Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-01

game gives the quarter every opportunity
to handle the ball and to make the pretty
open plays that delight the big crowds
but the generalship, after all, is the thing
on which the critic bases his final jufg-
ment
With exceptional men exceptional plays
are possible, For instance, last year
Yale had in Howe a man who could kick
with less protection that any other player
on the gridiron. and II was this special
aptitude Of his that, as much as anything
else held Harvard off in the final game.
IT was possible for the Ellis to revise
their defensive generalship by robbing
Howe OF his protecting and sending so
many men down the field that the fast
Crimson backs could not run back kicks.
With any other man but Howe at quar-
ter the result might have been vastly diff
ferent.
In the matter of simple passing to the
back there never was a better man than
Phil King, but he was piayinE behind
remarkable center, and the understanding
between them was perfect. The ball came
back on the bound, King tossed 1t to the
spot where the back ought to be. and
when he got there the ball almost seemed
" Hdnk III lnS air. III dpSOlultly lnG
right position In those DAYS most cen
tiers passed the ball by rolling it along
the ground on its shorter axis. The
| quarters gave the signal by pinching the
center's leg. Now centers are usually
built pretty solidly. and It took a pretty
severe pinch at times to get the ball from
them. That accounted for some of the
plays that went wrong. the backs starting
before the ball was snapped, because the
center had not felt the quarters pinch
| One center. in particular was a very
hard man TO get into action. Pinching
his leg was IKE pinching the bole of a
tree,
One of the substitute quarters, tired of
being scolded for not getting the play
under way solemnly stalked TO the side
lines, picked up q piece OF board, returned
to his position behind the center, and
when he gave the signal used the board
in manner calculated to produce re-
suits Not only did the play get under
way quickly. but the center swept the
opposing center and the two guards back
as though they had been sacks OF meal
The game has progressed since those
days and the starting signal has made
mistakes OF that sort all but impossible
The men who play the game today handle
the ball better and faster. although few
oldtimers are willing to admit il. The
quarter has the ball handed to him
| nowadays, and he Is also relieved Of the
dangerous duty OF making the long pass
20 the fullback for a kick His passing
is almost always forward and II is a
radically different sort OF pass II re-
quires great strength In the hands. and
one. man is known TO have taken up the
piano so as TO strengthen his fingers and
thus be assured OF getting a firm grip
OF the ball. Howe OF Yale has a remark
able grip, and Il is next to impossible for
the ordinary man 10 bat the ball out of
his hand even when he has seized il by
the end. preparatory 70 making the for
ward pass. This firm grip is invaluable
in the new game
But. after all, the generalship is the
thing, and it often happens that a quarter
who is doing beautiful passing is using
poor judgment In selecting his plays.
While the humble plodder on the opposing
team is getting the last ounce out Of his
men, and applying it where 1t counts. II
the average man in the stands will go in
Tor diagrams and try 20 plot the field
watching the sequence OF the plays, he
VIII get some idea OF the generalship
and find keener pleasure in watchins
, the work OF the quarter,