The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-13
Press Comment.

one team just as much as the other.
Press Comment.
Chicago is coming to look at the defeat com
placenty. Here is what the papers were say
ing yesterday afternoon:
The Journal-To all intents and purposes the
middle western football season closed. SO far
as Chicago is concerned, on Saturday. Minnesota
looks the best Of the big-nine eevens-at least
heavy field. On dry field it is still an
open question. Many close students of the
game declare the maroons would have won on
dry field. Perhaps they would. At least they
did Saturday.
Minnesota showed sufficient speed in the mud
to make 1t conjectural to its ability to smoth-
er Chicago on dry field.
~ The gopher ends stopped Steffen almost every
time he tried to move wet field, and per-
haps he could not have done on a dry field.
One critic said Stefen. had stagefright. 1t Is to
laugh. The stagefright was caused by sudden
bumps administered by Minnesota ends.
Minnesota rooters are violating the big nine
code In claiming to be champions. Champions
are ruled OF for life by the conference, SO there
fore Minnesota has no license to the title, wheth
er earned or not. u @..t .ss.
Next Saturdays games will cause Minnesota
and Chicago to do considerable work, the former
a great deal more than the latter The gophers
meet the Carlisle Indians and are likely to have
their hands full defeating the shifty red men.
while victory for Carlisle would not be sur
prising. 800 g.
Chicago's chief aim is to defeat Illinois much
worse than Michigan did, and this should be
an easy task. The Illini, as usual, are big dis
appointment. Illinois never makes good. The
reason Is never apparent, for the team starts
out with as good material as any of them, bar
ring Minnesota and Michigan, and does less
with It, A brilliant start is always marred by
a most inglorious finish, and this year promises
to be repetition OF the Illinois football story.
Interest centers In the Michigan Pennsylvania
game. The wolverines are weaker than for
years. and SO is Pennsylvania. so the result of
the game Is no test Of the relative strength Of
ts a much truer and better test - T..
Alchlgan vas s1ngularly unfortunate in losing
one OF the best players of recent years in the
middle west In Joe. Curtis. who Saturday had
leg broken In practice game with the Scrubs
Curtis Is one OF the best all-around men ever
seen IN football suit, and good sportsman as
We'll His loss Is keen blow to the wolverines
AS noted In these columns earlier in the sea
son. the principal effect Of the new rules this
year IN the way OF preventing injuries would
De more broken bones and fewer sprains md
severe bruises This prediction has come trne
from an over the country have come reports
OF broken legs and collarbones. Wisconsin lost
us star back thru an accident similar to TIM
OF Curtis. Reformers shout for the open running
game, which is always more dangerous than
inning this fall $500
The game is more spectacular, but not one
whit less dangerous. 1t never was any more
DANGEROUS than baseball. and the percentage of
injuries Is greater. 49, !-' =
Larkin's so-called poor play on Saturday in
the football game between Chicago and Mime
sofa saved the day for the northern team, If
the little maroon and gold quarter had started
to run with the ball It is said that tie game
would likely have resulted. Larkin was back
for the kick Eckersall seemed to put more
steam than usual into the boot and sent the
ball over Larkin's head. The Minnesota field
general got the ball on the roll on his s-yard
line and was about to be tackled by two maroons
when he stepped behind his own goal and touched
down che ball Some say that he was ignorant
would not net the maroons any count. Others
assert that he did not figure that he was so close
to the goal. Whatever was his thought, the
play turned out to be an excellent one, in the
Judgment of many. .sF:-...' J -
If Larkin had run with the ball he would
have been downed in his track. It would
have only been policy tor, the Minnesotans to
that Larkin would have had to stand behind his
own goal to foot the ball.,
A 4o-yard kick, which is better than the aver
age Kick in any football! game: would have only
In all probability Eckersall would have signaled
and made fair catch.
This would have given Chicago free chance
at a goal from the field from the 30-yard line.
1t is seldom that Eckersall misses a chance
at a goal with free try and no one near him
and only from the 3O-yard line. Dopesters say
that without doubt Chicago would have tied
the score II LarKln had not done just as ne old.
The American-Chicago lost their biggest game
because the surface Of the gridiron was SO slip
perry that their fastest plays were rendered
worthless. ...- .-......
There is denying the fact that the mud
aided Minnesota wonderfully, altho 1t must be
confessed. that the gophers attempted the open
style more often than did Chicago.
That is to say, the gophers departed farther
from the ancient code when they did get away
from it at all. - o..
They tried two forward passes and one Of
them Noted a good gain. The other lost ground
for them. -.. ,... .
Both teams chung closely to straight foot
ball. 30 closely that it was easy to imagine the
contest real oldtimer. y,
Those who had expected to see 50 much open
work, so many dazzling runs thru broken fields
and the like, sat in their seats and watched
twenty-five men plugging away at line smashing
and end running. s.. r. ID, = %s''-f',a
There wasn't a spectacular feature to the con-
test with the possible exception of Minnesotas
forward passes. Aarshalrs run and goal from