The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-10-27
Whitman Player Came in
for Newspaper Attack
RESULT OF SATURDAYS GAMt
University of Washington Coach Says
He Played Dirty Game and Tells
His Troubles to Newspaper.

last Saturday. Lasater OF the WHIT
man team has been the target for con-
siderable abuse from the University
of Washington team, which has taken
the matter up in the Seattle Post-Intel-
ligencer in the shape of dirty roast.
The article, which is as follows, was
instigated by j. c. Knight, coach for
the University of Washington team:
]. C. Knight, coach of the Univer-
sity Of Washington football team, has
sent letter to the Post-Intelligencer
in which he calls attention to some
statements made by one Lasater, who
played end and fullback for Whitman
in the game Saturday between the
university and the Walla Walla col
lege. Mr.. Knight also expresses his
opinion of Lasater and football play
ers of his stripe.
In the game Saturday Washington
fumbled the ball wretchedly. 1t was
a noticeable fact, however, that most
of the fumbles were after the ball had
been apparently downed and the play
ers had piled on top of it. Lasater
bare-facedly confesses to having stol-
en- the ball four times after it had been
fairly doWnej, and glorles in the fact.
His statement is confirmed by the
Washington players, and Fred Noel
mon, one of the Washington men, has
a sprained wrist caused by Lasater
wrenching the ball away from him
after the referees whistle had blown.
Lasater, moreover, boasts that he
| went into the second half Of the game
with the deliberate intention of put
ting Speidell out of the game by SO
injuring him that he could not play
Speidell was laid out time and time
again in the second half, having been
kicked in the head and side repeated
ly. Lasater was heard to remark dur
ing the course Of the game that he had
| laid one man out. Fortunately Speid-
ell felt as we'll as ever an hour after
the game.
| Brazenness Unprecedented.
Dirty football has been seen before
in the Northwest, and men have been
laid out before. But the University of
J
| Speidell is a man who would not re-
sort to unfair tactics under any cir
cumstances. And never before has a
man been seen in this state who would
openly brag that he had deliberately
punished an opponent for no other
reason than that he was a good player
| Lasater expressed himself along the
It'd Ill
the reception which was rendered the
visiting players at the university Sat
urday night knight heard of it, and
to satisfy himself went directly to
Lasater, from whom he received an
assurance that he had made the state
same.
Lasater has stated that he intends
to enter the university next year.
Knight said yesterday that he spoke
for. the institution as whole when he
said that the university did not want
him. Mr.. knights letter follows:
Coach Knights Letter.
Il have been often requested to
make statements for publication in
regard to football prospects and ath-
letiCs in general at the state univer-
sity, but have usually preferred to let
the work of the team speak for itself.
There were some features of the Whit
nan Washington game. however, which
I think should not be passed over
without comment.
Il was disposed to censure the sur
prising tendency of Washington to
tumble in the first half until a Whit
man man, Lasater, bOasted after the
game with great satisfaction that he
had succeeded in stealing the ball
four times after the referee had blown
his whistle. This may be called good
football in some places, but we do not
teach that kind of play in Seattle, and
it is unfortunate when a college team
will resort to it.
The same Whitman man openly
boosted to three Washington men
that he went into the second half with
the deliberate intention of putting
Speidell out of the game; stating
that, as Speidell was the most val
liable man On the Washington team.
it would be greatly to their advantage
of he should have to leave the game
mo consideration of sympathy for
a defeated team should prevent the
severest censure of any man or team
capable of INDUCING in such tactics
When l expressed some surprise
that member of a team, having the
good reputation which Whitman teams
have always enjoyed, should advocate
such unsportsmanlike methods in
i order to win his excuse was that the