The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-22
WILSON HELPED
TO COACH TEAM
Democratic Nominee at One
Time Active Field Coach
at Princeton.

Washington, July 2I-Amons Gov
ernor Wilson's visitors at seaEi!T a
/ few days ago was parkc II. Davis.
known widely throughout the inter-
collegiate world as Princctons foot
ball tactician and rulcinaker. Nj. pa
Wis is lawyer in the Lenish Valley
section of Pennsylvania. and enjoys.
as companion diversion with foot
ball, an active interes, in Democratic
politics, having served several times
as local chairman, as secretary Of his
state committee and frequently as his
party's nominee.
! AS the veteran athlete sat in . cor
ner of the plaza of the Little White
House as Governor Wilson's cottage
Is known. regaline us companions
with numerous anecdotes and remin-
iscences concerning the Governor. he
drew from his capacious store It long
forgotten chapter in tie versatile life
OF Democracy's presidential nominee
1T will surprise IL, present gener-
alton OF football mon. said Mr. Davis.
TO learn that Wood roN Wilson once
was an active field coach a; Princeton.
and regarded as an eNcepilonally clcv-
or tactician That was Twenty-Five
years ago this fail Governor Wilson
was then Professor Wilson ana had
Just taken the chairs 81 iurlsprudence
and political enonomy In Prnceton's
faculty. 1t was irving time for
football. Graduation had left Only
three veterans from our great champ
ionship eleven OF 1857 one Of these
was our captain, famous Edgar Allan
Poe. now Attorney OF Mary
land, and another was Jeremiah :
SLACK recently a candidate for Lieu
tenant-Governor Of PENNSYLVANIA. But
II players We're scarce coaches were
scarcer
The professional coach at that
time had not developed and the play
ers were wholly dependent for coach
ing upon their captain ana few
volunteers It therefore was a wei
S Somt SiShi one afternoon early in
october 20 see our young professor OF
Jurisprudence come oNt upon the aold
and take his place u tine line o..
coaches who were whipping tho eleven
up and down the field II required only
a few minutes 10 demonstrate that
TINS new acquisition 10 the staff was
orimiul OF ideas abou, team play. And
IDEAS counted then. for interference
and other tactical devices wore Just
developing. Professor Wilson !mme-
diately began to rofrt ON, IA Oil
stagers like Alexander Moffat. Duncan
Edwards and Tracy n Harris famous
fellows twenty years aeo new post
hilities for team PLAY At the conclu-
sion Of practice that day Professor
Wilson was roundly cheered by the
undersradna BODY and fited by
the football men to contiu4c his as
sis'snee' "hich ne ava. not only INC
next nay put every Gay throughout
''' ~ ou'"i',''
~ 90, 10" Cotc.''s
az ,'.i,,,, ittesats-,-,l s',.to
-hns +. -, .t,s.,. -.
princeton IN ,ba, re~iod ford,v c,rrv
a ,nertai rtct,rc ~ Woodrow yvrson
= she apnearnd 10 then, in his coach
inr davs-clad in corduroy iacl<c,
coiegian's car. shoes OF the Ihen
new-rashIoned rcd WATERPROOF leather.
swinging his cane and following the
team day after day. up and down. in
sun and rain. suggesting. correcting.
praising mildly admonishins and
Loyalty doing mis- utmost In turning
out tho varsity
II was " :, ~. a. ~.
sussss'tu I" ny rtn 49,.
olo!, pa .a,,,9,.'sss, a..
J,-,'a-,.a,. b,,, 49,
LII. u,as H. are, ~ pr,nce,on 10
1orosao i,s $50, nover r-nfortunato-
~ tho otbor coaches rejected his sue-
gestion deeninp the plav too rcvolu-
tionary and frcakish. To-day every
eleven carries in its repertoire Of plays
dozen variations of the old crisis
cross There is ono famous play,
however. that I am sure fairly may be
credited to Woodrow Wilson as its
inventor. and that ls inc rotation
TINS was series OF plays whose Greer
t IN. p'ayefs comm tea 10 nm.ln",s
W men Ian. euine Vim S'". ~
INSANE ~ ',s opp 'os tss
~, 49,, s.,t ,,,'tr,. ,,o,,ar ~ ~
,ate RI l-',o,..,,,s -, 49, b..,a,o..
discon,,.rted iara,sa one nlav m stc-
riously followed another without any
signal and the rapidity of the actioa
never failed to beat an adversary baclz
The idea Of the rotation, Governor
Wilson once told me, occurred to MIN
in 1883. In that year he was profcs-