The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-02

Eleven braWny, big hearted athletes
felt their hearts swell within them last
night as they left the special train
that had brought them from the scene
of battle at Charleston, where they had
conquered an old time enemy. Never
was hero or heroes more enthusiastic
cally welcomed than was the Savannah
football team.
The special train due to arrive in Sa-
vannah at IL o'clock was an hour late
but this did not cool the enthusiasm Of
the crowd that waited and wanted
the team to know how it made all Sa-
Vannah proud.
Georgia Drawn, stolid, aggressive, I'M
yielding-South Carolina desperation.
cyclonic, and almost irresistible were
the opposing elements in the greatest
football battle ever fought on a South
ern gridiron.
Cracker and Weazel again met in the
battle of the gridiron. and again, true
to its traditions. does the blue and
white wave. For the third time men
from Georgia and South Carolina fought
for the glory of the fighting, while
thousands of lusty partisans looked on
and lent frenzied encouragement as
their favorites advanced or retreated in
the struggle. Historic Charleston has
seen many bitter struggles, of both
mimic and real war, but none surpass-
ed the athletic spectacle, which drew
the 5000 men and women to the
Athletic Park.
One touchdown and one goal in
the first half, and two tOuchdoyyns
and one goal in the last half piled
up "a total of seventeen points for
Savannah. Charleston could not
move the Blue and white line, and
after the first five minutes ? to
mas freely offered that Charleston
would not score.
An Inspiring Scene.
Within quadrangle formed Of
masses OF people, the players appeared
to fine advantage, and at distance
the tier on tier of humanity appeared
as banks of foliage in which the col
orlng and animation We're kaleido-
scopic On nearer View the coil
oring became more riotous and where
individuals could be distinguished thew
presented the same old familiar types
oI Iootpall enthusiasts wearing the
same Old yellow chrysanthemums
Haunting the same old steamers OF
Nafl-colored ribbons and waving the
same old flags of their allegiance.
although TO the spectators the air
was somewhat chill, it could have been
no more perfect from the players
standpoint, and the nip of the cold
only sent the tfDUliDo blood
through the veins of the enthusiastic
witnesses of the sport. Scarcely one
OF the spectators occupied his seat
Tor the standing was easier warmer
and gave great opportunity for the
roofing without which, one does not
get his moneys worth at a football
game.
Enthusiasm at Its Hight.
There was evidence that Charleston
had long looked forward to the New
Years game. Preparations had been
made for big crowd, and when the
hour arrived for the gridiron gladia-
tors to commence hostiities there was
very little available room in the park
In the ensemble of color effects pro-
dueed by the Haunting banners and
streamers the blue and white predonn-
mated. Hundreds of Charleston
1ans donned the colors of the Southern
champions and cheered as Justify as
did the most loyal Savannah rooter.
The special train bearing the Savan-
nan team and 800 enthusiastic foot
ballists arrived in Charleston at 1l:2o
O'Clock, and that was the signal for
the introduction of the team yells and
songs. Up and down historic old
Meeting and King streets the shouting.
singing enthusiasts marched. Long
before the game Charleston sentiment
rather inclined to the belief that the
Georgia Crackers had come over to
wrest defeat from them, and they les
sened the possibility of humiliation by
acknowledging that there was little
chance for the Charleston men.
But Charleston had made an effort.
1t had gotten together perhaps the
best individual team to be found. out
side of Savannah, in the South. There
were an-Southern team men on it.
and one of the players came all the
way from New York 10 assist the
crimson and blue. 1t was a great
team, and more the glory of Savan-
nah's victory.
At an early hour the crowds com
menced to take the cars for the ath-
letic field, and when Forsyth of
Charleston kicked off, the signal for
Continued on Third PaOa