The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-02
NAVY WINS FROM
HEAVY ARMY TEAM
Field GouI and Touchdown Tells
the Tale
SQUADS EVENLY MATCHED
Northcroft Kicks Goal From 40-Yard
Line With Ball Within Ten
Yards of Side
Line.
SQUADS EVENLY MATCHED

PHILADELPHIA December LIN a game
replete with brilliancy, the Midshipmen
from the Annapolis naval academy today,
on Franklin field, defeated the Cadets
from West Point in their annual foot
ball game, by the score of 10 to 0; a goal
from placement and a touchdown and
goal.
II was the fifth victory Of the middies
in the history of the football contests
between the two fighting branches of the
United States government and the second
time that the boys from the banks Of
the Hudson had failed to cross the goal
line of their opponents.
Probably not in the history of any two
institutions has there been more spec
taeular game than that which today cleo
trified the $4,000 spectators and surely
none was more uncertain.
The contest was fierce from beginning
to end, yet there was no unnecessary
roughness. The navy boys, handicapped
by a stiff wind in the opening half, played
with remarkable fierceness. Nearly the
entire first half they were forced to the
utmost to prevent the West Point eleven
from crossing the coveted goal line. For
the first thirty minutes, the navy was
on the defensive.
Annapolis Kicks From Field.
But when the second half opened there
was an entirely different proposition. The
West Point eleven was pushed back, foot
by foot, yard by yard, until the navy
had the ball within striking distance of
the army's goal Beavers for West Point
sent high spiral from his ten yard
mark to Spencer, on the navy's forty
yard line. Spencer, quickly grasping the
situation, heeled the catch, emitting the
navy to a free kick. The ball was within
ten yards of the line on the southside OF
the field and at a remarkably dinicult
angle. but Northcroft was called upon to
make the attempt for score.
Scarcely a sound could be heard in
either stand as the big right tackle calm
ly directed Norton how to hold the ball.
With one eve riyeted upon the goal posts
and another on the ball, Northcroft gave
the pigskin a terrible boost and the ball
went as straight as an arrow between the
posts. This was the signal for tremen-
dous outburst from the middies, who oc-
cupied their usual section in the north
stand.
Cause for Another Explosion.
Scarcely had the jubilation of Annapo-
lis rooters ceased when there was cause
for another explosion. The navy had, on
exchanges of punts. worked the Dali well
in to the army's territory. With third
down and four yards to gain, Norton
dropped back as though to try for a
goal from the field. He had done this once
or twice during the half and the West
Point eleven apparently did not antici-
nate the play that was to develop. In
gram fullback had been drawn close to
the line, ostensibly to protect the kicker.
But the instant that Slingslui. snapped
the ball Ingram was off like shot. He
crasped Norton's beautiful forward pass
and dashed for the armys goal. One West
Point man got within striking distance,
hut he was warded off and touchdown
was the result The delirium of the An
napolis boys began all over again, and
never ceased until the game was over.
Teams Evenly Matched.
The two elevens were evenly matched,
but the army failed to take advantage of
the wind to such an appreciable extent
in the opening half as did the navy eleven
in the closing period. The drizzle which
began few minutes after l o'clock con-
tinued until a few minutes after the
game had started. 1t was not enough,
however, to mar the brilliancy of the
great function. The social side of the
match, always a great feature of the
occasion, was as brilliant as the game
itself, although the absence of the Pres
ident, the Secretary of War and the
Secretary of the Navy was regretted
The Presidents family was represented
by his sons and Miss Ethel Roosevelt. In
the boxes ranged along the two sides of
the field were to be seen members OF
the Presidents cabinet, high officials of
various departments and officers of nearly
every grade in army and navy. The legls-