New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-30
ON THE GRIDIR0N.
Season of Surprises Ended-Ihe
4U-Americd Team.

With the West Point slaughter OF Annapolis
on Saturday there came to an end a of
numerous surprises and dsappontments.
All of these have been referred to from time to
time in this department, but a brief summary OF
them is appropriate at this moment. Without
doubt one Of the biggest surprises Of the season
was the development Of Dartmouth into a team
little short of the first magnitude. AS Daniel
Webster remarked on a celebrated occasion.
Dartmouth is a small college; its resources for
playing material are comparatively limited. Yet
it built up eleven which, for all around finish,
is worthy OF comparison with any OF the season.
Its attack smooth, perfectly organized and
executed with dash and unity difficult TO excel
or to stop. Its defence was strong and well
drilled and cool. There were better players on
other teams. and other elevens had a higher
average of individual ability, but none turned
out a better organized machine Dartmouth
scored total Of 242 points, against % for her
opponents. Only two elevens scored against her.
Princeton being her only successful rival, and
Princeton's triumph was early in the sea-
son, when Princeton already had reached a high
state of development and was probably better
team than when she beat Yale.
Princetor's victory was not one Of the sur
prises OF the season nor was Yales over Har-
ward. The most astonishing thing about the
football year the signal failure Of most Of
the teams TO play any Of the new football made
possible by the new rules. Secret practice be-
gan all around full fortnight earlier than usual,
and there were promises that many novel plays
would be seen when the time came The time
came. but no novelties of importance were seen.
Ali the big teams played straight football"
That is, they played the game Of 1902, so far as
the limitations Of the rules would allow.
One or two new plays, fast and well organized
and unexpected. might we'll have turned Yales
defeat into victory According to reports from
behind closed gates, the team had been practis-
ing them for weeks yet they did not appear at
the crucial moment. Harvard had the poorest
season in her history, and the fault must lie
with the coaching system. coupled with the fact
that Carl Marshall, who excellent quar-
terback the year before, collapsed in lamentable
shape when the responsibilities Of the captaincy
fell upon his shoulders. Pennsylvania season
was full of ups and downs, but, save for the
Cornell game her game was the worst in her
history. Cornell too. has little to be proud of.
Lehigh played her to a standstill; Columbia
beat her and Pennsylvania overwhelmed her.
The pth of it is that the big four" is reduced TO
the big three" the components OF which are
Princeton, Yale and Dartmouth
The selection of the All-Amertca team for
1908 is for several reasons, more than usually
difficult task. Ordinarily the choice is a per-
picking IN many cases, and the team selected
will never please everybody; but this year
there have been more than the usual number
of good regulations shattered, while new candi-
dates have sprung UP on every hand. 1t is,
however. an interesting thing TO consider the
respective merits Of the best individual players
and possibly the difficulty of this seasons selec-
ton increases its interest.
A beginning VIII be made at quarterback. FOR
this is probably, all things considered, the most
trying and responsible place an eleven Last
year it was a narrow thing between Rockwell
| Of Yale, and DAILY. of West Point, the West
Pointer getting the choice because Of his greater
experience. This season Daily has not played
| and Rockwell, had he maintained his 1902 FORM
would have easily been the choice. Unfortunate
w. the Yale quarter is far from being the
| Rockwell of 1902. For the place on the ALL
America team his principal rivals are Witham
Of Dartmouth; Vetterlein, OF Princeton; Hackett
| of West Point, and Johnson, Of Carlisle
Marshall of Harvard, is out of the question
| In the middle of the season, about the time OF
the Brown game, vetterlein was playing foot
ball which would be hard to beat; but he must
be Judged by his showing in the principal game
OF the year and, against Yale his work was
disappointing He his team we'll and. on
the whole. with good Judgment, but his defen-
sive work very poor and lethargic, espe-
ciaIIy in catching and running back punts.
For this weakness he is discarded. Rockwells
work in the Princeton game was also inferior.
Allowance must he made for the fact that he
vas badly overturned, and, according to the
report really non compos mentis for large
part Of the second half. owing to a blow on
the head which made him groggy. This may
account for the wretched judgment he used in
his choice OF plays In the Harvard game. how
ever the Yale quarter played much more like
the Rockwell Of 1902 and ran off his plays with
the old snap and precision. HIS defensive work.
too was an improvement, but he was far from
following the ball and getting into the inter
ference as he did in 1902. Hackett. of West
Point. played creditable ball all the season. He
used good Judgment, and at times got his plays
off with rapid fire speed. He was bit uncer-
tain in handling kicks, however, and did not
always pass clearly. He will have TO go into
the discards too. Johnson Of the Indians. was
one Of the most alert and heady quarters Of the
year and got into every play. IN this respect
he was much like Captain Witham, of Dart
mouth though the Dartmouth man proba-
bly more consistent and more effective de-
fensive No team ran off plays with the clock
work regularity and precision Of Dartmouth. and
William gets much Of the credit for this On the
whole, the choice seems to lie between Witham
and Rockwell. AS Williams work was more
consistent, taking the season a whole,
name him for this difficult position.
Coming to right halfback the decision is one
of the easiest Of the lot. MetcaIf. of Yale is the
man. He. too. showed poor condition against