Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-11-16
Maroon and Cream Defeated In Hard
Fought Game
WAS SPLENDID GAME
Referees Ignorance Spells Alma's Chances
for Victory

dCIOSs the RIiuiiOb, tiic ndiOou anu
Cream went down in defeat before the
Crimson last Saturday, the score being
nine TO six. The game was one of
clesnest and hardest fought ever played
in the intercollegiate. Alma played a
fast, hard, ami at times. brilliant game,
clearly outfighting their opponents,
who, nevertheless, were as scrappy and
clean a team of players as Alma has met
in years. The defeat is especially bitter
in that Olivet made its touchdown i'll the
last ten seconds of the first half, in fact
after one of the timekeepers had called
time. And then the ignorance Of the
referee robbed Alma of the touchdown
which would have given her the VIC
tory. The circumstances were these:
In the second quarter Alma carried
the ball to Olivet's six yard line OH the
third down, but lacked one yard of
making first down. Referee Kelley pen
allied Olivet half way to the goal, or
three yards. That placed the ball two
yards beyond the point which marked
the distance we were supposed to gain in
order TO get first down. Nevertheless
the referee gave the ball to Olivet who
kicked out of danger and started on the
rally which gave them their touchdown.
Another time Kelly gave Olivet the ball
when Alma only had two downs. The
players did not charge him with dis
honesty or favoritism, bat think that
he showed lack of familiarity with the
rules which was inexcusable i'll as inn
portant game as was this For Alma
Marks carried the ball the oftenest, fire.
quently getting away for gains of twer-
ty and thirty yards. Rogers also made
several good gains, as did Wood, Won
Thurn and Polly of the backfeld
Whenever called upon, Ephie Johnson
and Captain Edgerton responded with
good gains On defense, the two new
guards, Stinson and Johnson, played
grand game, while our two tackles
played the same sensational game which
helped defeat Olivet last year. Hyde
frequently spilled the whole Crimson
rich, despite his light weish hit, broke
through and nailed Weber time and
time again. At center, Misenar did not
make single poor pass, and played
splendid game.
For Olivet, Weber WAS easily the star
He carried the ball twenty-six times,
and all the plays we're built about him.
innie Upton, the Muskegon boy who
was, paralyzed in the Olivet-M. A. c.
game last year, played great game
at quarterback. and his nervy work won
the admiration of the entire crowd
Once when Captain Price wanted To
take him out and give him rest, he
was ready to fight the whole team in or
der to stay. Riders beautiful place
kick against the wind in the third quar-
ter ie worthy of special mention. How
ever, Wood out-punted Rider during the
game, the Crimson full back often fail
ing to punt twenty yards and giving the
referee more chances to display his ig-
norance.
Alma has every reason to he proud of
the team which represented her Satur-
day. Robbed of touchdown, seemingly
| hopelessly defeated, nevertheless they
fought only as an Alma team can fight,
| finally coming into their own the last
period and slashing through Olivet with
an exhibition of sensational football,
I they at last rushed "Yans" across for q
touchdown. Again, in the same period,
they ploughed down the field, sacrificing
an almost sure chance at field goal in or.
der to score again, but losing the ball,
time was called before they could again
get under way.
The roofing of the small Alma delega
ton showed up splendidly in compare
son with that of the Olivet student body.
who, despite the strenuous efforts of the
two yell masters, seemed to prefer per.
sonal jibes and grammar school jests to
loyal roofing. The efforts of the whole
student body scarcely carried across the
field, while the dozen Alma rooters we're
heard by the team all over the gridiron.
We are all sorry that we lost, but we
must admit that our team made grand,
good fight for victory and deserved to
win. Coach Kennedy of Albion said
that on Davis field, which was dry, we
could have beaten them twenty to moth
ing. The team put into the game all the
fight and loyalty that was in them, and
while in justice to Coach Grady it should
be said that he had trained the boys in a
number of formations and plays, which,
if they had been used oftener. might
have changed the result. yet we must
give them credit for splendidly repre-.
senting Alma against our old foes