New-York tribune., 1906-11-26
ON COLLEGE GRID[RONS.
Talue of the Forscard Pass Shoscn
IN Yale-HarUard Game.

The time may come when the onsde kick will
be more effective as ground gamer than the
forward pass in football. under the revised rules
but the latter holds the palm this year. at least
and stands out as of the most striking feat
ures of the new code which has done so much
to save the game and place 1t on a safe and sure
foundation 1t was Yales clever development
and use of the forward pass which made victory
possible over Harvard Saturday The Grim
son defence was so strong that in no other way
barring a tumble. could Yale have crossed the
goal line for score. 1t has been pointed out
that the forward pass heaped about as il is
with limitations, would lose it's value when a
defence was worked out to meet it. IT can be
used, however, with so many variations that it's
life will be longer than seemed likely at first
glance. Yale used the onsde kick to advantage
in the Princeton game, but 1t is plain that chief
dependence was placed on the forward pass and
not in vain. as shown in the Harvard game
Yale, In her usual crafty way, had covered up
one of her strongest offensive plays. The Cam
bridge eleven had been carefully coached I'm the
use of the forward pass. with four variations
but for some reason Newhall only used one OF
them and favored the onside kick which was
executed IN such haphazard way that It count
ed for little or nothing. On one occasion Sat
urday Needer punted out from behind his own
goal post to Newhall on the 4O-yard line To
the surprise of the critics onside kick was
called for on the first down. the ball going back
10 1ale on her 2O-yard line. clean gain of some
fifteen yards for the Blue It looked as IF Har-
which was not executed well enough to Justify
Its use The forward pass will not disappear
next year or the next, as some critics maintain.
~ Is open 10 rurther development and likely to
be used more and more, now that Yale has de-
Hlonstrated that 1t Is not only spectacular but
reasonably safe when properly executed.
fale's victory on Saturday. which may we'll
pe called triumph. was we'll deserved Har-
'aru put team in the field that individually
ana coAectvely. was as strong as. If not stronger
than, the Blue eleven. 1t is no wonder that
harvard men were confident when they went to
Ne" raven IN numbers. expecting to get re-
Venge for four defeats in succession The team
was formidable one. well coached and well
trained and it lived up to its reputation gained
in the Carlisle Indian game and final practice
except in one particular-the proper use of plavs
Mhlcn might have been turned to advantage.
SeWnaH was under fire in a big game for the
hrSt time. and he failed TO show the qualities of
a brilliant field general. 1t was football cum
hlng and football strategy, coupled of course
with well executed plays that won the game
LOT ia!e. Tad Jones rose to the occasion.
and If he made mistake in running his team
or showed poor Judgment in directing his plays
II was not apparent to the critics in the stand.
ne was quick to see and seize every oppor-
tunity as was every member of the team for
mat matter, and his generalship was never at
idut 1t Is not meant to belittle Yale's victory
put TO praise It the more by saying as the
writer firmly believes. that Harvard not only
had one of the strongest elevens ever develonad
at Cambridge. but an eleven that was quite as
strong as Yales. If Harvard will work along
the same lines as laid down for two years, a
Harvard victory over Yale is not far distant II
mas peen HarVard,s misfortune to lose two
games to Yale In two years with teams that
were relatively as strong
There were two plays on Saturday for which
Harvard men were in the writer's opinion un-
justly criticised. Newhall was blamed for not
heeling catch on Yales 35-yard line, to the
end that goal might be tried from placement.
1t was in the second half. and the score was
to against Harvard. A goal would only
count four points. and Harvard was rightly
playing not to score alone but TO tie the score.
Harvard needed a touchdown and Harvard was
working for touchdown On another occa-
sion a Harvard man caught one of Veeders
long forward passes instead of allowing II to
strike the ground and go to Harvard at the
point from which the pass made. He was
pretty well surrounded at the time, however,
and if he had stepped aside to let the ball fall
TO the ground he ran the chance of some alert.
nimble Yale man catching 1t and getting off
down the field. Harvard men made mistakes,
several of them at critical times, but the two
referred to should not be charged against them.
The so-called intercollegiate football champion
ship perhaps belongs to Yale. in view of the
fact that she Won victory over Princeton in
substance if not in fact. That tie game how
ever. gives Princeton a claim to the title which
cannot be refuted. A tie game is tie game.
this year. and between them have beaten prao-
ically all other claimants for the ttIe the honor
must be shared. For all that, Yale stands
first In the opinion Of most critics 1t will be
interesting to See however what will be done
with the other elevens in the matter of ranking.
This ranking Will be made, after the Army Navy
game next Saturday, and no two critics will
agree, in all probability. Yales forward place
is The moro creditable in view of the fact that
the early games pointed to team far below the
Yale standard.
The facts concerning the disagreement between
the Yale and Harvard coaches the officials
for the game Saturday so conflicting that
it is hardly fair to draw a conclusion as to
where the fault lay Harvard. it said. gave
an ultlmatum to Yale and Yale took offence 1t
is not necessary to know all the facts, however.
to condemn the conditions which made a dis
agreement possible 1t seems pity that the
representatives of the two universities should
sit up all night. sneak. to haggle over the
question OF officials 1t gives the impression that
one was afraid the other would take some un-
fair advantage, and does not reflect to the credit
OF the two universities or to the officials under
discussion. This might be expected in pugilistc
circles, but should be decred in intercollegiate
athletics. When two colleges can't agree on
officials it Is time to turn over fresh leaf. The
work of the officials. by the way, in the --nle-
Harvard game was of the best. When nenaties
were imposed they were we'll deserved,
Much interest centres in the Cornell -Pennsyl-
wanna game on InurSudN, ana tne Afmy-NaNy
game on Saturday. Both will be played at
Franklin Field, Philadelphia, and both should
be hard fought. with the issue in doubt until the
final whistle blows. Earlier in the season Cor
nell and West Point appeared to have the games
at their mercy, but now Pennsylvania and An
napolis seem to have even chance of winning
Cornell has strong eleven this year developed
under great handicap, previously explained
in this column. The team is one of the best