The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-11-10

There is paradox in their situation
their only chance for personal glory
lies in the defeat Of the varsity eleven
There comes time in many big game
when a coach, realizing that the day is
lost, that his varsity men have done
their utmost to no purpose and are be-
ing swept steadily down the field, will
throw into the game scrub after
scrub, hoping against hope that these
men will play better than they really
have a right to and so turn the tide.
And even ten seconds in the big game
give the scrub his letter.
So it is in after years that one may
point out many a Wearer of the letter
who was not nearly so good a football
player as many scrubs. It has hap
pened, too, that man has fought for
years in the hope Of making the eleven,
has improved slowly, if surely, has
been sent into the big game as for
lorn hope and has played a game the
like Of which has not been seen on the
field that season.
Even scrubs take their triumphs
and their disappointments differently.
There are not few who are proud to
have been on the second team in the
year that the first eleven swept all
before it. They have no varsity let
ter, but the discriminating know that
they were better players than some
of the varsity men of other years.
There are other scrubs who bemoan
the fact that they were not in college
when the general average Of the play
ers was low and they would have
been almost certain to make the first
team. Be it said, however, for the
honor Of the second team that in
stances of the latter type are rare.
A scrub player learns the lesson of
self sacrifice. It is his but to be walk
ed over daily by the varsity, while
most of the instruction and encourage
ment are lavished on said varsity
AS rule, however, there comes at
least one week in the season when the
scrubs are pampered and petted and
made much of. The varsity is in the
throes of a slump" is tagging, dis
pirited and sullen. 1t is then that the
Is being taught to play the game just
as if it were to take the field as the
first choice against the foe. There is
a coach for almost every man, there
are words of encouragement, much
valuable instruction and a new esprit
de corps. Under the new inspiration
the second team sweeps the tagging
varsity off it's feet, humiliates the first
string players to the uttermost, while
the coaches cheer the scrub and jeer
the varsity. At least once a season it
is very good to be a scrub, for a.
least once a season the scrub de-
feats and humiliates the team that
has proved perhaps a terror to all it's
outside rivals Nothing has such a
salutary effect on the varsity as the
eating of humble pie once in awhile.
In late years the scrub is getting
| more consideration than in the old
days. Yet the men play principally
for the love of the game and in order
to make the going as hard as possible
for the varsity. Sheer loyalty and the
thrill of battle keep them at it year
after year. They learn football from
the ground up. They see the big
games from the side lines and, know
ing the signals, have peculiar advan-
tage over any other spectator With
a knowledge of the signals one may
criticise the handling of the big team
in the big game-may more readily
understand the strategy of coach and
quarterback.
1t is this opportunity to analyze the
big games, coupled with the chance to
get practically as good coaching as the
varsity, that makes excellent coaches
out of many scrub players. Some Of
these scrubs have gone back to college
and turned out freshman teams that
nave been able to fight the varsity to
standStill and so have astonished the
very coaches who taught them. There
have been instances of this at near
~ every big institution in the east.
Sometimes the services Of these ex-
scrubs have been eagerly sought by the
veteran varsity coaches, and many a
man without a field reputation has
proved to be no mean strategist.
It is really these ex-scrub men who
keep up the high average of interest
in the game. They are turned out
yearly at the rate of five or more to
every varsity player. The varsity man
may lose interest in the game in after
years, but the scrub practically never.
It is they who are the backbone of
the pilgrimages to West Point, and it
Is they who talk football far into the
night in the club and chop house.
The scrubs, in word, all unhonored
and unsung as they are, are the back.
bone of the game in the colleges and
out Of them. They play the game and
they watch it for the games sake
New York Post.