The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
DID HIS BIC WORK IN TEN SECONDS kenard PractiCed Three Months to Be Read HERO OF THE GRIDIRON Kicked the Ball Thousands of Times in Order to Be Ready for the
 Supreme Test at Proper
 Moment.

"Bilr' Reid. Jr.-ex-full back and foot ball coach-tells many interesting and en- Tightening stories of football strategy in the October American Magazine. One story he tells is as follows:
 When Victor Kenard of Harvard kicked the drop kick which won the liar vard-Yale game last year, many people called it luck. That drop kick was really started early in the spring of 190S when Kenard, in anticipation of Just some such situation as this, began to school himself into a master of drop kicking
 "All during July, August and September he praoticed, studying the detail of the kick and perfeeting the fundamentals. lie had some one pass the ball to him. so as to increase his speed and accuracy in handling 1t, and in quickening up his foot work, for speed is essential in drop kick Ing. Then in the evenings he took his ball home with him and made a detailed study or the art of dropping 1t so that it would rebound accurately and at the right distance from his foot. He spent periods or 70 minutes at a time standing against wall and swinging his leg alongside of it in an effort to develop an absolutely straight and accurate leg drive. When he returned to college he had so far mastered these details that on one occasion he kicked 60 successive goals from within his limits, and at another 55. To be sure this was not done under pressure
 "Kenard told Nourse that If he were called on for a kick he did not wish the pass delayed any longer than was abso- lutely necessary for him to get his posi- ton and allow the protective backs to get theirs. Nothing was said to the rest of the team about it, but every detail was carefully worked out, rehearsed and per fected. It was decided that in order to save every fraction of second and there- by make the surprise of the Yale team the greater, upon going on the field Ken ard should walk backward into his kick ing position in order that he might keep Nourse always in line with the middle point of the cross bar, making unneces- sary any further adjustment except that of distance. Then, that there might be no visible sign by which any vigilant Eli might surmise what was about to hap pen, Kenard and Nourse agreed upon a private signal for the passing of the ball. slight movement of two fingers it was, and preparation was complete.
 '"rhen came the Yale game. Kenard, sitting on the side lines, saw Yale carry the ball down to Harvards 15-yard line; he saw Harvard rally, take the ball away from Yale and then start on a steady, rapid advance toward Yale goal line, now 75, now 50 now 30 yards away. The teams line up; 1t is first down-the signal is given, the play is off. and Harvard has made gain. The second play brings four yards, and it Is the third down with six to go on Ya1e's 15-yard line, and with the ball just a few yards outside of the left-hand goal post. Cutler starts to give his signal everyone is anxious-Harvard men for fear that their team cannot make the distance, Yale men for fear that they will. There is a momentary pause, slight commotion on the side lines, some thing Is about to happen. Remarks op- portunity has come. Out he trots, glad of the chance ready for it in every detail, confident and cool. He backs carefully into position, two fingers on the right hand twitch, and before the astonished Yale players realize what has happened, the ball has been sent straight and true between the cross bars, and Kenard's years work is done."