Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30
.RMY AND NAW'S
). GR|D|RON BAT TIE
Sailors the Heaviest, But the
Soldiers the Favorites.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa, November 3d.
It has remained for the Army and Navy
foot ball teams to bring the gridiron
season OF 1907 to an end. Uncle Sans
incipient generals and admirais. trained
to the minute, line up on Franklin Field
today, and will be cheered to their best
endeavors by one Of the most spectacular
foot ball throngs the season can produce
The game itself is never more than one
half the spectacle. This Is the only con-
test OF the year which empties officiai
Washington Of its thousands OF diplomats
and high officials. to say nothing Of
drawing the elite Of the society world of
Boston, Washington, New York and Phila-
deiphia. Ever since Thursday the crowd
has been streaming into this city. Army
and navy officers from all over the United
States have been pouring in. and scores
Of the members Of both houses of Con-
gress made It a point to come east sew
eral days in advance of the opening of the
national legislative body in order that
they might see this game.
The whole city has been in gala attire
all week for this and the Cornell game.
the old gold. gray and black Of the Army
are flung to the breeze from every avail
able point and all are intertwined with
the red and blue Of the University of
Pennsylvania. which is acting as the host
to the two national academies. The adj
vance guard Of the cadets were not al
lowed by their officers to reach the city
before the morning Of the game, but
many Of the high officials themselves
came in yesterday. Special trains will
bring in the cadets, the midshipmen COM
ing over the Baltimore and Ohio and the
West Pointers over the Pennsylvania rail-
road from New. York.
Miss the President.
Much to the disappointment Of both
sides President Roosevelt was unable to
get away for the game. He had promised
earlier in the season that he would come
II possible, but the proximity of the
game to the opening of Congress made it
impossible: The Roosevelt family, how
ever, Is to be represented by Miss Ethel
Roosevelt and some relatives. who have
a box for the game. Secretary of War
Taft Is q great enthusiast over foot bali,
but, as he is still on his tour Of the globe.
Department. In this respect the Navy
had the advantage on account of the
presence Of Secretary Of the Navy Met
calf.
If either team Is a favorite that team
Is West Point, and this in spite of the
ing victory a year ago, even when the
soldiers had been picked as certain to
win. The West Pointers are the favorites.
because they have done the better work
enced but one defeat. This was at the
hands of Cornell, but even against the
Ithacans the soldiers scored 10 points.
The most notable achievement of the
army cadets was their 90 score against
Yale. The cadets invariably give Val.
terrible battle and their showing is
frequently gagged by their work in this
contest. -
The middies, on the other hand, have al.
ready been beaten twice, once by Har-
ward. go, and again by Swarthmore,
1910. To their discredit they also have
tie score Of 6-6 with Vanderbilt.
Middies the Heaviest.
The middies have the advantage over
the soldiers in weight, for in the line the
naiddies average more than 100 pounds
from tackle to tackle, and in this depart
ment they have a decisive advantage over
the Army. But in Weeks, Erwin, Fowler
and Stearns the Army team has some vet
Grams who can be depended upon to hold
their own against the middies.
1t Is in the back Geld that West Point
has the most decided advantage. Here
the soldiers have four veterans in Mount
ford at quarterback, Beavers and John
son at halfback and Hanlon at full-back.
This is one of the strongest backfield
quartets the soldiers have had In a num-
Der Of years. and they will gain most of
the ground for the West Pointers. Capt.
Douglas is the only star Of the Navy
backfield. but he will hardly be equal to
the task Of holding up the Nays side
against the West Point backs
The two teams reached the city yesterday
morning, and in the afternoon repaired to
Franklin Field, where they went through
a signal practice under the eyes Of their
coaches. Each squad posted pickets at
the entrance to the field 50 that nobody
from the enemy's camp might view their
plays. In the evening the players loung-
ed around the hotels.
The coaching Of the two teams has been
very similar. The West Point eleven has
been instructed by Bob Forbes, the old
Yale end and tackle. He has been as
sisted by several other Yale stars at va
'rious times. but has done most Of the
work himself. The n.idshipmen have been
coached largely by Lieut.. jock Gates. an
other Yale end OF year seasons back.
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