The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02

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Crowd Of $4,000 Persons SEQ one
OF the Best Games or the Year On
Franklin Field-CeIebrstion by yictsrs.
PHILADELPHIA; Dec. Under Q leaden
sky and in the presence of 5000 parsons
the Naval Academy football eleven for the
first time in five years defeated West Point
on Franklin Field to-day by a score Of 10
to o. This triumph, achieved in one OF
the most beautiful games Of the year, came
as a complete surprise to the followers OF
the Army, who went to the scene Of battle
confident Of success.
There was nc scoring in the first half.
although aided by a heavy westerly gale
the West Pointers did the better work and
clearly outplayed the midshipmen, but with
a shift in positions in the second half the
Annapolis players brsced in true Yale
fashion and practically swept the young
soldiers off the earth.
1t was chiefly through the superb playing
of the backfield that the Navy VOL the day.
A fair catch by Capt. Spencer on the a.
yard line paved the way for a magnificent
goal from placement by Northcroft, which
broke the tie and scored four points for
Annapolis.
Then as the battle waxed more dercely
the West Point defence was beaten back I'm
til from the Army's 80 yard mark Norton
worked in an accurate forward pass of
twenty yards, which enabled Ingram to
rush practically unmolested across the goal
line for a touchdown, from which Norton
kicked a pretty goal. This increased tho
figures to 10 points, and though the Army
kickers played with desperation and great
gameness right up to the last sound Of the
whistle, they were forced to accept a white
wash, an incident that sent the midship-
men home wild with delight.
The game was sensational from start to
finish. 1t was practically a punting con-
test, in which the Navy. excelled, for the
backfelds handled the kicks with, extreme
skill, in striking contrast to the mufing and
fumbling OF the West Point catchers. In
ground gaining the Navy was master though.
strange to say, the smallest amount of terri
tory was gathered in ever seen in a contest
bet ween big stevens. BY straight line buck
ing in the first half the Navy made only ten
yards, against twelve by the Army, while in
the second half Annapolis received credit
for twenty -seven yards, the Army gaining
only fourteen, or a grand total of thirty
seven yards for the midshipmen, n only
twenty-six for the soldiers.
Each side blocked a kick, and in puntinx
Douglass of Annapolis executed fourteen
drives in each half, While Beavers of West
Point kicked thirteen times in the first
period and twelve in the second. Not a
punt wa mufied by the Navy, but johnson.
West Points quarterback, miscued Eve
times and Hill once.
NAVY ADOPTS TALE
The Navy team adopted Yale methods
throughout. The midshipmen displayed
apparently superior knowledge Of the fine
points of the new gridiron game and also
demonstrated that headwork and general
ship had been perfected to a marked degree.
Behind the line Norton, Capt. Spencer,
Douglass m Ingram played the finest
football imaginable. They backed one
another up in splendid style n INDUCED
in spectacular maneuvres which finally
resulted In the rout OF the Army.
Norton was all over the field with deros
tackles, desperate rushes after CATCHING
kicks and an agility in falling on the ball
that made him a hero. Capt. Spencer by
coolheaded judgment made the play that
turned the tide. Had IL not been for his
fair catch a goal from placement would
nave been impossible, while the unity OF
action between Norton and Ingram resulted
in a successful forward pass which clinched
the victory.
Douglass covered himself with glory bv
punting consistently and with such skin
that many OF his drives were most difficult
to handle. He made remarkable headway
against the wind. and with the gale at his
back his kicks completely bewildered the
West Point players. Little Dague. who
played right end for the Navy, was another
lion of the hour. He was down under kicks
with the speed Of a racehorse and his tack
ling and falling on the ball did much 10
win the day.
h Nays rush line proved 10 be a
powerful combination. Man for man the
Annapolis forwards met their Army oppo-
nents with 80 much physical strength and
u p to date football methods that is was
about a standoff between the W lines Of
scrimmage. Both eleVens were unusually
powerful at the tackles, while the centre
men, both In attack and defence, made
few mistakes. The Nays ends were
slightly better than Hanlon and Stearns Of
West Point. although the Army pair showed
speed and daring whenever the oppor.
tunity was afforded.
West Point was weak at quarterback.