The Detroit times., 1912-11-06
4efeat by Badgers Is Laid
Indirectly to the Yost-
men
SOME PLAYS DISCARDED
~ AS UNSPORTSMANLIKE
Lambert" and '.Plain Clothes"
Are Among These
,x. Unfair Ones
BY RALPH l.. YoNKER.

keeps the western conference In
general. tne Chicago university and
Coach A. A. Stage, in particular, on
the verge OF hot water.
They are actually blaming the de-
feat that Chicago received at the
hands OF Wisconsin partly TO Michi-
gan's withdrawal from the western
conference.
The reasoning OF these disgruntled
ones 10 as follows: When Michigan
was In the conference. both teams
pointed their efforts for the final
struggle, Thanksgiving day, between
Chicago and Michigan, this contest
generally determining the football
championship OF the west.
In those days both teams let their
early games 20 as they would. making
their real preparations only for the
final game Then the coaches could
concentrate upon building up an at
tack that would overpower it's op-
ponents In the final reckoning Now
days, when the preliminary games
count as much as they do In the ccs-
ference, Chicago must devote It's e.
forts to building up defense at once
% withstand the attacks OF opponents.
Thus It's offense is weakened.
II Chicago had had the offense OF
\ ,ormer days, Saturday, its fans are
Confident It would have beaten the
Badgers. This causes smiles TO the
unbiased. but ardent fans can see q
great deal that no one else can.
| Chicago has had to- 90 into It's
games this season almost untutored
on offense. Those famous Chicago
strateRies Of Stagg'r have been
NEGLECTED. Those plays that take
months to perfect have been laid
away. dusty and forgotten. The sea-
son IL practically over as far az CHI
cago Is concerned, since II Is out OF
the conference running for the title,
and there is no climax to end the
season.
Chicago fans sigh for Michigan.
\. Owing to the fact that Michigan
belongs TO no conference there Ism !
much remorse here about losing Chi
cago. Although It Is evident that
fans here would rather see the Chi
cago eleven furnish the climax OF the
season for the Wolverines. they are
fast attaining that high rivalry vita
pennsy that makes for pyrotechnic
ahdings. This year, Cornell gives
chance for the Anal bomb.
Yost has It on Stagg In that he can
still point his efforts for the two DIG
games or even the one and get away
with It. Michigan's friends know
that that Is his object and are well
composed when they see Michigan
setting only low scores or even going
down to defeat In the early part OF
rAe season. He knows that as long
as his wolverines come across with
the stun that brings victory with
Pennsy and Cornell, his supporters
are well satisfied
Right now. for instance, Michigan
has not yet risen to Its height In In
terest. Chicago is very low, COM
pared to what II would be IL there
sere a championship or big game
coming.
The question OF sportsmanship In
interpreting the rules is getting con-
siderable attention. Two plays that
are very clever but which evidently
do not live up to the spirit OF the
rules are causing most OF the com
mentp
The one is the Lambert" pass, sc
calied because Notre Dame student
of that name first used II. II he sees
that he Is going to be unable to make
q pass ne. slams the ball TO the ground
! Nus simply losing down and givins
his opponents no opportunity to get
the ball and making the pass simply
incomplete. Inasmuch as one object
OF the forward pass Is to keep the
defense scattered, this play Is not in
agreement with the spirit OF the rules.
II oyerbalances the offense on the
play. and any time the offense and
osfense lose their balance there II
trouble ahead
Then there is the "Plain Clothes..
This play involves the use Of player
ON the side lines dressed as human
being. When the team goes to out
/ play a long forward pass Is made TO
him and he races the length OF the
Eeld for a touchdown. II has beer
used several times In the south this
year and has passed unnoticed II is
likely. now that II has had some
publicity, that It will be prohibited In
the future.
The question of the pass is not
bothersome. The pass itself IL per.
L--ssctly legal and general sanction has
been given TO the "Shoestring Trick
which n much the same as this ex.
sept that the player Is always In uni
form. There is nothing In the rules
hat prohibits a player from wearing
I .the kind OF clothes he wants as long
az they do not tend to injure, his op-
ponents. But the plain Clothes" is
certainly unsportsmanlike. Again II
doesn't give the defense protection.
These plays must be tagged o. X
whsn first presented. You certainly
must admit that the man who has
the brains and cunning to think up a
scheme such Rs either of these should
be rewarded BY success In his hrst
mort. A the originator Of the scheme