New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-01
CORNELL IN A SLUMP
Coaches Shocked by UnexpeCt'
ed Reversal in Form.
FRESHMEN PLAY HAVOC
Score Twice and Hold Varsity
for Downs on Their Own
One Yard Line.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Ithaca, y. Y. Oct S1.-Football prac-
rcA on Alumni Field this afternoon can
be justly characterized as the poorest eS-
hibition Of football Cornell has put up
this wear After the good work Of the
earlier drills this week such slump was
the last thing to be expected. When Dr.
Sharpe finally ordered the squad to the
clubhouse after ii had been held for downs
on the freshman 1-yard line, he refused
10 comment on the practice, except TO say
that it was poor"
Early in the afternoon the varsity and
the scrub lined up for the last scrimmage
of the week, and this scheme OF things
continued 1or about half an hour, when
DR.. Sharpe called for the freshman team
and put them in place Of the scrub aggre-
cation. This unexpected move on the
part Of the coach had it's effect ana
scarcely had the varsity realized the shitt
when the cubs crossed their line for
touchdown. Hin, fullhaCk; r. b. Whyte
and Tabor were in the backfeld, with
Captain Butler, at this time, and were
tacklng raggedly, each of them missing
his man in turn. In this too, they had
very poor protection by the forwards.
CHAMPAIGN and COllyer we're in the line,
and the hoped for strength which the
former was expected to bring on his re-
turn to the game was absolutely missing.
With the varsity in such bad way,
DR.. Sharpe called across the field Tor
Miller, fullback; OCOnnor and Fritz
halves, and with the new combination IN
action for a time new life was inter-
posed, but even these men seemed TO ma
the signals strange code OF communica-
ton, and their tackling was but little
improvement on their predecessors. once
only did Fritz break through for gain
Of Importance. and fumbles soon gave the
ball to the youngsters 10 carry down the
field for another score.
Not satisfied with this treatment Of the
varsity. they attacked for third time,
and failed TO score from the 5-yard line
only on an incompleted forward pass.
Thoroughly stung by the whipping be-
Ing constantly administered, the varsity
showed a little sign OF come back late in
the period, and in a series of bucks and
passes carried the ball to within the s.
ward line In four downs the ball was
carried back instead Of over the line.
Just what this slump in the Cornell
team means is hard to ascertain. With
CAPTAIN Butler back in the game 1t was
thought that much Of Cornelrs strength
would be crystallized, and that progress
would be uninterrupted from now until
the end OF the season. DR.. Sharpe will
say nothing this evening, and II can only
be hoped that the sudden falling off will
be checked. The Williams team is due
in town tomorrow. and II will be impos-
sible for the varsity to hold another prac-
tice before the game, unless possibly
signal drill will be resorted to as last
hope. On the other hand, IL may be that
the varsity is tired after the hard week
of work, and that the rest tomorrow will
have the effect Of pulling the team to-
gether again. Prospects, at any rate,
have materially fallen off for a victory
against the New Englanders