The Washington times., 1912-01-01
EASTERN TEAMS ARE
MORE CLASSY THAN
THOSE IN THE WEST
Georgetown Varsity Half
back Makes Interesting
Comparison.
By JOHN MAGNER,
Member Georgetown Varsity Football
Team. 1911.

ST. LOUIS, Jan. LIN regard to the
relative merit Of Eastern and Western
football teams. It Is the opinion of the
writer that the Eastern teams are the
class. 1t Is not surprising when one
considers tnat they have been playing
the game longest. and With better or
Canized alumni. which render loyal sup
port to their alma mater. have built
wonderful football machines and drawn
nue. that finances all branches of coll
lcgiate~ sport.
Tc make the varsity on Eastern
football teams Is a great honor. Let
ter men are made to feel that their
efforts are greatly appreciated. They
are lionized on all occasions. Varsity
letters are 1ealously guarded. strik-
Ing Illustration Of this fact is evinccd
10y the action OF the Cornell athletes.
The c. men naturally signed a formal
protest against the intention of the
athletic authorities to award such an
honor to the manager Of the various
varsity teams. This same agitation has
occurred at nearly va, all the big colleges
that the Eastern football manager Is
far from q figurehead.
Ability alone counts in such selec-
tions in the East. and the average man
cess of the teams as any of Its stars. At
Harvard, Yale. Princeton, Pennsylvania,
and Georgetown the varsity letters"
positively posi- have to be ,I earned by ath-
ters are awarded at Harvard is evinced
by the fact that thel authorities ruled
not to award the "H' for participation
in the Princeton game. notwithstanding
the fact that Roper's cohorts are now
the Intercollegiate champions.
Training Rules Rigid.
When one considers these facts 1t is
easy to realize the splendid physical
condition attained by letter men in the
East. Smoking, carousing and other
methods of dissipation that are tolerat-
ed in the West would not be counte-
nanced for a moment in the East. The
greatest star that ever illuminated an
Eastern gridiron would be dismissed
port of his failure to comply with the
rules of the coach, who reigns supreme.
whose word is law and to whom al
most any. student will report player
who dissipates in any form while in
The average candidate for an Eastern
team reports for early season practice
In superior physical condition to the
SON is that competition a'i is keener. nee fe1 4
man in poor form has comparatively no
chance to make the team. Eastern men
know this and are governed accord
ingly. Hence the ability of Eastern
The coach molds the crude machine,
and the polish to the men in their re-
spective positions Is added by a staff
Of Old stars that impart a world of in
side Information to willing pupils. which
results in the smooth, well-timed, clock
like manner in which the plays are exc
cuted by the machine as a unit.
A great deal of attention Is paid to
the kicking department, and the aver
age Eastern team develops several good
kickers instead of relying on the boot
OF one man. This fact makes any East
ern team dangerous when within the
usual kicking zone. Another important
factor is that the average Eastern
erly. driving them low and away from
the safety man. thus enabling the big,
fast laundering ends to charge down
the field with fair chance of recover
ing the ball or at least minimizing the
chances of the safety man to run back
kicks.
Forward Pass Not Proper.
The forward pass was practically dis
caried by the big colleges Wet grounds
and the condition of the ball may have
beea a factor against its usage during
also account for the few trick plays
used by the Eastern teams. The games
are fiercely fought; this is Inquestion-
ably due TO the importance with which
The contests are viewed, and incidental
ly the players are treated to oratorial
stimulants before games, by a string
cf old grads who plead with tears n
their eyes for victory.