Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-01
BY II. c. BYRD.

The 2s-to-3 victory which the foot ball
team representing GEORGETOWN University
secured over the Lehigh eleven yesterday
just about settles the rumor Of few
days ago that Fred Nielsen would not be
the one in charge of foot ball affairs next
year on the hilltop. There is hardly the
least chance in the world that the
Georgetown management will allow Mel
sen to go to some other school.
There is little doubt that Nielsen did
have 1t in mind to resign as coach at
Georgetown Immediately after his
Thanksgiving day game, and went so far
as to say that that was probably what
he would do, but it Is hardly probable
that such will be the case now. In tact.
even though he did resign, there Is not
much chance of his resignation being
accepted Georgetown University has
had the two most successful elevens in
it's history in the two years that nielsen
has coached, and 1t certainly Will not
stand in it's own light by allowing MIN
to go to some other school, because 1t Is
certain the record which he has made
during the past two years WILL cause ms
services to be in great demand IN aimost
any institution with Wn1cn ne might
care to affiliate
Nielsen's great success at george
town is all the more remarkable IN
view of the fact that he took up the
reins after years of disaster. George
town had not had winning eleven in
years. and had not won it's big game
in nine seasons when Nielsen first took
charge of the team. During the nrst
season when Nielsen was in charge or
the Hilltoppers the Blue and Gray
eleven lost but one game, and finished
the season in brilliant style. This year
the eleven has been all the more sue
cessful because one OF the big northern
schools has been defeated by an over
which defeated Yale. has been held to
tie score and the one big game which
Georgetown most desires to claim was
admittedly won before 1t was played.
Nielsen is not APT. to leave George
town If Georgetown can hold him.
Nielsen will not retire from coaching
altogether-he likes the game for the
games sake too well-and George
town stands a better chance Of secur-
ing his services for another year or
term Of years than any other institu-
ton.
The game yesterday at Georgetown
marked the contamination of the hopes OF
the hilltop adherents. They thought II
their team could beat one which held
Princeton to tie score, even by the
narrowest of margins, II would be lifting
climax to the most successful season
which the Blue and Gray has enjoyed In
it's history, but that the victory should
come SO decisively was totally unexpect-
ed, to say the least. There is not one
who could say that he expected George
town to win from Lehigh by five touch
downs. 1t could not have been looked
for because all the year Lehigh has
played q remarkable game Of foot ball
and has shown up as being among the
very best of the so-called secondary col
leges of the north. That 1t could hold the
Tiger eleven to six lone points and then
tally six itself shows that 1t came to
Washington yesterday with a record be-
hind 1t for the. season that was just
as good as any of the teams which 1t
has been regularly meeting. 1t was
surprise, and an agreeable one to those
who watched Georgetown go down to de-
feat before the Indians in a game which
it was not ready to play by a great
deal
From certain. quarters there have been
spread reports at different times which
were intended to belittle the work of Mel
sen at Georgetown and to place him In a
wrong light before the public and the
student body. From the same source
have come statements which were in
tended to detract from what had been
accomplished by him while in charge OF
the hilltop eleven, and which were In
tended solely as reflections on his ability
as a coach. These reflections were cast
simply because of personal prejudice.
which arose from the fact that those re-
sponsible for them were unable to place
in charge of foot ball at Georgetown the
candidates of their choice. Georgetown
players had not been taught to tackle. |
they did not know the rudiments Of the
game. they had not been properly trained.
and the team as q whole had no Of
Tense, have been some of the things which
have been given out to further personal
spite.
That each of these is absolutely untrue
and has no basis. is shown by what the
hoe mil oh cd r{n thn
and by the opposite opinions Of those who
really know something about foot ball.
Reiter. the Lehigh coach. said yesterday
that the Georgetown eleven showed the
result Of skillful and careful coaching.
that its offense was better than that Of
either of the big Four" elevens and
that he considered the eleven, as a whole.
better than the Army. Princeton. Swarth-
met this year Mr.. Thorpe. who officiated
In the game yesterday. made the state
ment that If Princeton had had the Of
Tense this year that Georgetown had 1t
would have won from Yale and Harvard
by more than twenty points.
The work of Hart was again one of the
most prominent features Of Georgetown's
play yesterday. The big fellow was down
under punts. he was in every play smash
ing 1t and getting his man at the same
time. and on the offense had little trouble
opening up a hole through which his
ten yards. It has been said that Hart |
is good enough to make position on any
team in the country. |
The work of Hart Is another monument |
to the ability Of Nielsen as coach. Hart |
left high school and went to George
Washington and played his first year OF |
college foot ball under Nielsen. He did |
not do so well at first. and several times
Nielsen wGs on the point OF displacing !
him and putting another man In his |
place, but he saw the real merits which |
were undeyeloped in the boy raw from
the high school e'even, and he took him. |
giving him individual instruction until he |
began to show real ability at the game |
Before the end Of the season Hart was
ranked as the best tackle in the south |
and he has held that position since. Hart |
is a piece Of Nelson's handiwork.
Georgetown backs had little trouble /
gaining yesterday almost wherever they |
the individuality of the men as II was |
ner. Never was an end run started by |
the Blue and Gray eleven that four
or five men did not go out in front OF |
SO perfectly that it was impossible for |
either the forwards or the first line Of |
secondary defense to get at him. Even |
when receiving punts the Georgetown |
men dropped back to shield their man SO |
1t was generally with three or four men |
in front of him.
canrOotoun had so combined tho oman