The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-20
Aabanians' Courageous Attack Swept Is0Oesstans Off
 Their Feet
FORWARD PASSES AND
 PR0MI. .CUOUS PUNTING
Sewanee On the Offensive Throughout. Auburn Made the Great Mistake of Not Following Up First Ad-
 vantaae-Game In Detail.

Sewanee defeated Auburn yesterday aft ernoon at West End park by a score of r to 6.
 The game Was practically a victory for Auburn for the Alabamians held the heavier and more experienced players from the Tennessee mountains with bull dog stubborness, contesting every inch of territory bitterly. The men of the Purple came to Birmingham with inflated pride and a large store of over-confi- dence. Their surprise was apparent to the spectators when, after three minutes of play, Auburn crashed through the Purple line for a touchdown.
 Sewanee has excellent material, far bet ter than Auburn. Sewanee has an old team of experienced players, several of the number being stars. Auburn's team is younger and less experienced, and among the number there is not a star. Sewanee's men are heavier and the more aggressive but this advantage was les sened by their apparent carelessness, making their attack vulnerable. Auburn's courage and determination, it's anxiety to get into every play, and it's stubborn and magnificent defense, partially overcame their temerity in face of the men so highly boosted
 The Respective Tactics.
 The game was one of the most unique ever played in Birmingham. Neither team was able to gain by end runs, or line bucks. The struggle was full Of punts' forward passes, fumbles and miscues. Se- vance found Auburn's line impregnaple throughout the afternoon and Auburn ends tackled the heavier purpled lads cleverly and with telling force.
 Sewanee, entirely on the onenslVe throughout the afternoon, depended chief ly on forward passes, and 1t is true that the great majority attempted fell false. Auburn, on the defensive throughout the afternoon, punted principally, and in this role Sewanee starred extensively. It al- most invariably happened that whenever Sewanee worked tn ball within striking distance of the Auburn goal the Ala bamians procured it thorugh tumoles' Then, Bob Ware was called upon to kick the sphere from dangerous territory Ana thus the afternoon wore away
 Sewanee's usual feetness was woefully lacking. There was a noticeable slothful- ness in getting the formations moving. It not infrequently happened that Au- burns accurate ends tackled the DE Se- vance backs in the rear of the line. As an offensive agent, the strength Of Au- burn was not fully tested. Sewanee's true strength on the defensive was not fully tested.
 There was no starring There was little of the spectacular that keeps specta- tors keyed up to the highest pitch The game was rather slow, and on account of the numerous fumbles and promiscuous puntig. rather tame and uninteresuns. Tn spite of that fact, however it is positive ly true that both aggregations were out for blood The clashes were terrific, and there was not a total absence of rough tactics.
 Auburn's Fatal Error.
 Auburn came to Birmingham with the firm belief that Sewanee would win. This was fatal. It is the unanimous opinion of the spectators that had Auburn, after scoring the first touchdown of the game, continued on the offensive and the az gressive, the game would have been, at any rate, tie, and probably an Auburn victory. For it Is true that Sewanee's touchdowns were not scored on straight forward football tactics. One resulted from successfully planned and oper- ated forward pass. and the other after a run from kickoff. Both partook of the nature of hukes, and the second was a fuke most certainly. On the other hand, while Auburn came into possession of the ball by an accident, 1t Is true that it's touchdown was the direct result of straightforward football.
 That first touchdown scored by Au burn after the game had progressed only three minutes, should have decided the affair conclusively.
 Aubrn was evidently coached for de- fensive work. The men showed all lndis- putable aversion to get on the offensive, and it was generally true that Auburn kicked whenever it came into possession of the ball. Auburn's courage, so great on the defensive, notceably oozed away when offensive and daring tactics were necessary.
 Enthusiasm Supreme. s
 What was lacking in spectacular was made up in tAe enthusiasm of the spec tators An attendance of nearly POGO was about the field, and the bleachers were as full as they could be stacked. The noise, at times, swas deafening. Auburn sympathizers, naturally, were in the ma jourity but hundreds were yelling for the Tigers fro Smewanee,, Orange and blue and royal purple were seen evry- where. There was the chatter. cries. yells, reproaches and brsavos so charac- teristic of a great football game!
 On the southside of the park there was another mass of people. Tally-hos, car riages and automobiles gave the battle additional picturesqueness. There was a large number of students from the two rival institutions on hand and these furnished the yels and the greater dis play of enthusiasm.
 On the toss up'' captain Wilkerson selected the western goal, and chose the kick-off. The officials of the game were announced follows:
 Referee Rowbotham of Tufts; umpire, Bradley Walker of Virginia; head lines man, Pritchard of Vanderbilt Twenty minuteshalves were agreed upon.
 Auburn's Entire Attack.
 With 2C00 throats yelling on every side, Wares leg sailed the pigskln 40 yards into Sewanee's territory. Lanier was unable to hold the punt. and in the general scrimmage that followed Auburn got pos session of the ball.
 At this time the sphere was within 25 yards of the Sawanee goal. Auburn made use, on this account of false placed kick, which was cleverly turnei into a forward pass Captain Wilkerson caught the ball, and when lie was brought down Sewanee's goal was only 10 yards away. Then Auburn made use of the military formation, introduced last season by the University of Ala bama, and before Sewanee could recover itself Fulback Mccoy had ploughed through center for touchdown. Ware kicked an easy goal and Auburn en- thusiasm reigned supreme.
 Again, in the first half Auburn threat. ened the Sewanee goal, and in defending