New-York tribune., 1911-11-20
ON COLLEGE GR|D|RONS
Princeton Climbs to Top OF the
Football Ladder.
MUCH CREDIT DUE TO TIGERS
Overcome Handicap of a Most
Flimsy Attack-Yale's Team
Well Balanced.

FIlmSY AJGdCh-1 die ISdlu
Well Balanced.
ITO the victor belongs the spoils,' 70
Princeton belongs the honors of the foot
hail season-the championship. II there Is
any satisfaction Of calling it champion
ship by the method employed. Yale. Har-
ward and Dartmouth have been beaten by
the Tigers. For the first time in eight
years Princeton's football season has been
crowned with success Not only that but
Tor tho first time I'm tho history OF ath-
leHc relations between the big univer-
eities al New Haven and Princeton the
Tieers have mace a clean sweep In the
major sports. beating Yale On track, field
and path. on the water. on the diamond and
on the gridiron At least it is the first
time that ] can recall. Taking advantage
Of opponents errors is distinctly part OF
snv contest Quickncss, alertness. vigil
lance are many times the deciding factors
when teams or individuals arc reasonably
well matched. So il was with Princeton.
The eleven. Handicapped by a totally in
ADEQUATE offanse, went through the season
without q defeat. There were tie scores, 70
ne sure with the Navy and Lehigh. but
these somehow arc forgotten or rather no.
emphas'zed coming as they did in the
building period. Truly a team that could
overcome a great structural weakness de-
serves the greater credit for defeating the
better balanced elevens OF Harvard, Dart
mouth and Yale. Personally, | take
pleasure in congratulating Captain Hart
sn inspiring leader, and his fighting, high
spirited men.
There is another side none the less I'M
yortant because IL lacks the pat-you-on-
ihe-back tone which is so much easier to
assume and write. Princeton was lucky
10 win three victories which mean so much
mot lucky in the sense that scores were
made by grasping opportunities through
quick perception and sharp. ready action
but lucky IN the sense that the team was
not properly equipped TO so into action
for a so-called championship game. For
This the coaches or the coaching system
must Ia criticised and not the players
who did their part in way 20 command
The respect and admiration Of all.
understand that Logan Cunningham, Al
len NIacgregor and Bill Roper, who this
year acted I'm IN advisory capacity, spen:
much time in devsing and developing plays
in secret practice that worked against
the scrub. but the fimsy attack shown in
1he Open was pitiful 10 see. 1t may be
taid that Princeton was not called on
20 use these formations. that il was tile
policy 10 play safely once in the lead that
The team was never in a position I" dis
close its hand. True, but plays Of last
resort kind. PLAYS that can nc used only
in opponents territory do not make up
au offence; the almost total lack Of in
ierfererce does not mark the finished
sIeyen. How i'm all conscience did tn
coaches expect tho team to get within
striking distance 20 score with three or
four simple running plays that were As
easy 10 diagnose a. they were easy 10
Stcuc There can he only ono answer.
They counted on De Wits punting and
opponents crrors-and they did not count
IN vain. with al credit TO the players but
with mighty little TO themselves.
just imagine football team that in three
big games could not once carry the bah hy
rushing or I'm any other way inside an
opponents 25-yard line New football with
its top-heavy defence, cannot be blamed in
This case Other teams can gain ground, at
least i'm inidheld short stretches of sus-
fsined power are better than none at all
Put enough There are pleasanter things
20 write about. and ono OF these is Sam
White. ] do not agree with some critics
pho say that White heat Harvard and
Yale White vas the contributing cause,
lUt Whites alertness, speed. vigilance and
Eureness would have svailed nothing with
out his fighting mates, who We're strong
enough and resourCcful enough to hold an
advantage once gained. That the team was
one of individuals rather than finished
,uachine except haps on the defence,
ychcrts the more credit. But White was
the outstanding hero Of both games-the
man who was able 20 grasp the opportuni-
Tics that came his way simply because he
was indefatigable in following the ball,
physically powerful and mentally awake.
JIG used his head as well as his arms and
legs. iic was the master.
White is a fine type Of student, sportsman
and athlete. His heart is in baseball, SO
5sr az sports are concerned. He played
football more because ne was needed by
Princeton than because he was enamoured
Of the game. He played il well. as he does
all things With a little wire pulling-a
thing not foreign TO college ife-he might
easily have been reelected captain OF the
baseball team a position he filled &C
cCptably last season; but he was generous,
and thought the honor belonged TO an
other. He will be none the less valuable 10
the nine next spring He is the kind OF
man who can follow as we'll as lead-a
happy characteristic. ] am told that he
stands particularly we'll in his classes-an-
other good point To Princeton's loss, he
viii be graduated in June.
With 20 much 10 comment on, have de-
voted lot Of space TO Princeton-so much,
in fact. that other happenings Of Saturday
must be neglected or taken up tomorrow.
The reason lies in the fact that Princeton s
season is over, whereas Yale Harvard.
Pennsylvania. Cornell West Point and An
napolis will be still I'm the public eye in a
football way for another week or ten days.
Before winding up with the Tigers / would
say a word for Keene Fitzpatrick, the
clever trainer. who sent the men out to DO
battle in perfect physical condition. II was
not so when Princeton men were trained by
golf professional. Sull another word
must be said for the mighty Duff. one OF
The best guards 1 have ever seen; DE Witt,
u steady. consistent punter and the back
bone Of what little attack the Tigers had.
and Captain Eddie Hart, who, as / suggest
al two wears ago was an ordinary back