The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-17
FOOTBALL
GAME WILL Be CLOSE
Minnesota Coaches Think Victory
Over Wisconsin Team Is by No
Means Certain.
Gophers Begin Hard Practice To-day
-Gridiron on Northrop Field
in Bad Shape.


in Bad Shape.
The game with Wisconsin is now
the objective point of the Minnesota
football team. The team returned
from Champaign yesterday with al
the men In good condition, and spent
an hour or two in light work In the
varsity armory last evening. The real
hard work begins to-day.
Some fears are entertained that bad
weather may interfere with the WORK
of the team during the next week. Al
present the gridiron on Northrop
field is as hard as a rock, and while
outdoor practice Will not be inter-
rupted, there Is danger that some OF
the men may be injured by falls upon
the hard ground. The risk must be
taken. however, as much hard work
is still necessary to prepare for the
hard battle with the badgers Thanks
giving Day. The team expects to
leave for Wisconsin next tuesday,
and it is probable that the squad Willy
be taken to Baraboo, about forty
miles from Madison, and remain there
until the morning before the game.
Two years ago the team was quartered
at Sun Prairie, but the accommoda-
ticns there were inadequate, and 1t
was impossible to secure proper 1000
for the men. At Baraboo the accom-
lnodations, it is thought, will be sat
isfactory and the team will go on the
gridiron Thanksgiving Day in much
better shape for a hard battle than
were the gophers Of 1901 on Nov. l6,
of that year.
There is an impression among the
followers of the game in Minneapolis
to regard the Thanksgiving day game
as a cinch for Minnesota. This opln-
ion is by no means shared by the
gopher coaches and players, and is
not justified by the records Of the two
teams this season. In spite of the two
defeats sustained by Wisconsin, the
badgers gave both Chicago and Michi-
gan hard battles, and established a
record for strong, fast play and UNI
finching gameness. In the last twelve
years Wisconsin has lost but three
games upon her own grounds; one to
Minnesota in 1892; one to Chicago in
1899 and one to Chicago in 1908. If
the badgers could hold Michigan to
one touchdown (made possible only by
q fumble) and two field goals at Ann
Arbor, they will certainly give Mime
sofa a tough argument when they have
the advantage Of playing on their own
grounds at Camp Randall. 1t is gen
orally felt by those in close touch with
the game that Minnesota will be lucky
to win by more than one touchdown
and there is grave danger that the
badgers may walk off with the LONG
end of the score.
Minnesota has one advantage ir
Wisconsin's hard schedule. The
Northwestern game Saturday, only five
days before the badgers meet the
upon the trip to Evanston, will make
the task of the badger trainers tt
bring their men on the field agains
Minnesota in condition a hard one
Northwestern is likely to lose, but i
the purple players are in good shape
they Will fight hard, and Wisconsin
will feel the effects of the grueling
Minnesota cannot count, however
upon wisconsin losing heart under he1
two defeats. The badgers are far from
discouraged. They think they have a
least an even chance to win from the
a more healthful frame Of minc
Thanksgiving day than DR.. Williams
men. So far as can be judged, Wis
consin feels much as she did two year.
ago. The players respect the strength
of Minnesota, but they are confiden
enough of their own prowess so tina
they will play to win, and not to hole
down the score. On the other hand
4 Minnesota teams in the past have beef
prone to overconfidence, and hav
often allowed their opponents to vii
by a failure to play their best at tn
start.
Outside critics do not believe tina
Minnesota has any cinch. Yost an
the Michigan players say that Wis
consin. will beat the gophers. Mil
waukee critics say their men Shout
win if they enter the grounds in a
good condition as when they face
Michigan. Chicago writer's expires
the belief that there is a strong prob
ability of the badgers winning, thu
giving the winner of the Michigan
Chicago contest a clear title to tn
championship. In short, all the sign
now point to hard-fought contes
with the chances Of victory nearly Q
quite even.
DR.. Williams to-day denied the in
terview ascribed to him by Chicag
newspaper man, in which he wa
quoted as saying that Minnesota eS
pected to double Michigans scor
against the badgers. DR.. William
said that the team would do it's bes
but he declined to express any opin
ion whatever in regard to the outcom
of the game. The Wisconsin coache
and men laugh at the statement ths
the gophers will double Michigan
score against the badgers.
THE Minnesota people seem to b
carried away with delight at the splen
q did showing their team has made s
far this season. said Coach Curti
Minnesota will not double the Mich
gan score against Wisconsin,. On tn
contrary, we hope and expect to de
feat Minnesota. The score will prot
ably be small, but it will be in on
favor
Assistant Coach Mccarthy and Car
tain Abbott talk the same way. Will
wisconsin Is somewhat handieappe
in having such q hard game as the
with Northwestern only four days be
fore the big Minnesota contest, it .
generally felt at Madison that, barrin
accident, the badgers will have a goo
fighting chance against the gophers.
,rhe resIlt of the Oh ica 90 11Las