New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-11-16
READY FOR BIG GAME.
BOTH ELEVENS HOPEFUL.
Yale and Princeton We'll Matched
for Battle at Football.

for Battle at Football.
The battle lines are drawn and the football
elevens OF Yale and Princeton will line up to-day
at New Haven for their annual struggle on the
gridiron The stands at Yale Field have been
enlarged this year and seats have been provided
for some $4,000 persons, so that a huge throng
will look down what promises TO be one of
the greatest struggles in the history OF the sport
Yale and Princeton always play to a crowded
house so TO speak, but the demand for tickets
has been such this year that there are not more
than half enough to go around, and hundreds
who would willingly pay ten times the price of
admission must content themselves with hearing
and reading about the hard fought football bat
tie
Yale is a slight favorite with those who must
wager, although the Odds to in favor Of Yale
are hardly justified. and most Of the betting
has been done at money. Both elevens are
hopeful i not confident of victory. SO far
can be judged the advantage of playing on home
grounds is about the only reasonable excuse for
Yale being the favoTite, as on paper the teams
appear to be remarkably well matched and the
game open as any which has ever been played
between the two elevens. If Yale has a slight
advantage from tackle to tackle, Princeton has
an advantage TO offset this on the ends. If
Princeton has the advantage of a veteran back
field, made up Of brilliant, heady players, Yale
has new one. practically speaking, which in
dividually and collectively is not likely to fail
short of the high standard set by Yale in other
years. II Yale has a brilliant punter in Coy,
Princeton has a heady one in Harlan If Prince
ton has a wonderfully speedy back in Tibbott,
Yale should have his equal in Bomar, while
Brides. IL he plays in the backfield for Yale and
Coy should not be whit behind Mccormick
in buckins the line, although the Princeton cap
tain has few equals in this respect on the grid
iron to-day.
Princeton has shown a greater scoring ability
than Yale this year, the various games ndi-
cate and heads the leading elevens in the num-
Der OF points made against opponents. Yale. on
the other hand. has shown a more sturdy de-
fence. and is the only of the big teams
that has not been scored this season This
has particular bearing. however, on the
probable outcome of the game to-day Prince
ton proved conclusively that the defence of the
eleven was reasonably strong in the Carlisle
Indian game. whereas Yale does not lack a
strong offence and the ability TO score other
wise four touchdowns would not have been pos
sible against the sturdy Brown eleven. and with
out the use OF the reserve plays which have I'M
questionably been worked up for the benefit Of
Princeton.
AS matter Of fact. both Yale and Princeton
have depended to q large extent on so-called
straight football In their more important games
TO date, fearing 70 show UP their pet formations
and trick plays. This lends greater difficulty TO
a fair comparison of the elevens and ernpfa-
sizes the futiiity of making a prediction which
would carry any weight. It Is not likely that
the game to-day will ne won by straight foot
ball. The result will depend, in all probability.
on what the coaches haze heen able 70 develop
In the way OF new formations and trick plays
in which the forward pass ard onside Kick will
figure. The team that can take advantage of
opportunities, the team that has .he mora
diversified and resoCccePrl attack, will vim to-
days game. and e prediction on this basis can
be made il would point 20 a victory FOR Yale as
the ability TO DO tfe right thing at the right time
is characteristic or Yale elevens.
year ago Yale developed the forward pass
and the plays made possible Under the revised
rules TO higher point Of perfection than any
other Of the leading teams. It is cause for
comment that the team has failed 20 show any,
thing new IN this respect this year. II IS rea-
snnable 70 believe. however. that Walter Camp
the football strategist, and his assistants have
not neglected this important part of the teams
education, and It 1sgsafe to say shat plays will
be used against Princeton that will show that
the many hours Of work in secret have not
been fTuitless. The same thing be said of
Princeton, however and the Tigers may have
perfected formation or two a trick or two
which will provide the opportunity for scoring
and for which Yale has adequate defence.
Yale has worked slowly but surely along the
recognized lines Of New Haven to build up the
proper defence before developing the scoring
plays. The team was backward in the latter
respect against West Point but showed marked
improvement in forceful attack against
s45rown Princeton worked along opposite lines
and to all appearances developed fast open
offensive game early In the season. The eleven
scored freely against minor teams and then
round 10 It's sorrow that the defence was not
! adequate to hold the powerful Cornell team at
! bay. It got q lesson in the Cornell game, how
ever. which it took to heart and profited by
as was Clearly indicated in the Carlisle Indian
game.
Having bolstered UP the defence. Princeton is
better prepared to meet Yale than she was
Cornell, and the only question is if she has adj
Venced far enough along this important line to
hold Yale's fierce onslaught. The Yale defence
Is IA novel one this year; the centre and ends
play back several feet 10 guard against forward
passes and onside kicks. This leaves what look
like tempting holes in the line; but the deferce
closes in fast when plays are directed through
the centre. and the Tigers cannot count on gain
Ing much in this direction
The average weight of the Yale eleven is 1o1
pounds, as against 1S3 for Princeton. There is
little difference in the line, where the Tigers
average 195 to 1913 for Yale: but In the back
field Yale has distinct advantage in the mat
ter or weight, as the average is 1S1 pounds as
against 164 for Princeton. This may count in
the long run, although the Princeton backs
make up in speed what they lack in weight