The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-03
Was a Hard Fought Battle,
Closed by Darkness.
PRESIDENT WAS THERE
Theodore Roosevelt an Inter-
ested Spectator at Princeton.
Much Rough Work and Several
Of the Players Retired.

had proved fnVulnefable to all attack,
when within four minutes OF the call
Of time in the early darkness, which
almost shut out the players from the
sight of the spectators, the Navy foot
ball team this afternoon finally rushed
the ball over the army goal line, scor-
ing a touchdown from which Norton
kicked an easy goal, thus tieing the
score on the apparently victorious West
Point warriors.
Summary Of the Game.
With victory in sight West Point
weakened at the critical moment and
her hitherto invulnerabIe line was
pierced for gains when gains meant
touchdown. Given their opportunity by
the action Of Referee Wrighton,
who gave the ball to the Navy on w est
Points Is yard line after a foul tackle
and Offside play by the Army, the Navy
boys took q brace that was too much
for the tired soldiers and Douglas went
over the army line. There was no time
for West Point to retrieve herself and
the game was called on account Of
darkness with the score standing a tie
West Point 6; Annapolis s.
The last few moments Of play in
which Annapolis scored were as eXcit-
ing as can be imagined. Annapolis had
worked the ball to the Army's 30 yard
line twice only to be held for downs
and see the ball brought back by West
Point The second time Smith punted
the ball into the Nays territory How
ard. on the next play kicked back. The
bail rolled across the army'S goal line,
where a West Pointer downed it, ex-
cepting an opportunity for a free kick.
Referee Wrighton, however, brought the
ball out to the % yard line because of
holding on the part of West Point and
of a foul tackle, and gave 1t TO the
navy.
Annapolis at once resorted to the use
of the tackle back formation which had
been used effectively against her in the
first half and gained her distance the
tandem gained another i've yards ana
then DOherty tore off seven yards ne
tween West Points left end tackle.
DOherty and Smith made good plunges,
carrying the bail to the three yard line.
Then. Douglass went over for the touch
down.
The navy. rooters went wild in their
10Y at the sudden change in the for
tune of the battle. When Norton
dropped pretty goal between the
posts, thus causing a tie, the crowd
in the west stand gave vent to the
widest kind of cheering. An attempt
was made to renew the game, but the
darkness was coming down on the
field so rapidly that it was decided to
call time and the game ended with the
ball i'll the possession of the army
team we'll within its own territory
Aside from the interest centering in
this game, the last Of the big grid
iron struggles Of the year, the fact that
President Roosevelt. Secretary OF
State Root and Secretary of War Taft,
with other prominent officials in
Washington were in attendance, gave
great prominence to the affair.
Roosevelt the Attraction.
President Roosevelt was the stellar
attraction of the contest rather than
of the gridiron heroes, and when he
made his appearance on the field and
marched across the muddy battle
ground he was cheered to the echo.
The president and his party occupied
seats among the navy rooters during
the first half of the game. During the
intermission Secretary Taft, escorted
by a detachment of cadets, marched
over from the army seats. where he
had been sitting, to greet the presi-
dent
The chief executive greeted the sec
rotary and then under the same
escort and accompanied by several
secret service men, walked back
across the field and took a seat among
the cadets for the balance OF the con-
test. AS he stepped out on the field
the president raised his hat in re-
Spouse to the salute of the cadets who
stood on either side OF the passage
way. AS he appeared on the field both
the West Point and Annapolis bands
struck up the national anthem and
the crowd cheered wildly. waving the
flags with which they mad greeted the
football heroes shortly before. The
march across the field was a contin-
uous ovation and the president was
obliged to raise his hat time and
again. When he appeared on the
army bIeachers the cheers were
doubled and the cadets rose in a body
and waved their flags.
Players on Trial.
AuOf6ar faaFT1T=a of foTovrsc
that was Of unusual interest was the
fact that in a. way the game of foot
ball was played on trial. The utter
ances that President Roosevelt has
made in regard to the brutality in
football have done much towards
arousing the present criticism of the
game. The players knew they were
really on trial and in this respect the
+ contest was satisfactory, as it proved
that the game can be played without
/ unnecessary roughness and with the
| absence of rowdyism. In only one in
! stance was there an exhibition of
/ rOwdyism that demanded the atten-
/ ton Of the officials.
Was Some Roughness.
Weeks. West Points left guard. was
1 the victim of Official disapprovai and
was put off the field fer ''roughing'' a
/ naval opponent At times the rushes
were as fierce as have been seen on a
/ football field this season and the
/ players did not sacrifice efficiency in
/ making hard and low tackles to carry
out the idea of ''gentlemanly football -
/ but the features that have brought
/ criticism on the game Were e.firoi-
mated. The game was late in getting
/ started owing to the poor manner in
which the crowds were handled by
/ the railroads.
The great throngs that came from
all surrounding cities were too much
for the limited facilities and the spe-
cial trains were still bringing in the
1 people before , O'Clock, the hour set
/ TOR the game to commence. This was
+ largely responsible for continuing
the game until il was necessary to call
it on account OF darkness. The man
ayers of the game were really respon-
/ sible for choosing Princeton for the
contest and it is not likely the ex-
I perience of taking the game away
from Philadelphia win be repeated