Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-17
intercollegiate Game SiIences the
Stiff Gale of Criticism
On Coast.
STANFORD'S CONDITION WON.
Credit Given to Coach Tannagan's Boys
by Expert Critics on English
sport.


first game OF Rugby football between
American colleges was played on a
California field. and brief tclegraphc
dispatches recorded the victory of Stan
ford.
Since then private correspondence
from Stanford and newspaper accounts
havo brought details Of the game and
the undergraduate feeling over the en-
forced English substitute for football.
one thing is certain. the gale OF crlti-
cism under which tho two teams wen.
ON to the field has subsidized. and opiu-
ion is general that the game Is Sue
cess. Coach flanagan of Stanford pleads
for longer trial. where a week before
the game all the experts we're sure one
trial would result In decision to
play football next year.
Sketching the history of the move
mcht FOR Rugby, and the result OF the
first trial game Archie Rice, now OF the
san Francisco Chronicle and formerly
u Stanford student, says:
Impatient for some reform, in accord
ance with the popular demand for the
elimination OF vaious objectionable
tendencies that had grown into the
American game of football, a few MEM
beers OF the California and the STAN
for faculty huIrieflly abolished the
grl6iron play and substituted Rugby,
from which the American game had
been evolving In strategy and new
features for moro than 30 years. The
tlphRrRratuAfTg nnHOu stllf p6 must
either play Rugby or forego football
altogether.
Saturday was 10 be the test. Would
Rugby draw the crowd? Would the
spectators become enthused as In other
days OF football frenzy? Would Rugby
become the game. or would II take its
place as a good college sport. but not
In the same exalted class with the
giories Of the grldlron?
With the single exception Of the ini-
tial game on California field two years
ago, this Rugby game actually drew the
greatest crowd ever assembled at any
kind OF an athletic contest ever held
west Of the Mississippi, and perhaps
the little spots of $50 vacant seats near
the top and south end OF the stanford
side OF the field and the small space
OF about 200 vacant seats near the mid
uit VI tht SJutD tllu VI lllt ttlIOfInh
side were more than made up by the
increased number OF men perched along
the bank and the low inner fence at the
north end Of the field.
ENTHUSIASM RAMPANT.
Enthusiasm? People were yelling all
the time, Not the same ones, nor the
same persons always completing their
Yell. There We're sudden thrills for one
side and then the other, with an elusive
uncertainty that Instantly turned APP
parent decided advantage into ominous
prospects. AT the old game you grew
tenser and dug your nails deep into
your palms as the agony went on,
every rush taking your team steadily
back and back toward It's goal. Or you
Hloried In the strength and persistency
and skill and certainty of the men add
vancing the ball for you, As long as
they had II you stored up energy, and
you had your chances to relieve the in
creaslng nerve strain. You knew what
10 expect. But In the Rugby game
yesterday you knew nothing positively
longer than a few seconds, for visions
of a glorious run would change like the
shifting Views of a stereopticon and
your started yell would end In gasp
and gloom.
II the general assemblage liked that
exhibition of Rugby well enough to
vote the game superior to the recently
radically revised and improved Amerl-
can football, then Rugby has probably
won first place as college team sport
In the far west.
But that match yesterday was the
poorest exhibition Of Rugby have ever
witnessed Only in spots. and late In
The contest. did II flash into real Rug
by style, and then the watchers had
their thrills and yelled like demons.
Rugby properly played Is an extremely
oren game. The ball IL either being
punted or carried or passed almost
constantly, with the men swiftly NOV
ing all the time. The last thing Il play
er ls expected TO do Is to get securely
caught with the ball. He is supposed to
Keep II moving, TO have II In play all
ways. II opponents threaten his adj
vance he must either deity Flip the ball
back to right or left TO running team
mate or he must try 10 punt away
ahead and over the sideline. When he
~ 80 quickly colared that he cannot
get rid OF the oval by passing or kick
ing. the ball must enter the Serum"
and be paved about with the feet OF
The closely lnterlocked opposing sets
OF eight forwards.
SERUM rs UNINTEREsTING.
The serum" is the most uninterest-
Ing feature OF Rugby. 1t Is the pro-
cess by which the bail is put in play.
Like oxen bending their necks to the
yoke. the rival forwards lock them
selves head under shoulder IN two tur-
1le-back VS.. Into the tiny area be.
tween tho opposing toes Is tossed the
bap az the spot where successful
tackle was made, 4 hen scratching for
whole brood ~ chicks could not claw
about more than these sixteen pairs OF
seraping feet trying to rake the BAH
back and out TO the hayering runners
waiting close behind on the opposite
sifes Of the mass.
instead OF having "a serum OCCASION
ally in this first intercollegiate game
OF Rugby It was nearly half serum.
The players OF both sides persisted
either IN falling on the ball when hard
pressed or Ia tonaclously clinglng 10 IL
too long before trying TO pass or 10
punt H. Where there should have been
swift wing advances and the ball I'm
the air almost all the time. the PLAYERS
had y on the ground TO the extent of
about ave times as many schums as
there should have been.
But California was playing serum
game. That was evident from the
start. Her forwards. outwelghng
stanfords by an aggregate OF so
pounds, evidently tried 20 keep the ball
under foot In the serum and by crowd.
Ing and pushing and revolving the mass
gam ground. IL was considered safer
70 do this than to take big chances with
me reputed fleet Stanford set OF seven
backs. who. among them, had just ne
inuch extra weight as the California
forwards. Steadily California crowded
ana shufhed the ball down toward
stsnfords goal and 1nally In the