El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-24
Plunging Half Backs Lead In
Directing Elevens This Year
Twenty six Teams Favor Halfbacks For Captancy-The
Tackle Position Has the Next Call For Honors.
Only Three Big Teams Have Cap
tains Playing at Center

" HAT halfbacks have the call on
the captaincy jobs of the ma
= jority of the college football
teams throughout the country is a fact
revealed after a careful compilation of
the records for the past football season,
when the captains of the 1912 teams
were selected. This is not so surpris-
ing, considering that the same was true
last year, and that a captain in the
halfoacks shoes has probably the best
chance of directing his teams play and
at the same time inspiring his team
mates by his own individual effort than
from any other position 1t has been
generally claimed that the quarterback
should be vested with the honor, when
ever possible, but more serious thought
VIII show that the quarter has about
enough responsibility. The quarter
competent critics believe, has enough
to do TO direct the teams course and
call off the numerous intricate plays.
he should have some one, in a way, to
help him figure out the careful, brainy
moves and who is in a better position
to do so, asks the student, than a vet
eran, experienced member of the back
field, preferably a half
Statistics show that &c of the larger
collegiate football teams have honored
their halfbacks with the leadership. It
only goes to show that the squads con-
slider a man at the halfback job, better
able to direct the team than from any
other place. II is to be noted that four
U llAt Dig ON COlleReS nave named
the halfback as captain. The other
two schools, Pennsylvania and Cornell
have hOnoTed a fullback and quarter
back, respectively. Mercer leads the
nell boys. The four. halfbacks are Pen
dleton. Princeton; Spalding, Yale; Wen
dell, Harvard and the redoubtable
Thorpe, Carlisle Indian school.
Tackles Next In Line.
Next to halfback, the position most
popular among the .pigskin artists for
job, there being IS captains of the larg-
er college elevens. This is probably
the best point on the line to direct a
team from, big advantage being the
splendid point of action. as the tackle
is neither doubled up amidships like
the center nor any distance away from
the play, particularly like the end. The
captain tackles for this year are:
Wesley, New York university; Buck
miller, Vermont; Kirkpatrick, Phillips
Exerter; Reilly, l. S u; Holding, Wake
Forest; Hardage, Vanderbilt; YOh,
Ursinus; Johnson. Northwestern: F1em-
ing, Indiana; Heffernan, Illinois: Vo1l-
mar, Washington est. Louis); Williams,
Haskell Indians; McI.eoud. Tulane;
Harrison, Kentucky State; Rhora-
baugh. Kenyon; Greenwood Grinnel;
Hopkins, Creighton.
Next in order are the fulIback and
even dozen captains And yet the
number of halfbacks who are captains
constitutes a majority of two over the
full and quarter captains But it all
goes to show that while the numerous
football squads may disagree upon the
exact position in the backfield for their
leader, yet they realize that the back
field. as a whole, is the proper field
from which to select a captain. This is
evidenced by the fact that the four po-
sItions in the backfield claim so cap
tains, while the seven line positions
include AZ captains
Sixteen Captains at End.
The number of captains who will play
end this year is 16. The shining light
at this job is Ashbaugh, who has been
captain of Brown university.
Connolly, of Amherst. comes next, and
Samson, of the Amherst "Aggies," right