Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-04
GOSSIP AND NEWS
IN FOOT BALL WORLD
Figures Showing How Far
Sensational PuntS
Really Go.

These fifty and sixty and seventy yard
punts may take place on the gridi:on in
games occasionally, but they are mighty
scarce IL the average distance punter in
almost any foot ball game is correctly
reported. Take the records Of the puntina
as found i'm college publications and the
other newspapers and the average dis
lance will be found TO vary from thirty
to forty yards. An average Of forty
yards is bigger than usual. so it is evil
dent that kicks of fifty yards are few
and far between. To the spectator IL ap-
pears as if the kicks are going around
nifty yards. when in reality they may I've
averaging not more than thirty-iive. The
distance gained on punt isn't measured
from where IL is kicked. but from where
the ball is put in play. "A matter of from
eight to ten yards every kick.
In the Yale-Amherst game there were
two punteEs much above the ordinary
in ability. Coy of Yale and Fits of AM
herst. In fact, Coy is the longest and
steadiest kicker on the field today. and
yet, according to the Amherst student.
Coy's average distance pnnted I'm the
first half was only 29ts yards. Amherst
average was % yards. In the second half
Yale averaged 33iS yards punt and
Amherst 20.
reliable. show longer kicking in the Min
nesota-Chicago game. Mnuesota's punting
averaged A. yards to Chicago's
81. An average OF forty yards a punt
is an average much above the ordinary.
Forty yards doesn't seem so much for
kick at first thought. but when you CON
slider that the hall sails over eight ~
the chalk marks the distance seems
greater. In any event. II is evident that
ffty-yard punters, for "A steady thing. ex-
list chiefly in the Imagination.
Tom Thorp, the old Columbia tackle
and present referee. is out with a sug-
gestion which he thinks could at least de-
crease the likelihood of players getting
hurt In games. He thinks the referee
should be vested with power TO order the
ret rement of "A player from the game
whenever the latter is so tired or other
wise physically incapacitated that the
referee thinks he should be taken out. Al
present none of the officials has anything
to say about sending A man To the side
lines unless he has violated the rules, and
Thorp thinks there are some times when
cases of physical distress come more
readily under the eye OF the referee than
of somebody on the side lines. Whether
all referees would he sufficiently expert
in judging the physical condition of a
player Is a question. but 1t is sure thing
that were there such a rule as Thorp
suggests no player would simulate grog-
gineSs. injury or fatigue unless he wanted
TO be put out.
One of the quarterback candidates of the
Navy squad is named Erwin, and he is
sa d to he a brother of Red Erwin, who
was star guard at West Point two years
ago. Erwin got his nickname from the
color of his hair, and though not a giant
as guards go, he was one OF the fastest
and most active men to be found i'm any
of the lines. He was of the cheerful.
hustling. aggressive type, after the man.
ner of Upton, the crack Army center,
who did not take the game so excessively
seriously that he could not get some
fun out of IL. Erwin played as if enjoy
ing himself. Two or three years ago he
and Pullen were both in the line at
West Point and both close to IL not up to
all-American caliber. Pullen's foot ball
career at West Point has been attended
with misfortune. From the first IL was
evident that the big westerner was one
of the best natural tackles that ever
went on the field, but injuries have hand
capped his foot ball career at the Point.
Then this year the fruitiOn of his grid
iron service as captain OF the Army team
is cut off by the fatal accident to his fell
low-player last Saturday.