Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-08
GOSSIP AND NEWS
OF FOOT BALL WORLD
Yale Now Leads Big Teams,
But the Margin Is Not
So Great.

SO Great.
A glance at last Saturdays scores and
compa' lson with other games puts the
big four. in this order: Yale, Harvard.
Pennsylvani Princeton. But on closer
analysis .Yales lead is not so great as the
23-to-O score against Brown would seem to
indicate when compared with Harvard's II
to and Pennsylvania IS to B. Nor
does Penn's 6-to-8 score against Lafayette
fairly indicate a superiority over the
Princeton team that lost to Lafayette. o
to 6, when the accounts Of the two games
are read together.
The analysis of the various styles OF
play which last Saturdays games afford
gives us quite clear-cut results in regard
to Yale, Harvard and Princeton. And
very interesting comparison 1t is. too, in
view of the impending Yale-Princeton
and Yale -Harvard contests. These three
entrants for final honors are playing to-
day three obviously distinct kinds OF foot
bail. Yale and Princeton are each bril-
lantly strong In some respects, weak IN
others. Harvard alone has an all-around
foot ball machine, that makes less noise
than either Of the others and has no
particular loose nut upon which the critic
can lay an accusing finger. For this rea-
son one is inclined to disparage little
bit the prevailing opinion as to the
amount of lead Yale's admittedly great
team has now in the final lap of the race.
Crimson's Attack Forceful.
The eleven at Cambridge looms up as
it did a year ago. In the Cornell game
last Saturday it exhibited a forceful and
varied attack. one that has grown stead
lily from week to week, and defense
that was almost monotonously efficient.
The eighteen points which that fast Cor
nell eleven had to swallow represent
perhaps the most considerable achieve
ment of the day. In the same way that
Princeton's sharp line attack broke into
pieces against Dartmouth, so did Cor
nell, twice inside the 30-yard line. fall
against Harvard. Harvard's team is the
kind that calls forth quiet admiration
rather than spasmodic cheering. And IL
Is playing the style of game which has
always counted against an opponent OF
equal strengthened the style of game
which wins showily against admitted in
feriors.
Statistics That Thrill.
If it is possible for statistics to quicken
the pulse the statistics of the Harvard
offense against Cornell give one a sort of
thrill Harvard is reported as having
possession of the ball in ninety scrim-
images, gaining a total of 453 yards. or
more than four times the length of the
field, and making total OF twenty-five
first downs. The first touchdown: for IN
stance, was the result of nine plays be-
ginning at midfleld and ending when this
remarkable machine pried Minot over the
goal line with the ball securely in his
arms.
A good deal of the time Harvard dis
nf hor territory
During the process several shifts and
changes were made, notably Withing-
toms shift from left guard to left tackle.
and all the time a wealth OF interchange
the hand Of the master machinist who Is
driving the Crimson machine this year as
he drove ii year ago.
Yale's Lead Not So Superior.
Yale's team. significantly enough. which
has to play two big games instead OF one.
is In poorer physical condition than either
of its rivals. Yales reliance seems to be
on star ends and backs. long runs and
forward passes. The Blue line is COM
posed of men of equal caliber. 1t ought
TO be superior individually and collective
" to the Crimson line. 1t certainly is SUI
perior to the Orange and Black. But Tor
some reason ii is not playing the defen-
sive game right. The work OF the yale
90 points in that period, looks little
like the work of team that slowed down
by overwork can outlast weaker team
The only scoring in the first half was
the result of a forward pass from mid
fed. This mastery Of the forward pass.
the work of the ends and backs, Is Yale
supremely strong point. But the line has
lost its ginger.
Brown gained consistently through the
line into Yale's secondary defense, and
even threatened to score on two occa-
sions. and was kept from it by the infiic-
ton Of penalties. OF course, good deal
of Browns gaining in the field may have
been helped by a too open defense on the
part Of Yale But such tactics will be
dangerous against either Princeton or
Harvard. Yale may be in the lead today.
There is no doubt that from Goebel to
Coy the team Is a brilliant aggregation.
But the lead is not SO great as most OF US
imagined a while ago.
High Praise for Cunningham.
The one great thing about the Princeton
teams style Of play-perhaps the only
thing worthy OF comment in comparing
Princeton to Yale and Harvard-is it's
perfect mastery of the drop kick. Out
side OF that Princeton is not really dan
gerous in fast company.
While O'Fiaherty. at Cambridge. was
missing a try from inside the 2O-yard
another on the 25-yard line. Cunningham,
at Princeton, between the 80 and 10 yard
lines was sending two over the bar with
delightful assurance. Not only this, but
substitute named Bard made an ex-
tremely accurate try from difficult
angle on the 45-yard line. after the ball
had been so inaccurately passed to him.
1t was almost the only poor pass the
Tiger snapback was guilty OF, that Bard
had to pick the ball up off the ground.
Princeton's forward passes are weak.
the right side of her line is weak and
her punting formation needs revising.
One extra man like Right Halfback Irm-
schiller of Lafayette or Right Tackle Lang
of Dartmouth drawn over TO the left
flank seems to upset all calculations.
Harvard or Yale could get the ball of
safely. believe. II there were thirty
men on the opposing team. while Prince
ton is as vulnerable as a third-rate team.
But Princetons players are in magnifi-
cent condition. They are ready to play
a game that their standing on paper gives
them no right to play and to win victo-
RES they have no excuse for winning.
This is no new thing in Tfgertown. Cum
bingham has been doing more and better
drop kicking all season than any kicker
since the days Of Aleck Moffatt.
HATCHETITES ALL RIGHT.