The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-11
Washburn Had to Fight for
Victory Over Aggies.
Game Was Rough and But One
Touchdown Made.
JOHNSTON THE STAR
Big Tackle Repeatedly Tore
Through the Line.
Farmers Play a Strong Defen-
sive Game.

Washburn s. K. S. A. c. o; the score
OF Saturday game between Coach
Weede's football pupils and the Kansas
Aggies. is brief summary of the hard
est battle Washburn has experienced so
Tar this season 1t was a battle be-
tween Coach Weede's champion foot
Dali gladiatoEs who were at a bottom
OF slump and exceedingly stale as a
result of their battle of a week before
WIFI Kansas on the one hand, and
Coach Mike Ahern's agricultural dem
ons keyed I'D to q high pitch for this
the biggest game of their schedule on
the other. The Farmers lacked team
work, but were strong individual play
ers and the way they permeated the
Weshburn interference and downed the
men behind the line was rich.
The day was not the best kind of a
day for football nor were the grounds
as congenia1 as they might have been.
Tne Manhattan gridiron on which the
game was played extends from east to
west and Is as level field as there is
In Kansas. But the ground was woe
fully hard and packed down until 1t
was as hard as q pavement. On the
north side Of the fieid there is a large
Hill down the slopes Of which surged a
blast OF cold northern wind with We
locity of 1S miles an hour. This made
the punting rather uncertain and was in
on way a helpful attribute of the game.
For town the size Of Manhattan
there was a good turnout at the game.
The total attendance went little above
the 1000 mark. A good portion of these
were students of the Agricultural col
lege. The Rock Island special train
from Topeka hauled up about 200. There
was enough of Topeka crowd, includ
ing Harry Larimer, to make great
deal Of noise, although the Aggie con-
tngent on account of their superior
numbers held the edge on Washburn.
The game was called at $3.50 and COM
-. 49, A
to the game the Manhattan college band
composed of some 40 pieces, all of them
In uniforms of the same make and color, |
occupied the center Of attraction, at the |
gridtrUn.
Ali the Topekans no attended the |
game spoke highly of the treatment |
which they received at the hands of |
the crowd and management. Even the /
team was well satisfied. The student |
body was exceptionally courteous to the |
visiting players and never failed 20 /
cheer player who was injured no mat
ter to which team he belonged.
, On account of the cold weather and |
the hardness of the field the game was
a rough one. Time was repeatedly ia |
ken out and in the last half |
Washburn was pena1ized two yards for |
taking out too much time. However.
none of the players on either side were |
badly injured. Robb, who was not in |
proper physical condition at the start |
of the game had to be replaced by Lari- |
mer although he was not injured in the |
game. Williams has been troubled with |
a bad leg for several days and in the |
second half Johnston was shifted to |
ful1back and Maxwell put in at tackle |
Johnston wrenched his knee near the |
end Of the game but stayed 1t out al |
though he was in no condition to play. |
Smiley also replaced White towards the |
end Of the game. There was consider |
able rough playing ana both sides were |
fierce. Brown of the Aggie team was
taken out on account of smuggling which |
was the only piece of dirty work which /
attracted much attention.
The Aggie team was in better shape |
than they have been at any time this
season. Not a crippled man was on the
team and they had their full strength |
pitted against washburn. Mallon who
has just Joined the squad was not al
lowed to play on account of Washburn's
protests and he might have strengthened
the team a little bit. but not much.
In their offense the Aggies lacked team
work but were exceptionally strong in
their defensive work, especially when
their goal was in danger. Six times
did the WaEhburn team get within the
Aggie II yard line and only once were
they able to penetrate the Aggie de-
tense for touchdown. This was done
Sfter q minutes asn rs or play after na LONG
yards and couple of fierce line bucks
by Johnston sent the big tackle over
the goal line. The other attempts were
frustrated by the strong defense of the
4
Washburn's defense was also strong
but the Aggie attack was weak. Only
once did Manhattan come very close
TO the Washburn goal and this was in
the first half when Bates attempted
drop kick from the 22-yard line. The
drst half was played largely in the
Aggie territory, while the second half
was played almost entirely in the agri-
cultural regions.
The star of the Washburn team was
Big Bill Johnston. In the first half of
the game he seemed to be the only
consistent ground gamer Washburn
had on the team. Once he ripped off
Is yards around the end. At fullback
in the second he proved a strong line
hacker on defense and in gaining
proved consistent. He stayed the game
out although after he was injured in
the knee he could hardly walk on his
injured leg. Plat made several good
gains through the line Washburn
has in Johnston and Plat the best
IL