The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-17

~&s& -
Bonnie Owens, Who Developed WASH
burns Great 1900 Football Team.
What the Blue did to those soldiers
makes a sad story. They mauled and
walloped and dragged the supporters
of the stars and stripes for some sixty
minutes over that big grass Quadran-
gle. which the sporting writer's call a
gridiron apologies are here due to
John James Ingalls,, until there was
little or nothing left of the army men,
and the score was something like 80
to 0. 1t was the biggest score that a
Washburn team ever piled up against
an opponent. 1t was a tragedy for the
soldiers-and comedy for the Wash
burnites. The scoring machine piled
up the totals SO rapidly that not even
the water carriers could keep up with
them. Just an incident: One time the
Washburn team had the ball on its
own twenty yard line, the result of a
tumble. Some of the warriors yelled
for water. Owens and the water car
riers were down on the army tyenty-
yard line.
Bring the ball down here and get
the water" was Owens response.
The quarterback called the signal;
passed the ball to Roberts and a big
lunge sent il on some twenty-five
yards. Then Moore took it, and then
bottle. It was royal good comedy-be-
cause It was little short of the ludi-
crouA
BY that time Owens machine had
the pepper. the confidence, the train
ing, and was ready for Kansas. So on
fair October day the Blue warriors
descended upon McCook field. They
should not be called Blue warriors
for while the color of Washburn is
blue, it was motley mess of uniforms
which that squad wore. All sorts, col
ors, sizes and kinds.
And Then X. q. Came.
They looked odd and unique and
were the cause of some jeering on the
part of the Kansas rooters, as they
trotted out upon the field. But those
jeers faded after the first few clashes.
On tho kickoff Jimmie" Stewart
captured the pigskin and went scoot-
ing into the Kansas line for some
twenty yards. The machine started
to work. Ground was covered. Tuck
er and Wilcox, the mainstays OF the
the warriors of the strange clothes
were too powerful. It was terrific
struggle for twenty minutes; neither
side scoring. Kansas could not make
it's famous gains. Its end runs became
losses; it's bucks were killed in the
line And then the Washburn team
commenced to "get away" Again
and again they sent the ball forward
for advances and finally went over the
line for the first touchdown. The
great Tucker, who had fought for old
K. u. with all that glorious strength
and ability which made him famous,
struggled fiercely to keep the hated
Blue from crossing the line. No man
ever fought harder. But the odds
were against him. The other team
was more perfect machine; its aim
was good; it's concentration perfect;
and like a catapault it moved down
the desperate resistance laid in the
line of its progress.
The Kansas rooters called upon
their heroes to stand fast, Hold 'em,
Kansas" rang over McCook- field and
reverberated through that valley with
ever increasing volume. That long
Rock Chalk, Jay Hawk" stormed
and moaned-but it did not avail.
'They can't do it again. yelled the
frantic rooters as the Kansas team
desperately sought to prevent repeti-
ton of the score.
But washburn did it again. -Four
times they crossed the Kansas line.
and carried home the victory by a
And Bonnie Owens "Hee-yee" was
electrical all the while. He skipped
along the side lines, watching every
play like a hawk. Close to the line
came play. The formations were
made. Kansas had the ball. The for
nation was fake" The plan was
to carry the ball along the side lines,
while the interference would rush the
other way.
Bonnie owens danced along that side
line, watching like hawk. This way,
Jimmie, this way, Jimmie" he called to
Jimmie" Stewart, the WaShburn quarter.
''She is coming this way
Side line coaching has been forbidden
since then. But Jimmie came right
over as the play started, and diving under
the end. he nabbed the runner with the
| ball, while the rest of the team, fooled
| by the tactics of the false interference
| poured itself pell-mell and uSelessly the
| other way. The ball had been downed
| for ''loss." And Bonnie Owens 'Hee-
| yee'' warbled out with joyfulness. For
1 Bonnie Owens knew and knows the game.
| They don't make better football generals
| than that self-same Bennie
The Second Victory.
The next game with Kansas was another
| tragedy for Kansas. Washburn romped
away with some thirty-four points to the
good. The whole season was one of vic
| tories. At the last game occurred a little
| team and some of its players. The game
was played on Washburn field and was
| hard and close, with Washburn slightly
| in the lead. Along at the beginning of
| the last half Wade Moore, carrying the
| ball, went down in a mass play. He got
| up limping. He tried to play, but could
| not. Medical examination revealed that
| his leg and had to retire from the game.
| But he did not leave to have the frac-
| tured bone set. Not Wade Moore. He
clambered into a carriage on the side line,
and sat on the top of the seat, watching
the game. Moores injury. disheartened