The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-21

Auxford Burks, whose fame as AL abama's greatest halfback Will long be rernem bered in Alabama ana throughout the South, passed through Montgomery yesterday en route to Co- iumbia. S. C., where he goes to Join the all-Southern football squad which will meet the celebrated team Of the Savannah Athletic Association in Saw annah on Christmas day and on New Years. fY
 These annual games attract atten- tion all over the South among lov- CTS of the great game of football Iney bring together tie best individual foof ball talent of the South on one side with perhaps one of the strongest col lective teams in the country on tne other. s.
 There is an interesting story behind the an-Southern Stars and the Savan- nah Athletic Association. Twelve years ago Savannah assembled tho strongest football team outside of the colleges, in the South. Keen rivalry eSisted De- tween Savannah. Charleston and Jack sonville. The Thanksgiving. ChrisI- mas and New Year games were events no less in importance than the great college games of the country, so far as these three cities were concerned. At first the personnel of the teams was confined strictly to the cities nam ed, but Savannah's superiority was so pronounced that both Charleston ana Jacksonville commenced getting out side men.
 For seven years Savannah went un- defeated, and not once did the members of the team, known In that section as the famed Blue and White, stand in the shadow of their own goal post. For four years Harris Cope, quarterback and captain at Sewanee for time, was captain and assistant coach. Dur ing his reign all corners, including the University of Georgia, University or Florida, Stetson University and strong city teams were defeated with equal ease
 It was on New Years day. 1904, that the Savannah team met its Waterloo Charleston football enthusiasts, smart ing under stinginF defeat or the previous New Year, when team made | up of star college men from all over the South played under Charleston's colors against Savannah, laid plans early in tho season. Tutweiler. BIT mingham boy once captain ana aH Southern quarter on Virginia, was se lected to head the team. He had such men as Cheney and Sapp, the monste' artillery guards; Henry the flaming | headed Clemson all-Southern center Sullivan, a stone cutter, and Sic smith, | the well known baseball player, as tackles Saddlcr and Kissinger. au- Southern ends. Tutweiler was at guar l ter. Jocko Harvey, Clemson a1l-South- arn fullback for four years, at full Christy Bennett, all-Southern tackle al Virginia during his entire attendance | there, and, at the time of his playing | with Charleston, acting coach or the | University of South Carolina, ana Guy Gunter, a star from South Caroiiha l College This was the team that de- | feated Savannah in one of the hardest fought football games ever played m l the South Thousands of dollars were wagered, and when. In the second naI' | the powerful, hammering tactlcs or the heavier Charleston team ground out the one touchdown of the game, all Savannah was broken hearted.
 This game saw the birth or prores- sionalism in the makeup Of the teams representing the three cities, Jack- sonville, the followine Thanksglvlns came to Savannah with powerful | Kentucky, Kirby-Smith of Sewanee l.l[issinger of North Carolina. ChappeI of V. r. l., and other stars were Tn sl.s
 lineup. Savannah had nothing but io'
 cal talent, using practically the same same
 lineup as during the previous three
 years Jacksonville was defeated. Fol
 lowing this game, on Christmas daX
 Jack sonville played a return date wltf
 even a stronger team and In sell oe
 fense Savar Aah's one weak place. rlsh
 half. was strengthened by the auoltloi
 of Bab Wilson, the half back and cap
 tain of the A. 6 M. College of Nortl
 Carolina. In this game JacksonVill' | left the held on decision by Coaci l Cotton, of the University Of ElorIos
 who was acting as referee. This or
 hcial had been selected by the Jack
 sonville team and when they refused '
 play the game was awarded to Savan
 nah, although Savannah had alreao' 1 scored touchdown In the nrst tW'
 minutes of play.
 In the annual New Years game De ttween Charleston and SaVannar