.
11-Carllsle. 25-Georgetown. =.
12-Annapois. 2e-Sewanee.
1S-Lehigh 27-Vanderbilt.
14-Lafayette. *ts- 2S-Tennessee. "N3
In regard to the comparative strength Of
east and west, Mr.. Whitney says:
Next to West Point, the team of the,
season is unquestionably Michigan.
Western men, and especially Michigan
give Yale close argument. Apropos OF
which, quote from letter to the Michi-
gan lnlander, by some Michigan man who
made trip east in nid-season. How
ever, it is my belief, based upon games
that saw, that Michigan could have de-
feated either Yale or Harvard this year,
by at least two touchdowns. and that
against pennsylvania, West Point or An
napolts, the score would be considerably
larger. None Of the teams I have men
toned has team work that compares with
that of Michigan, and as for speed, it
would be a. revelation to have them see
the Minnesota team play $780, ....-
Thinks East Is Stronger
II quote this merely by way of showing
the prevailing opinion among western col
lege men as to the comparative strength
With no idea Of questioning the sincerity
OF this writer, yet must say that his con-
clusion is quite unwarranted.
THE cause for this underestimation Of
eastern teams by Western men is due
first to commendable loyalty to the home
product, and to the fact that western men
Invariably base their conclusions on the
eastern play they see in mid-season, a
period when none of the big teams of the
east Is within SO per cent of it's final form,
There Is no question of the great adj
| vance western football has made, and
none is quicker than T to accord credit
and praise; nor is there any question of
the high quality of material, with which
the west Is abundantly provided. Z. IN
deed, large percentage of the best men
we have on the eastern teams are west
ern men. am not so sure that a review
of the last ten years Of football would
not result in finding that, of the most
prominent players, a majority hailed from
the west Coming to the last season. by
way of example, five of Yale's team are
| western men. Shevlin, the star -. end
rusher, is from Minneapolis: Kinney, one
Of the best tackles of the day, is from
Cleveland; Rockwell, the little general of
quarterback, is from Portland, Ore. !;
Bowman, one of the most useful full
backs of the year, is from Uniontown,
Pa, and Rafferty,, the other end rusher,
Is from Plttsburg, Pa. 1t has long been
my opinion, indeed, that one of the rea-
sons for -Yale's athletic successes, is to
be attributed to the infusion Of western
blood In her teams.
81; Credit Due to Yost. a..
1.-The Michigan eleven Of 1902, although
not, think, quite so good as that of 1901,
is yet one Of the best in the country. 1t
has weight and speed, and was well
IA al ~ he
game Considering it to be the work of a
single coach, its finish and power were
remarkable. In these days Of football no
man on earth can bring eleven up to
the standard necessary to win Yale or
a Harvard game, where, it must be &C
knowledged, the highest football skill is
annually revealed. At Harvard and at Yale
there Is a coach for every man in the line
and back of it, all under the direction Of
one head coach. At Michigan, Mr.. Yost
was the sole coaching sponsor for the
eleven: That he brought his team to a
point worthy of rank among the leaders
Of the country reflects great credit on
the members Of the team, and must be
considered as a very notable performance
on the part Of the coach. %
49,. No Second Line OF Defense. >,v~
'"Comparing Michigan of this year with
Yale or Harvard, the western team Is in
ferior in interference for the runner, pro-
lection on catching punts, second line of
defense, and in the general fnesse of the
game. Perhaps the western weakness,
which either of the eastern teams under
consideration would find soonest, and to
the disaster Of the western, Is the almost
entire absence Of second line of defense.
An attack such that exhibited by Yale
and Harvard would rip through the M1chi-
gan single line Of defense almost 1nva-
riably. ss .-- -> =. 80
I'm respect to second line of defense,
curiousy enough, Michigan and Prince
ton were both alike and both deficient.
Michigan stands in relation to the other
western teams as does Yale in the east,
for it Is above comparison with its rivals.
I'm the matter of Individual western
players, although there is abundant ma
terial, as I have shown, yet players of the
west never get the individual coaching
given members of eastern teams, there
fore the nrnber of western individuals
who show prominently are few i'm a sea-
son; and when they do shine, 1T Is be-
cause of exceptional brilliancy. ..,r
"There are as good men in the west this
year as every year, but only one is good
enough to secure a place on the All-Amer-
lean and substitute team" ~,
Mr.. Whitney here refers to Weeks OF
Michigan, whom he places at quarter on
The substitute Allan erican eleven. Other
OF mention are Heston and SWeeley OF
Michigan.
Football Popularity Threatened.
Taking up the question Of mass plays
Mr.. Whitney says:
Nineteen hundred an two closed an
other football season Of devoted pursuit OF
the battering ram principle;no development
of note marked the years play; no new
skill was revealed in <fornatio ns-nor ex-
pertness in their execution beyond that Of
the previous season. The game was the
same as that of 1901-the premium on
brute force placed still higher. !.
'.Those of us who have outlived our
preiudices, and, are sincere friends of col
lege sport, feel the present situation In
football to be a serious one, not because
OF it's brutal play but. solely because the
hammer-and -tongs style of game now in
vogue is taking the fun out Of it for the
players; and eventually that means foot
| ball will lose Its popularity.
football lis. q vigorous game, and as
| such is to be commended, but the batter
| ing ram principle of play has been car
| ried too far in recent years; 1t has gone
| to the point where premium is placed or
mere brute strength; where the chief de.
| sideratum is weight, and where advanc-
| ing the ball is by crude process Of ham
! merinB the tackle, or some other man il
/ the opposing line, into helplessne SIS.
"The rules committee is not in sym,
pathy with these objections; and it's chair.
/ man publicly upholds the killing style o
game permitted by existing rules; but Il