The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-28
COPHERS DESERVE
THE CHAMPIONSHIP
First Honors Should Be Given
to DR.. Williams Great
Eleven.
BY BILLY MAC.

The end of the football season brings
forward the fight that was expected since
that Saturday afternoon on Northrop
field, when the Minnesota team played the
Michigan eleven that to tie game.
All the talking of the critics and all
the arguments printed by the sporting
writers will not settle the dispute, but
Minnesota's friends and Michigan's
friends, like the two gents engaged in a
political argument know they are right
and they are going to tell it to each other
from now on until the mold grows on the
stored away pigskin oval.
1t is unfortunate that Minnesota and
Michigan met so early in the season. Had
Minnesota met the Wolverine eleven
Thursday afternoon all this dispute would
without doubt have been avoided, and we
do not think that the Gophers would have
suffered by the delay.
The Chicago Tribune critic, in leaning
toward Michigan in his presentation of
the championship honors, points out that
the Michigan team improved far more be-
tween the game with Minnesota and the
end of the season than the Minnesota
eleven did in the same interval.
This point is mere matter of opinion.
Minnesota looked forward to the game
with Michigan as her great game of the
season, and Williams men prepared for
the game and practically defeated Michi-
gan, and then perhaps did let up trifie
in their work, but not enough to injure
their chances in any of the following
games.
Michigan, on the other hand, came to
play Minnesota full of confidence. The
Wolverines banked considerable on their
past reputation and on the admitted abfl-
ity of their coach. When Minnesota tied
them, Yost's men were hurt, angry and
one might say bit desperate. They were
saved from complete defeat by the tie
score, and saved they settled down to the
task of preserving the remnants of their
former laureS.
The argument that Michigan improved
in a wonderful fashion after the Mime
sofa game cannot be used IN claiming
the championship for the Wolverines.
The real points are that Minnesota pre-
pared for her great game. Michigan pre-
pared after her big game.
Even the friends of Michigan will be
fair enough to admit that Minnesota
could have held her form for two or
three weeks or even month longer. The
disposition of a strong fighting football
player should receive some consideration
when the form point is being raised.
Comparative scores are worthless in
an attempt to figure out the positions Of
football elevens, for generally they can
be used by either side in proving the
claims advanced. They viii be used by
the Minnesota and Michigan followers
and the dispute will continue without re-
suit.
Minnesota won the championship the
afternoon of Oct. 81, when She tied Mich
igan.
In this game the Gophers outplayed the
Wolverines from start to finish, except
ing, of course the few moments when the
great Heston, aided by the Michigan
team, rushed Minnesota off her feet for
that one touchdown. Minnesota played
even better football when she returned
the compliment and rushed Boeckman
over for the Gopher touchdown.
Michigan perhaps improved after the
Minnesota game, but Minnesota did not
go back on her fOrm-the men simply
eased up. Minnesota would have played
as fast if not faster than she did in this
game had the date been Nov. 26 instead.
And after winning the championship
title that day Minnesota held her right to
it up to the close Of the season. 1t
touches on the use of comparative scores,
but Minnesota in scoring three touch-
downs on Wisconsin at Madison surely
played ahead of the Michigan team that
could only score one touchdown on the
Badgers right on Ferry field and that goal
was but a bit more of Wisconsin's season
of hard luck
Minnesota showed III this Wisconsin
game that the men had not gone far back
in their form. The first half was
surprise to the friends who saw the
Gophers play Michigan, but in the second
half the game that broke the hearts of
the Wolverines and their supporters was
used against the Badgers, and in this half
the Minnesota men make good our agu-
ment that disposition must be considered
when form is discussed,