Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-28

than those Of their opponents and notgith-
det has met and vanqufshed some OF the
strongest college e1evens IN the south. Dur<
Ing the season Of 1883 her record was so
southern championship honors in football.
She defeated the University of Virginia On
the gridiron Of the latter at Charlottesville
by score of II to 8. Georgetown Univer-
sity, Gallaudets most formidable rival, was
unable to score that year In the game with
the University of Virginia. Gaihudet de-
feated the team OF the University OF Mary
land by q score OF AZ to 0. while George
town University later piled up only score
Of IT to O. st. Johns College OF Annapolis
was then disposed Of by Gallaudet, and
then the buff and blue went up against
the blue and gray Of Georgetown Univer-
sity upon muddy grounds at Georgetown
field, and were defeated by a score of to
O. The boys from Kendall Green were much
disappointed at the result, but all attempts
to get return game at Kendall Green
proved unavailing. In 1890 the game be
tween Georgetown and Gallaudet resulted
in q tie. In these games the Georgetown
line was much the heavier of the two, BUT
Gallaudet's science and pluck were usually
more than a match for the extra aVoirou-
pois of her opponents.
Team work and an excellent second elev-
en- have always been factors in the Work
of the first eleven. The enthusiastic college
spirit of the students is shown by the fact
that second eleven has existed at the col
lege since 1884, when there were but forty
students in attendance. Many colleges with
a much more numerous membership than
Gallaudet find 1t quite difficult to get out
more than one eleven for practice. In the
foot ball season of 1898 Gallaudet College
defeated Johns Hopkins University at Bal
timore and Mt. ST. Marys College. For
a college like Gallaudet to win game after
game with colleges and universities whose
numerical strength was far superior is
in itself slight distinction, but when we
take into consideration the added handicap
of deafness, her achievements strike one as
little short of marvellous Judging from
Gallaudet's record, it seems as if there was
something about deafness which makes Its
possession an advantage instead of an OBJ
stace in sports of this kind. When the
signals are given each man has to look
at the quarter back, which distracts his at
tention at the most important moment from
what is going on in the line in front of him,
and this is obviously a serious disadvant-
age. The signals are given in numbers, as
is the case with other elevens, except that
the numbers are signed instead of being
spoken, and it can be readily seen that
there is no danger of the opposing eleven
learning the Gallaudet signals.
The games which the teams of the col
Iege engage in are characterized by the alb
sence of wordy disagreements, and the
players are well known for their gentle
manly conduct on the foot ball as well as
the other athletic fields Contrary to what
might be expected, the games at Kendall
Green are not carried on more quietly than
any other college game. The partisans of
the opposing elevens are often astonished
Coll dot DIV
| ing their college yells in perfect time with
the beat of the baton welded by one of
| the deaf college students. These yells do
not necessarily fall unheeded on deaf ears,
for it must be borne in mind that various
| degrees of hearing exist among the play
ers and students.
| X x
There is something about foot ball that
seems to accord peculiarly with the con-
| stitution of the deaf in mental and moral
| as well as physical matters. Their eyes
seem to be quicker: their habits of life
purer and their systems of signaling by
| signs far more effective than are these
| characteristics among their hearing COM
petftors. Beyond this they show a dash,
| a fertility of resource, a courage. perS1S-
! tency and good-natured combativeness that
| have won for the players who have repre-
scented Gallaudet College upon the athletic
| fields deserved and unbounded applause
|
X X
The first game of foot ball played in the
District of Columbia was played upon Gal
| laudet's grounds in 1880. and from that
| first game the college has never lacked for
| representation on the gridiron. and some
| of the teams developed have shown up well.
| The experts of one year have handed down
| their lore to the next. 1t is undoubtedly
| true that no college in the country of the
| size of Gallaudet can point to such a rec
| ord on the foot ball field. Their successes
| In the battles upon the gridlron forecasts
| their successes in the battle of life, where
| in grit and determination. allied with tact
| and ability, form the winning combination.
| The patron of the college is President
Roosevelt. Edward NJ Gallaudet, Phi. D..
! L. l.. D., whose father. Thomas Hopkins
Gallaudet was the founder of deaf mute
| instruction in America, and for whom the
| college is named, is the president. The d.
| rectors are composed of some of the lead
| ing men of the country, including Senator
| Cockrell, Justice David j. Brewer of the
| Supreme Court of the United States and Mr..
John w. Foster of this city.