The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-28
LOOK no ECKERsALL's LEG.
Chicago Says Their Famous Punter
Wonder.

a Wonder.
Chicago. Nov. 28.-After a period of
considerable depression, due to the loss
of the services of the teams two best
halfbacks. Chicago university men are
contemplating with more confidence
the approaching clash for the cham
piOnship of the west between the Ma
rooms and the great Yost machine,
With Boone and De Tray gone from
behind the ine.s Stages followers for
a time could not see how the great
Michigan aggregation could be stop
ped. Today, from having been as high
as 3 to 1 in favor of Michigan, the
betting has dropped to less than to
on Yost's men. The reason? It's
hard to find, for the same conditions
prevail now as last week It is thought
that the Chicago team has improved
since the game with Wisconsin, when
Eckersau's one goal from the field was
the only score. That game was played
on muddy field, when the Chicago
eleven could not get going. 1t is
argued that, on fast field, the Ma
rooms would have scored at least twice
on straight tOuchdOWns and EckerSaII
would likelv have had other tries at
goal than the one he counted. Michi-
CANS game with Wisconsin was on q
fast field; and the Chicago rooters,
comparing the form of the elevens,
argue this explains Yost's better show
ing in points than was made by the
Windy City men,
Whatever the argument. it is certain
in the minds of nearly every local var
sity man that when time is called
Thanksgiving afternoon for this great
battle the biggest crowd ever at a
football game in t. e west viii witness
the fercest battle ever fought for the
western championship
ChlcagO critics grant Michigan the
edge-this only because the two regu-
lar halfbacks will be out of the fray.
But nearly every Maroon man can tell
you how many goals from the field
"Eckie' is going to put across the bar.
What One Leg May Do
And right here in this matter of
field goals seems to rest the key to this
game. There seems no doubt that,
whatever confidence the Chicago men
may have in the efficiency of the
eleven, it IS certainly not as strong a
gamer of ground from scrimmages as
Michigan. This eleven earns the right
to its fame in this respect, and its rec
ord for the past four years speaks for
itself. In this period Michigan is I'M
| beaten. As for its defense this year,
II is only necessary to state that Yost' S
team has not been scored against Up
at Ann Arbor they merely ask What
viii be the size of the score ." so great
IS the faith of the students in the re
suit But Eckie must be served A
man who can drop five field goals over
the bar in six efforts during a game
mas to be considered. Beside his goal
Kicking they have to consider likewise
that he gains from 10 to Is yards on
/ his punts over Garrels every time he
| boots, if records are to be believed
Eurth ermore, he is one of Chicago's
strongest end runners. and frequently
gets away with big gains. Here is one
man that is likely to nullify in a few
swings of his legs seventy minutes
| hard work of eleven others.
| If Yost's figures can be believed. his
men are not the monsters reported. the
! team averaging 1S9 I'll. as compared
to 1877 5-11 for Chicago-a virtlla
! equality The average experience OF
the men of both teams is about two
and One-half years. so that the teams
are equal in this respect.