Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-27
RACQUET CHAMPION.
George n. Brooke a Native Of Sandy
Springs, Md.

FROM tne Baltimore sun.
Few persons may know that George H.
Brooke, who recently captured the anna
teur championship of America at racquets
by defeating the Boston crack. Quincy A.
Shaw. in thee straight games, is Mary
lander. He was born at Sandy Spring.
and his career as an athlete began at
Swarthmore Preparatory School when he
played on the foot ball team. When he
entered Swarthmore College in 1891 he
Immediately made the eleven and played
kicking ability attracted the attention of
George Woodruff, then head coach of the
University of Pennsylvania foot ball team.
and young Brooke was soon induced to
matriculate at the latter institution
Penn's team in those days was re-
markably strong aggregation of expert
enced men and the best Brooke could do
the first year that he was eligible was to
De substitute for Knipe at fulback. How
ever, in '94 he was placed regularly at
fuL back, Knipe going to half. This was
the famous year when the red and blue
made clean sweep of the boards, or,
rather, grld1rons, defeating both Harvard
and Princeton
Brooke was Caspar Whitney's choice
for full back on the all-American team
that year and the following season. when
the red-haired wonder won the Harvard
game all by himself. scoring a goal from
the field and kicking two goals from
touchdowns at difficult angles, making the
score IL to Harvard's H. Whitney, in again
placing him his all-Star team had this
TO say concerning his selection:
There is no difficulty in choosing a full
back Brooke is unquestionably entitled
TO that distinction Or his marvellous kick
ing, which includes proficiency in every de-
partment of that game, such as line kicking
and running through broken field. Not
since Butterworth has another such all
around fullback been developed. and Brooke
-nrfh to, IT,
punting being about even
Coach at Leland Stanford.
When his foot ball career at Penn was
ended by the four-year rule Brooke was
asked by the Leland Stanford University
of California to coach its eleven, which he
did. In 1897 he Joined the all-star Duauesne
Athletic Club eleven of Pittsburg composed
entirely of college graduates. who had
played on their varsity eIevens. In 1898,
however, the great fulIback decided to take
up coaching as regular occupation and
accepted this position at Swarthmore.
where he has been ever since and where his
efforts to turn out first-class minor team
have been almost uninterruptedly success
full
Mr. Brooke's career at racquets has again
shown his capacity for hard, conscientious
work and a willingness to bide his time I'M
I'll he could make bid for highest honors
with a reasonable chance for success. He
1896, and under the able tutelage of Mr..
Ellis. the Philadelphia Racquet Clubs pro-
fessional. the youthful player was soon able
to hold his own with his club mates. BY
1900 he had reached the first class and in
1902. when paired with Hugh D. Scott sue
ceeded in winning the doubles champion
ship of America.
Last year i'll health prevented his MAX
ing his usual good showing. but after his
careful preparations this fall those who had
been watching his game were not surprised
when he carried all before him in Boston
Also Tennis Player.
Brooke is one of the best tennis players in
this country, although he never took UP the
game seriously enough to go into the big
tournaments at Longwood and Newport.
Nevertheless he has often taken the win
ners of these matches and trimmed them
privately
An incident of this kind occurred when
the Pennsylvania foot ball team was up in
Canada for preliminary practice. The
Canadian pair, who had just captured the
doubles championship of Canada, hap
pened to be stopping al the same hotel, and
they challenged any two players in the
red and blue squad to a match at doubles.
Brooke and Stauffer accepted the def and
to the discontinue of the natives and de-
light of the American colony succeeded in
putting it all over the Canadian cham
pions
Mr. Brooke has been selected as one of
the coaches for the Pennsylvania foot ball
team next year, but it is doubtful if his
duties at Swarthmore will permit of his
accepting the position.
He is not a physical marvel. He stands
about five feet nine inches in his stocking
feet and weighs around 1S5 pounds. His
muscular development is not exaggerated
like that of so many of the so-called ath-
Ietes of the present day but one can tell al
a glance that he is powerful man