The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-09
ALABAMA SHOT
 TO PIECES ROUNDS
 OUT GOOD TEAM

University, October S.-(Special.) 1.-The past week has been one in which hopes have run very high at times among foot ball lovers here, and then again have ebbed just as low. And now they have just eout steadied into state of equi- lit in which the supporters of the Crimson and White expect to see a light but spirited team that will fight for every inch of ground that it wins or. yields.
 When the week opened Austill, for two years a steady player behind the line, who had not been out before this season, signif1ed his intention of trying for the team and donned his togs. In addition, Hurd, scrappy end of two seasons ago, returned to college to complete his engi- neering course and incidentally repaired to the gridiron to put somebody out Of his old place. All this sent Alabama's hopes soaring like a Wright biplane But they had no sooner reached their height than they fell like chunk Of lead. Aus till found that he couldn't hammer the law and the line at the same time and passed in his suit. Then for a while 1t looked as If Hurd would have to do likewise. However, in the case of the latter matters were adjusted, and 1t is probable that "Chug" will again be seen receiving forward passes. going down under punts, and spilling end runs as in days gone by.
 And it is a good thing that Hurd may get into the game, for the red line, al- ready thin, was sadly decimated last Saturday. If ever Q team paid dearly, got gold brick as 1t were, for victory h one of its preliminary games, 1t was Alabama. The Birmingham college game cost varsity temporarily just exactly four men, and one permanently. John- ston, one of the most promising or the substitutes, will be out of the game for the remainder of the season with his collar bone broken, while Captain Gres- ham, right tackle, Lambert and McDow- ell, halfbacks and vandeGraaff. end, are all out of the game for the time being on account of minor injuries As re- suit of all this misfortune in one big lump, the team that Coach bowman sent against Marion Institute today was com posed in large measure of scrubs. An Alabama team hasn't been so completely shot to pieces since 1906, when an outfit made up almost entirely of inexperienced men had to be sent to Nashville to be slaughtered by Vanderbilt
 On account of the crippled condition of his proteges, Coach bowman has had to go easy in the work this week. breaking in new men for the different places. Signal practice has been the order every afternoon with a few scrimmages thrown in. With this kind of treatment the team should round into shape again by the time that 1t meets Georgia next Saturoay in Birmingham. But still the lack or hard work will no doubt tell somewhat on the general condition of the men.
 From the play in the Birmingham col lege game last Saturday and the few light scrmmagss of the past week, It IS now possible to get some idea of the abilities of the different men. At centre fo hut choose between Till and Manning. both of whom are play ing a steady but not sensational game. At one guard Powell thickset and az gressive, is going to prove formidable man when he puts all that he has into the game Keller, on the other side, Is rather light, but he fights hard at all times Gresham at right tackle is put 4 ting up the same reliable brand of play that made him captain of tbe team. The other tackles place is not yet settled, but the most likely looking aspirants for the lob being Griffin, Stewart and Meadors Hurd and H. VandeGraaff on the ends will make a pair that cannot be beat for their inches. and then there are Lanier, Scott. Grayson, and Perkins to Ill In on the wings at any time. Young Vande- Graaff has all the earmarks or the porn end. He seems to know the position in stinctiyely. If on an end play the inter ference Is stripped of before 1t reaches him. he downs the runner; if not-well
 
 it's all the same.
 In the backf1ed, Farley Moody al . quarter gives promise of being worthy successor of Derrill Pratt as scorer or goals from the field. His leg hasn't the power of Pratts, 1t is true, but put him inside of the 25-yard line of an opponent and he will be a very dangerous man. In last Saturdays game he proved nis ability by dropping two goals out or three trials. At halfback. Mcdowell, Lambert and Bumgartner are speedy though light However. let any one of them once get hv inc scrimmage line and there will be tale to tell At fullback A. VandeGraan Is man of great power. His 1e6 pounds Is put together in the style his name would indicate, and when he hits the line low and hard as is his style there IS some momentum in the plunge. Substituting at fullback when Vandy is not there is Heard, a lighter man, but an active one
 Taking into consideration all things, one may say that the team which carries the fl crimson and white this year will round Unto a high class outfit before the season Is over, provided, of course, that hard
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