The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-01
UNABLE To STOP
The open PLAY
VERSATILITY OF GOPHER PLAY
PUZZLED WINDY CITY AcoRE-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS WORK or
SENSATIONAL oRDER-MINNE
sofa suFE Erred HEAVILY.


satility and speed OF the Gopher at
tack, vet fighting desperately on every
play in a futile effort to save them
selves from defeat, Chicago went down
before Minnesota Saturday at North
rop field by score OF 90 to 6.
The victory was another of those
dearly bought ones for Minnesota, as
just before the close of the play in the
final half, Duffy McGovern. the idol
of the northwest in football, was taken
from the field with a broken collar
bone and will be out of the game for
the rest Of the season. 1t was a dear
price to pay at that time as the game
was already won beyond question.
Minnesota's triumph was a signal one
and free from any suspicion of duke
or especial luck. The best team won
and the score hardly demonstrates the
general all-around superiority of the
Minnesotans as team. The Gophers
lost a touchdown when McGovern, in
attempting to place the bali down be-
tween the posts to give a better trial
for the extra point, fumbled it when
| tackled by two of the Maroons. The
game was not close enough for this to
4
| Chicago appeared to be struck with
amazement when McGovern and his
men opened up one of the most bril-
liant and perplexing attacks ever seen
on western football field since the in
auguration OF the new football" They
had evidently been coached to resist a
line bucking and ordinary and encir-
cling attack. When the Gophers OPEN
ed up with forward passes, most of
them executed in a faultless style, they
were unable TO stop the attack They
fought stubbornly and well. They dis
played splendid courage in the face
Of certain defeat and gave a splendid
exhibition of gameness. They never
slowed for an instant save when physi-
cal exhaustion demanded its inevitable
i toll. Their efforts on offense did not
net them consistent gains, bur they at
tempted everything they possessed.
Attacks Easily Solved.
Their entire attack hardly puzzled
the Gophers and the splendid defense
OF the Minnesotans against Chicago's
open play was as highly pleasing to
the rooters as was their attack. 1t was
splendid exhibition of new football
In offense and defense. Captious indeed
would be the critic who could COM
plain of the work of Minnesota
throughout the entire seventy minutes
of play.
| Stages speed and completely Of for
nation did not materialize. Despite the
before the-game talk about Chicago
playing new and Minnesota old football
the situation appeared to be exaStly
reversed. Chicagos attack was more
along the line of the olden days and it
must be said for the Maroons that they
went into these plays with great pow
er and speed. The somewhat indiffer-
emit work of some of the Minnesota
forwards in some Of the early games
had manifestly led TO the belief that it
was a. permanent slot1lfulness and
made 1t appear a logical point of as
sault. If such campaign was really
pursued 1t lead to disaster, as the Co
pher line played its greatest game of
the year and was capable of crumb-
ling up almost everything hurled
against 1T. Time after time heavy
mass plays were directed on guards
and tackles, only to stop with a sud-
denness that must have given some
thing more than mere shock TO the
assaiIants. Chicago did one meritorious
bit of work in getting the ball down
near the Gopher goal on a brilliantly
executed forward pass and then bucked
lit over in a line of work that marked
the high tide of the Maroon aggression
for the afternoon. 1t was thoroughly
creditable to every man on the mid
way team.
For two years gone by Stage has
beaten the Gophers by splendidly
planned and executed campaign. call
ing into use the forward pass and the
onside kick. Yesterday the shoe was
, on the other foot and the Maroons
were simply outclassed and outgener-
aled at their own game. 1t was such
an unexpected demonstration that they
were taken completely by surprise and
the Gophers appeared at times to pos
sess an uncanny power i'm drawing
them into the positions and rushes
they desired in order to clear certain
portions of the field for the execution
OF the forward pass. Chicago's passes
were abortive for the most part. They
We're not so well and Clearly executed
as those OF Minnesota and only in the
one occasion did they net the Maroons
anything like large gain. The on
side kicking of the Maroons was a
cleveriy planned and executed bit Of
play. It was accompanied by a fake
rush at one OF the ends and an attempt
to draw the Minnesota backs over to
where the Maroon end and half could
get chance to dart down into unoc-
cupied territory and regain possession.
II failed to work, although ii Iessened
the possibility OF great deal of carry
back
Great QuadrupIe Pass.
The most brilliant play Of the day
was that Of McGovern, the end OF
which was marked by an unlucky fun
BILE. The play started near the center
Of the field and McGovern. getting An
al possession of the ball after a quad
ripple pass, into which Chicago's whole
left side had been sucked in, darted
down the field for touchdown. He
crossed the goal without danger. and
then started to circle around behind
the goal that Farnum might have
straight line for the kick Duffy had
misjudged his distance from the pur-
suing opponents and when tackled let
the ball slip away from him, and chi
cago fell on 1t for a touchback. once
or twice again this same play was
worked upon the Maroons, and Ii PROV
ed q steady ground gamer.
Chicagos line did not present the Re
sistance that had been expected of Il.
In fact. II was riddIed from tackle 10
tackle. and both ends were run with
equal freedom. There was not q posi-