The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-22
IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD.
SOLIDIFYING AND PERFECTING
PLAY NOW IN ORDER.
Point In the west Point 1lIiams Contest
some Angles Of the Forward Pass
and Onslde Kick Army Attack strong
In Streaks Yale Onence n Defence.

in Streaks Yale Onence and Defence,
The time has come in football when coaches
must think less about experimenting with
possible under the new rules and
feeling their way and more about solidifyins
the strength Of their teams and progressing
along a definite policy. This week brings
games which will call out a more united effort
and a higher degree Of skill along the re-
spective lines Of development than any that
have been played. We have Priaceton
against Cornell this week. Harvard against
West Point, Yale against Amherst and Penn
s~ylvania against the Indians: and at least
two OF these four games will call for harder
play than the contestants therein have had
this year.
After the steady Improvement that has
been made by Harvard and the evidences OF
powerful attack possessea by the Crimson.
IL looks as II West Point WOULD have to do a
tremendous lot Of improving to hold the Grim
son level next Saturday. A strong attack
ever has been chara c~teristic Of Harvard teams
though the bearing Of fruit from the attack
has been out Of proportion IN its smsilness
to the strength Of the attack. This year the
offensive department is further along than in
midseason formerly. and also probably more
varied. for Harvard has been opening up her
game the last few days.
Whatever confidence in ability to gain
ground and morale that come from making
scores Of Increasing size Harvard has. One
may digrees just here to say that the help
full conviction that the men and team can
gain big ground. the result Of having shown
that ability, In an asset that both Princeton
and Cornell have illogical right 10 hsrbor.
And this adds zest to the coming Princeton
Cornell game at the Polo Grounds. since
both have shown spells Of irresistible sweep
ing over the chalk marks. That essence OF
successful endeavor called spirit may decide
the issue next Saturday where physical
ability ia practically equal,
However, matter Of fact coaches are after
outward and visible manifestations Of ability
to do things and will now begin 10 put on
more steam. to weld and perfect. Harvard
in going TO West Point ia in the position Of
all teams that go there, There il no telling
how stif a game the Army will put up. The
Pennsylvania State team probably put Yale's
defence to a harder test than any that has
been made OF Harvard's defence. and Yale
has the advantage over Harvard In that
respect. Harvard will know more about her
defence next Saturday. but as a rule Harvard
West Point games are not so much a question
Of Harvard's offence as of the Army's good
defence. The soldiers always may be de-
pended on for an aggressive and spirited
defence against the big college elevens. IL
is in attack in which the latter excel. Vigilance
and the worrying OF the opposition by stub
born resistance have been the means Of the
Army humbling all Of the big teams except
Harvard, and the soldiers would be Overjoyed
TO add the Crimson to the list this year.
Handicapped by short hours Of practice
and practice often in the dusk, the West
Pointers nevertheless make some wonderful
braces in a short space of time. They are
not very hopeful of defeating Harvard, but
in the Williams game last Saturday there
were occasional flashes of team work in at
tack which, should they be enlarged upon.
would gain ground against any team. 1t
took the cadets some time TO wake up against
williams. Considering the way the me n
had been shifted from one position to another
this was not surprising. Nevertheless they
familiArized themselves with the new places
in time to get together for good results be-
fore the game was over. Rather dazzled
by Williams's spirited start. the cadets
eventually settled down. diagnosed the op-
posing plays and when they had the ball in
side the rs yard line concentrated and helped
the runner better with each succeeding
attempt.
The Army defence was a variable thing.
One minute a West Point man would break
through and down the Williams runner back
Of his own line and the next it would be up
to the secondary defence to stop the runner
after he had got through the line, which
was not a serious Inconsistency so long as
Williams never got close TO the goal line.
West Point had the same trouble with the
forward pass that every other team has
that tries to stop IT,. II was just as likely
to gain as il was to fail and vice versa, but
in the last part II the game the soldiers
spoiled II better than they did at first. They
woke up to the fact that it would be a good
idea TO have a mar near the other sides man
to whom the ball was to be passed. and as West
Point always was keen at following the ball
IL was more or less natural for her men TO
develop the knack of being in the vicinity
Of the catcher of the forward pass.
When the forward pass did work for Will
Jams It worked most neatly IA well as any
team this year has worked II and often, too.
IL WAS not an easy, Curving toss that Williams
used. but a sharp. straight. throw. Once or
twice the ball was thrown in a trust TO luck
manner. and then West Point wap more apt
70 get it than Williams; but there were mere
times in which the pigskin was hurled with
the speed Of a baseball and straight to the
mark, and IL was a treat to see Chapman,
The Williams end turn and Tatch these throws,
behind the centre and used the side arm
throw. not the overhead basketball pass.
There was a mild controversy over one Of
West Points forward passes. The ball was
flung directly over the centre. which the
rules prohibit, but Mr.. Vail, the referee, gave
the ball to West Point on the ground that a
Williams man reached up and touched II
before ID was dead. Others thought a West
Pointer had touched u, nut no matter who
touched IL the point was brought out whether
the illegality Of the pass did not give the bal
to William ms anyway at the point from which
the pass was made.
The forward pass is being used more than
the onsidP kick, and the question has been
raised whether the latter Is not the more
practical play Of the two. West Point pre-
ferred il to the forward pass and made most
effective uap of IL once or twice. One West
Point touchdown was the next thing to bein0
the result Of an onside kick. II transferred
the Ia tile from midfeld 10 the rs yard line
from which point the ball was carried over,
10 has been commended by some experts that
the onside kick ia one in which men are likely
10 get hurt. This particular one was Of the
kline 20 make spectators gasp in apprehension
for the pla yers' safety.
Stearns, the Army end, and one OF the Will
liams backs. were dashinR for the ball as II
struck the ground and reached II about the
same time. The duty Of each was TO nab the
ball, and they were 80 close together there
was no time for avoidance one Of the other,
Stearns seized the pigskin with the other man
right on top OF him. The soldier end was
there 20 get the ball and hold IL when he did
get IL. He could not lift an arm TO serve az a
buffer and chose to take the chance Of being
rammed rather than lose the ball. He was
rammed. all right, and fun tilt. He went
down wriohing but froZe to the ball.
Once a West Pointer forgot that a forward
pass that hits the ground is releRAted 10 the
n. q. class. He picked up such a pass, ran
franticaIly for his goal line and was chased
Just as frantically by a Williams man, who was
not stopping Just then TO remember rules.