Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-08
GOPHER AND BADGER NEXT
Western Championship May Be Set
tied Next Saturday.
BEAR STORIES FROM WISCONSIN
Minnesota Men Take Them with
Grain of salt and Refuse to
Believe Amy slump
Exists.

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Nov. 7-(Spe-
ciai)-Urged on to their best endeavors
by the sight OF their crippled captain,
Johnny McGovern, standing on the side
lines, wrapped IN a huge maroon and gold
blanket. the foot ball team Of the Gopher
state is working nightly as it has never
worked before in preparation for the in
teresting session with the Wisconsin
bunch on November IS. Although scrappy
little McGovern suffered a severe frac-
ture Of his collar bone. he refused to re-
main In bed more than two days, and
since Tuesday he has been at every prac-
tlce. He is Invaluable to Or. Williams
as a coach and his CHEEKY words of en-
enlargement and praise have done won
ders for the team. He is determined that
the man who takes his plS,1 IN the Wis
consin game shall know all the foot ball
that it Is possible for tho crippled lad to
impart. Every night he devotes his time
to coaching the different quarterback can
didates, and they are rapioIy improving
under his tutoring; he Is certainly doing
all In his power to make his understudy
pay the game as he did himself.
FRvOrites for Quarter.
AS tho practice for the week drew to a
close the favorites for the quarter posi-
ton are gradually simmering down to
three or four possible choices. Just now
all In touch with things foot ball around
here are firm In their belief that Lyle
Pettijohn, star left end for two seasons,
will direct the offense Of the Mlnnesotans
when they meet the Badgers in the an
nual scrap at Camp Randallone week
from next Saturday. Radermacher, too,
is showing up in good style and his four
years high school experience at quar-
ter on the Barron, wis, team is helping
him play the position. 1t Is very doubtful
II "Raddy" will be shifted from his place
at right end, for few forward passes have
been known to get around him there.
Jimmy Heveau has shown up well in
practice, but what he might do under
fire in a championship game is the thing
that is robbing the coaches of their sleep.
Mac" George, a member of the squad for
the last three years, is looming up as a
most formidable rival OF Deveau, and an
other weeks practice may make George the
one best bet. Pettijohn fills the bill admir-
ably, but Williams is 10th to move the
shifty end unless 1t becomes absolutely
necessary. For this reason many are in
clined to believe that George and Deveau
will fight 1t out until the last night Of
practice before the big game. And just
now, one has very little on the other.
Bear Stories Not Believed,
Minnesota rooters are immune from the
bear stories of Barry at all times, his past
performances are clearly remembered, and
his doleful, heartrending bundles, marked
over are carefully stored away, side by
side with the c~onsignments of one, Alonzc
Stagg, the wizard of the Midway. Accord.
ing to the latest from the Wisconsin train.
ing camp, Coach Barry, on account of the
number Of deaths and injuries among his
players, will be able to send only three
and possibly four players into the game
against Minnesota. The telegraphic reports
from a Badger game sound much more
like the story a war correspondent, sending
in his list of the dead and wounded from
one Of the decisive battles of the worlC
than like the report of a college pastime
The great wonder is that the visible sup
ply Of caskets and grave clothes is not di
minishing at a greater rate in Wisconsin
The local rooters hope that Barry will hav,
time to recruit enough professors from tn,
university to fill up the depleted ranks o
his eleven,
Very poor success has been met with ii
an effort to secure reasonable rates L
Madison. In spite of the refusal of tn
railroads to grant a cheap rate, a consid
eraple NUMBER OF the IaithIul VIII arrang
to be present. Agitation has been starte,
to secure at least one special train for tn
occasion. The cadet band and all tn
scrubs will take the trip, and these alon
will make a crowd Of no small dimensions
Betting has so far been very light, bu
whatever money is in sight is posted at
to / in favor of Minnesota.
Sig Harris was a very interested observe
Of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT game a
Evanston last week, and nasmuch a
Barry was forced to uncork about every
thing he had on hand 10 defeat the Meth
odists, Minnesota has a very fair idea G
the style of game that Wisconsin will pla