New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-02
ON THE GRIDIR0N.
TIGERS FINE CHANCES.
Thin; They Would Beat Yale If
Game We're To-mOrro1C.

the DAY Yves HaTVaTdS narrow escape from de-
feat at the hands Of the fast and clever Car
Isle Indians. One point was all that stood be-
tween Harvard and a tie. and there can be no
doubt that she was extremely lucky 20 emerge
with a victory to her credit Scarcely less sig
nilcant was the tremendous victory OF Princeton
over Cornell That Princeton would almost
surely win was predicted IN this column
week ago to-day. but the teams have FOR some
years been justly regarded as worthy Of each
others steel. and IL could scarcely have been
foreseen that the Tigers would so completely
smother their opponents. Little wonder that
there is 50 much hope at Princeton as the IN
dergraduates and coaches look forward 20 No
vember II Yals's defeat OF Columbia is rather
puzzIing. The fact that she failed to score
in the first half must cause the supporters OF
the Blue considerable concern. fo7. though the
superiority Of the team in the second half was
so marked. that first half shows the Incidence
and lack Of aggressiveness OF which the eleven
is Ca2able.
Several weeks ago I expressed the opln-
ion that Princeton not only possessed
team which had already reached a high degree
OF DEVELOPMENT but, moreover, had a team
which was likely 70 prove. before the season was
over one Of the best in the entire history OF the
New-Jersey institution AS long ago as the
game with Brown. Il appeared to the writer
that the Tigers had every reason to entertain
the hope that they had an excellent chance to
win the championship. OF course. the crucial
game is still fortnight OF. and in that In
terval many things may happen. but II Yale and
Princeton were TO meet tomorrow. the odds
would probably be even, and II would not be
surprising IL Princeton were made a slight IA
vorite, despite the prestige OF her rival 1t means
a good deal to any one who has a fair under
standing Of the game TO say that Cornell made
four yards in three downs only once II means
that the Tigers were so far superior that
the two elevens were nowhere nearly n the
same class. Grant that Cornell Is unusually
weak this year, and the fact still remains that
PRINCETON is unusually strong No other theory
can account for the surprising result Cornells
only approach al scoring was the result Of a
play which might be made by high school
team against Yale A back managed to shoot
through an opening offered. not BY design. but
by chance. at precisely the moment when he
had clear field There was not a single posi-
ton IN which Old Nassau did not utterly out
class Cornell. The Tigers have succeeded n
building up a fast, strong line, which will IN
doubtedly give Yales forwards the hardest
fight they have had in years. De Witt has al
ways been able 10 hold his own with any Yale
opponent who went against him Short seems
likely to outclass Roraback IN this pivotal pO-
sition- Dillon Is not much inferior 20 Batchel-
der. so far appears; Reed has always been
one Of the best tackles playing. and Cooney
is developing fast. while Davis and Henry are
in the same class ends with Rafferty, and
ShevIin. When it comes to the back Held.
Princeton IS to-day the strongest team in the
country. The new rules make It imperative
that backs shall be. above all. fast. accurate
and so we'll drilled that they shall work TO-
gether Ike the cogs Of q clock Such a back
field Princeton possesses, while individually her
backs are an extraordinarily high class lot In
Vetterlein she has a quarter worthy 70 rank
with the very best a team general. while he
is fast and clever in individual work Kafer,
FOuIke and Miller are all OF the same type, COM
bining speed, weight and strength in just the
right proportion. De Witt is not kicking as
well as usual the responsibilities OF the cap
taincy being probably 70 blame, but on one Of
his off days he is coed the best Of other
colleges their best days. and there's not
much doubt that when the time comes ne VII
be sending the leather as Tar as Bowman On
Saturday Princeton played straight football
Il was enough, more than enough, TO win hand
sOrneIy. But this does not mean that she has
no new strategy 10 show Yale. She has been
having secret practice for some time and sur
prises may be looked for a week from next
Saturday. Things look very rosy at Princeton
at present.
without a doubt much OF Tale's lack OF ag-
gressfveness and dash IN the first half Of the
Coiumbia game may be attributed 10 the alb
sence Of Rockwell at quarter. soper is. at best.
only fair substitute. Rockwell was, on the
other hand. last season far and away the best
quarterback playing, with the exception OF
DAILY. Of West Point, who had years OF ex-
perience to his advantage. With last years
prestige behind him. Rockwell Will this year
undoubtedly improve and show himself a quar-
ter to gladden. the heart OF any coach And
yet. though soper must be held partly ac-
coun,abIe for YaIe's sIowness and lack OF spirit.
he cannot be allowed TO shoulder al the blame,
and it would not be surprising TO find that that
first half worries the New-Haven coaches more
than q tride. There can be no doubt that X
would have proved fatal against Princeton, for
the Tigers play a daSnlnS, spirited, nght-heart-
ed game from the first shrek OF the referees
whistle Boomers absence from guard must
also be remembered He was nursing a as
located shoulder and keeping eye on Prince
tons doiCgs against Cornell he VIII be back
in the game In a few days. but his necessary
rest and absence from practise viii not do him
or the team much good. coming SO late IN the
season. Nor must BlOOU1er be OverestiCnated
in his position lie is an excellent. powerful.
fast and aggressive guard. but he is Eef
feIfnCar Or Glass. Il is not likely that Yales
coaches are anywhere near satisfied with the
centre Of The line. Roraback and Bachelor
arc H. unsatisfactory points These men VIII
undoubtedly line up against the Tigers. but
they give good grounds for shakngs OF the
head. In Rafferty, She~lin. Hogan and Kin
neg. Yale has four forwards probably not
egualied quartet. bass behind the line she
does not appear 20 be as strong as last year
There isn't any CHADWICK there and no De
SauIies has yet been discovered 20 run back
puuts- Bowman punts in good FORM but he IS
r. her slow on his feet, and rather less vaIU-
able under the new rules than he would have
been Tor the oid mass plays which almost eX-
clu1ively comprised Yale'z 1902 game IN fact.
the baCkg=.d 2 whole does not aQpeer 50
well adapted 70 the new conditions as Prince
tons. OF course. nobody can tell what Yale IS
doing in her secre- practice toward developing
new PLAYS hut a0voCdy can Eet az idea q
how well the IaC--- who must DO most Of the
bail advancing. VII execute them All sims
1Oilt TO ore Ur the rr7s- uncertain and exciting
v.ra- Projection g1rrc= q lone ra-fa-