The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-15
TRUTH SOUNDS
LIKE FICTION
Gopher Spirit Is Overcoming {
Disheartening Array Of
.a Obstacles.
BY O'LoughIln.

Thorpe signalized his last year by gam
ing an all-western guard position.
Strathern had that honor at center pc.
fore, and Davies never received hall
play at the halfback position: Harms
was the greatest quarterback developed
in Minnesota since the days Of George
Cole. This quartet was sufficient to
make big hole in team prospects.
This fall Hunter, who promised to de-
velop into the west g greatest quarter
back, failed to pass his June examlna-
tions and did not return to. college:
Case, the most promising-looklng
was denied the football field for the
same reason. Harmon, a Woodworking
halfback, who was expected to step
into Davies shoes, was confronted with
an array of conditions which he could
not overcome. Neussle, big backfield
candidate FROM up state, did not return
to the university, and the death OF
DR.. George Kicker caused the giving
up Of gridiron ambitions by his son
Max, of last years team. Following
this series Of losses Jimmy Irsfield
was stricken with pleurisy and pneu-
monia and is in st. Mary's hospital,
out of the game for the year.
Losses Without Record.
This array Of misfortunes cannot be
duplicated in any Of the big teams OF
the country west or east. Close. stu
dents of the game and friends Of the
team were stunned by the serles OF
losses. It was a discouraging outlook
| for the coaches and for the remaining
men of the team.
But this cutting away of supports
brought the situation right down to
| minnesota grit'' Captain Current
gathered his shattered forces as best
he could for the early training at Wa
COMA Some of the best men, fellows
expected to bear the burden, could not
leave the farms and the shops until
just before time for them to take up
iiams and his assistant, Gilmore Do
bic, started into their work Of the year
hampered on one side by the losses and
on the other by the conference 8 fool
ish restriction concerning the use. of
freshmen on the varsity team 1t is
their hands in despair and cry quits.
They did nothing Of the kind. They
!, buckled down to the work to make a
Minnesota team, and today it looks as
tho their efforts were to be crowned
with success. The big games are to
be played, but followers Of Minnesota
| football are gaining confidence thru the
work of the men in the early games.
Men Are Loyal.
The men now in moleskins on North
rop field are showing a wonderful 10y
| most part they are working like Tro-
| JAMS From end to end and from CEN
ter to fullback there is the logged de-.
| termination to triumph in the face Of
| obstacles Of every kind and to bring
| another successful season in football to
| their alma mater. Every friend OF the
team-and these friends mount high
into the thousands in the city and the
state-is "with the boys' heart and
soul in their effort.
| Burgan and Marshall are caring for
the ends and as they are veteran play
ers, those positions look to be settled.
! At the tackles Brush and Ittner are
also pleasing the followers Of the game.
Ittner is working better than last year.
He knows more football and is play
ing with painstaking care and a snap
that marks him as a coming man. Brush
is better thin last year and that is say
not often. He is hardworking play
er, and in the last issue Of the North
western Sportsman, George F. Downer
of Wisconsin calls him the greatest
western tackle Of last year. Vita and
Sandborn are playing the practice
games in the guard positions. Vita got
his emp last year and is hardwork-
ing chap who &c can be d 1; led upon o;
ton is assaulted. Sandborn is weigh
ty lad and is overcoming the slowness
which marked his first attempts at
play early in the season. Dan Smith
and Stafford have been alternating at
the center and Dam proves is moth
ing new from Ann Arbor to Lincoln
Neb. Stafford is younger. man at foot,
ball, plugger and ambitious.
Backfeld Candidates.
tns ?nsfS HS9 1US fea
we'll He is cool in the middle of the
scrimmage and has a pleasing way Of
going with ball. His generalship ha!
been good. He punts we'll, getting his
kicks off speedily and with good height
S wanped ft@nSs Of K bs efcg MSs
is playing with a determination tx
make these critics acknowledge that
they were wrong in their hasty judg
ment. Kremer is valuable man anc
ever at his work. The loss of Irsfelc
opens up a gap for which Joe Cutting
and Schuknecht seem the most likely
candidates. Schuknecht has the advan
tage of weight over utting, but the
latter puts dash into his play which
, will make him a hard competitor fol-
Schuknecht to eliminate. Cutting is al
"M' man and versatile player
Schuknecht is a plunging, ripping sor
of player and a good man to have
: around a football team.
Current-''Old Steady.''
? At the fullback position is Earl Cur
rent captain of the team. Current neve
, receives half the praise he is entitled
: to. When rooters gather to discuss foot
ball he is never discussed. It is tn,
highest compliment they can pay hin
for the apparent slight means that h,
8 has the full confidence of every foot
: ball enthusiast who has seen him play
} This does not by any means tell thu
I story Of Minnesota football and her men
There aresuch fellows as oech who j
!, tie to keep him out of an "M" thi
year. Weisel. wiry, bone and sinev
: chap, who can step into Larkin g, shov
r shoes and run the team fast and eff
l fectively. Kielland, the hardest fight
1ng on Of the sea ASa siT Is
r man, who can jump into the line an,
7 buck and 20 in manner to keep al
t opponent vexed at his activity Greave