The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-03
FRESHMEN MEET
STRONG BADGERS
Engage Tomorrow Morning with
Heavy Team That Has Taxed
Varsity's Strength.
By l., L. Collins.

Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock the curtain
will go up on Northrop-field football perform
ance unique in Minnesota football history. For
the first time in the history of the institutions
the freshman badger and gopher teams vii fight
for supremacy.
During the past years, when the best football
men in the freshman classes of the western
institutions have been played on the regular
varsity teams, contest between team Of Min
nesota freshmen and like aggregation from
some other college would have attracted little
attention but with the adoption Of the semester
rule barring freshmen from varsity contests has
come the development of freshman football as
an important department Of western college ath-
letics. E
Realizing that the men who barred from
the university squads should be given chance
to learn university football practically all of the
colleges of the big nine have engaged profes-
sional coaches, whose services are confined en-
tirely to the development Of freshman teams.
Sig Harris the famous gopher quarterback, was
retained in Minnesota. .ts".
Badgers Are Heavier. "
The game will not only be interesting from
partizan standpoint but it will be good foot
ball The Wisconsin team will outweigh Harris
wards and the visitors have held the Wisconsin
regulars we'll in daily practice. On the other
hand, the gopher youngsters have defeated the
teams of Iowa university, Fargo agricultural
college and the Faribault deaf and dumb insti-
tute. showing form that has surprised Mime
apol1s football enthusiasts. 1t will be contest
of weight against speed, Of close play against
open play. . et.
The Minnesota freshman team which will en-
ter the game tomorrow will not average 1855
pounds. The linemen, especially the tackles, are
light, and the backheld does not average 100
pounds, altho the presence Of BLY, at fullback
would bring up the average The badgers will
outweigh the Minnesotans by nearly ten pounds
to the man. Whether or not the Minnesota
team can make up for this deficiency in weight
by speedy play will not be known until tomor-
row noon.
Nat Frykman, the speedy ha1fback who has
done wonderful work in the preliminary games,
was not in condition for practice yesterday and
should he be unable to enter the game tomorrow
freshman stock will take quick decline. With
Frykman and Ertl at halfbacks and Moore at
quarter followers Of the team would feel sure
that the freshmen could score on their opponents,
but the absence of Frykman cast gloom on
yesterdays proceedings Should he be unable
to play, Hubbard will take his place.
Fight for Fullback. ~
The fight for the fullback position on the team
has been waxing merrily during the past week.
Bly, was kept out Of the scrimmage by illness
for over two weeks but returned to the squad
in time to play part Of the Faribault game,
and he has been trying hard to regain his old
position. He has the advantage of Merrill in
weight, but Merrill's work has been highly sat.
isfactory during Bly's absence, and choice
has not been made by Coach Harris.
In the line Dunn will play at center. and
altho he will be outweighed, the rooters expect
MIN TO QOlQ MS opponent even. Ono OF the
strongest features of his work has been his ac
curate passing, and he is counted upon as one OF
the steadiest men in the line.
Eakins will play left guard, and he is the
only man in the freshmen line who will weigh
| as much his Wisconsin opponent. His team
mate at the other guard will be either Smith
or Knocke. Knocke has recovered from spraineG
knee and is again on the squad. If he il
played at guard tomorrow Smith will go tt
tackle again, but 1T is probable that Sig Harris
| will keep his regular line intact and play Smith
at guard with Maloney at right tackle. T.
il; Coaches Still Dubious.
Foker will be at left tackle, and there should
be little ground-gaining on his side Of the line
He is light, but speedy, and he goes in low
men haye not acquired. ,4s..
| Coughltn and Castor will probably be at tn.
| ends, altho Rogers may replace Castor. AL O
| these men light, but they have been salts
| factory in the preliminary games. ""s'
+ The practice last night behind c1oset
gates, and, altho the players showed the righ
| spirit, the coaches were not entirely pleased
| with the work of the team. The linemen playet
! too high and the backfleld men were not abl,
to hold on to the slippery, wet pigskin.
| Today the team was given light signal prac
l. tice,s and the final touches were added in tn,
| freshman formations.
Whatever the outcome Of tomorrow's game
the members Of the freshman team have show,
| the right kind Of spirit, and many of them will
be welcome addition to the varsity squa.
| next fall. 49, ..-.- ~ ..-5