The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-16
GOPHERS MUST
FACE VETERANS
Nebraska Players Seem to Have
Little Regard for Confer
ence Rules.
By O'Louqhlin.

Minnesc tas athletic authorities today called
the attention of Nebraskas s governors to what
OF johnson and Eager both star players OF
the Nebraska football team. Newspaper flles
and the official football guides show that John
son has played four years of varsity football
and Eager, from all indications, Is now on
lis fifth sixth year of participation IN ath-
lctics. e. ..'@a.t, p Il
This action was not q protest. Minnesota has
suffered in the past from eleventh hour pro-
tests such as that of Strathern at Chicago last
fall. The gopher governors have placed the
facts as they find them before the Nebraska
authorities and the disposition of the players
entirely with Nebraska. If. the Nebrasknns
say they think the men are eligible to play
they will be Northrop field Saturday.
If they find that the records have been over
looked and hold the men out OF the play IT
will be of their own accord. Minnesota will
not enter any formal protest. .- r..--..-.
\ look into the records of the Nebraska team
proves rather interesting. 1t shows first of all
that Minnesota's players called upon to
meet team of veterans. Borg, Cotton, Bene-
diet and Mason all old-tiners. and from
an inspection cf newspaper files it would seem
that they are how on their fourth year of foot
ball. An inspection of the 100000 files and
official football guides shows that Johnson and
Eager have not only put in four years, but
playing the four-year limit allowed
by the rules Of the big nine for participation
in university athletics,
Eager's Long Play.
Eager has played at least four years and
perhaps five. He played in the Nebraska Ames
game of 1901, in the Nebraska-Doane college
game in 1902. with Nebraska against Haskell
colorado and South Dakota i'll 1903 and against
Minnesota in 1904. He IS mentioned i'll today rs
dispatches from Lincoln as speedy player
This experience should have developed any
latent speed powers he might have possessed
In the official football guide for 1901 Eager
Is in the Nebraska team picture and wearing
very large M. This picture of the
1900 team and would Indicate that Eager hat
his initial in 1900, previously. Upor
this showing it would appear that Eager ha:
rounded his athletic career at Nebraska ant
Is starting on the second lap.
Johnson Not a Youngster.
johnson. according to statements of Mime
sofa players of 1900 and the newspaper files
Is playing his fifth year of football. Gil
more Dobe says Johnson got into the Mime
sota-Nebraska game of 1900. II remember hin
we'll said Dobie today. He came in at thu
is that Charley Fee and myself worked
double pass around his end of the line whcl
gave us fifteen yards just after he got in
Johnson played against Ames in 1901 ant
against Knox in 1902 He out of the pa,
In 1903, but returned last year and playet
against Minnesota on Northrop field. Thes
.'statstics would tend to show that johnson
is taking post graduate football this season q
the Nebraska varsity. g
The Four-Year Rule.
If Eager and Johnson have played four o
FIVE years it is a direct violation of the con
ference rule, the rule upon which Boone O
Chicago. was hung up just before the Purdu
game Nebraska contracted to play under con
ference rules in the Minnesota game. If tn
looked uD and found to be playing
their limit it will be up to Nebraska t
quietly drop them out. When it was rumored tha
Brush Ineligible for the Iowa game las
year Minnesota did not put the player in tn
game and took the case to the conference with
out a protest being made against the playe
BY any school.
Nebraska leaves Lincoln late this afternoon an
upon their arrival at st. Paul the team will b
Quartered at the Ryan hotel. Prac tice tOmol
afternoon will be held 1T the downtow
ball park In the sanity city The rOOter:
headed by the Nebraska band, will arrive Sa
urday morning and will come direct to Mime
. apolis. Only lad weather spoil an afte
neon of intenselv, interesting football an
while the crowd is not expected to be gree
AS that in attendance at the Wisconsin gam,
there will be great turnout of the rootel
before the first kickoff.
Another quiet evening-so far as the publ
Is concerned-Was passed by Minnesota's foo
hall team Yesterday afternoon on NCrhrC
field There were noises drifting over the fenc
which indicated that the grandstand might /
falling down. but nothing was thrown ovt
the fence. This afternoon DR.. Williams ga,
his warriors the last stiff workout befol
the Nebraska game of Saturday and down .
Lincoln the cornhuskers underwent the san
treatment early in the afternoon before leavir
for Minneapolis.