The Minneapolis journal., 1903-11-24
FIELD FROZEN HARD.
Wisconsin Thinks Ice Gridiron Will
Give Her Advantage in Mime
sofa Game.
Two Defeats for the Badgers Tend to
Destroy Interest in the
Contest.

Madison, Wis.,, Nov. 24.--By leav-
ing hay or straw off the football grid
iron at Camp Randall the Wisconsin
management looked to securing a val
liable advantage over the gophers In
the final struggle of the season Thurs
last week during the cold snap to a
depth of four or five inches.
In former years the management,
presumably to remove the element Of
danger from the hard games OF the
latter end Of the season, covered the
grldlron with loads of hay, effectually
protecting the ground from the frost
and making it far less dangerous for
the play.
The failure to do this last week was
not out of a desire to allow either
badgers or gophers to be MANNED or
light, fast players, a situation most
desirable in contemplation of the con-
test with the heavier Minnesota
players.
Gridiron Frozen Solid.
Up at Minneapolis DR.. Williams
caused a heavy layer of straw to be
spread over Northrop field for the
game last Saturday, but no such pre-
caution was taken at Madison for the
hard contest between the Wisconsin
and Chicago freshmen elevens. The
result was that injuries were frequent
and a long list of substitutes had to be
used to I'LL UP the gaps, as the regu-
lars fell on the solidly frozen field.
Clarke Of Chicago was frightfully cut
in the face, and Thompson Of Wis
consin was rendered ''batty'' for
hours after the game was over be-
cause he was tackled hard and struck
hishead almost with cracking force
on the frosty ground.
Thompson's condition occasioned
great alarm to the Wisconsin man
agement. He acted as one out Of his
even after the game was over. He
scarcely recognized his fellow players
and repeated, ST don't know. where I
am. What's the matter. Don't go,
fellows. don't want to go home
He tried to be led home, but it was
necessary for Assistant Graduate Man
| ager Keachie to summon a cab and
obtain medical attention. Thompson
| is better, but remarks are passed to
the effect that the ground is too hard
for football.
There is no danger that the rooters
of the home team will greatly outshout
the excursionists from the north. Let
ters are arriving summoning students
| to annual family Thanksgiving re-
unions and it is known that the stu
dents will be far less reluctant to miss
the game and get the slice of home
turkey than would have been the case
had not two defeats and tie already
! been registered against the cardinal.
| There will be organized roofing, as a
matter Of course, but it will not be
such as met the visit of the naroons
from Chicago nearly q month ago.
The fact is, much of the Wisconsin
spirit has been cooled by the adverse
results of the Chicago, Michigan and
Northwestern games.
. Band Still on Strike.
| In addition to this situation is the
fact that the cardinal regimental band
has not yet been placated from the
! umbrage felt at the. refusal Of Man
ager Fitzpatrick to take the musicians
to the Ann Arbor game. The men of
i horns, drums and slide trombones
voted unanimously not to play at any
more athletic games, not only football,
i but all athletic events. This was i'm
mediately because the Michigan OUT
! ing was denied, but the element was
also present that it was desired to re-
ceiye cash pay for the band on athletic
/ occasions, the same as at military
hops. The students laughed and the
/ college paper called the 'tooters" "a
ing the baby act" But the band still
refuses to help the roofing at the Min
nesota game, and the gopher band is
1 likely to supply all the music.
The statement of Coach Williams,
4 in answer to the threats of Wisconsin
and Michigan to reta1iate for the al
legged rough playing of the gophers by
refusing to play with Minnesota in
the future, is received in Madison as
a fair statement of the situation and as
dignified as can be any controversial
writing on the part of a coach. Now
the blame for the whole trouble is laid
! upon Michigan and the suggestions
made by Michigan men at the Black
Friar's club dinner in Ann Arbor and
at the station there. The good feeling
i between Wisconsin and Michigan on
i that occasion was strong, planned by
Michigan to be 50, and it appears that
the badgers were led into being un-
justif1ably outspoken against Mime
sofa, for which some chagrin is now
felt here. The incident is announced
4 to be entirely closed.
4 No More Scrimmages.
i Wisconsin will hold no more scrim-
mage practice before the Minnesota
HYy1-- <>--s