Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-11-25
NAVY STARTS ROUNDUP
FOR SUPREME CONTEST
Big Victory Over New York Furn-
ished Added Encouragement.
MORE COACHES TO HELP.
Herman OIIcots and Elmer McDevitt.
Yale Men to Join Staff This After
mann


The Navy football team emerged
from Saturdays game with the clever
of New York University without any
serious hurts to the players. anC
with every precaution to be taken Il
guard against injuries in the remain
ing days of practice this week, the
team will be in prime condition ply
ically fer the annual engagem ent
with the rival cadets of the West
Point Military Academy on Satur-
day.
The middies scored an overwhelm-
ing victory over the New Yorkers.
The score was SO to o, and this with
the severe drubbing administered
to the eleven or the Agricultural and
Mechanical College of North Caro-
lima week previous, when the score
was 40 to O. has given rise to gre ater
confidence in the ability of the mid
dies to down their rivals in the forth
coming struggle.
A few weeks ago the outlook for a
Navy victory, or even to make a
creditabIe showing, was pretty dis
NAL. but in the last ten days the team
has demonstrated to its supporters
that it has at last come into its own.
The improvement in all lines has
been very marked. But there are
still some rough edges to be polished
off in the final workout.
And, if the number of coaches
available is to be reckoned, then this
should be accomplished with ease.
The staff is one Of the largest that
ever helped train a Navy eleven. The
regular cotsrie will be augmented
today by Elmer McDeVitt, Of Yale,
and Herman 0llcott. an old Yale tac-
kle, who finished his seasons work
as coach of New York University en-
Saturday. He will join the staff
this afternoon. 0llcott was former
ly regulsr coach here, and for the
last several years he has aided in the
final Navy roundout.
There is Lieut.. Douglas Howard,
the head coach; Henry Wheaton. of
Yale, the field coach !: Jack" Gates.
also of Yale, who has been rendering
valuable assistance during the last
several years, and Ensign Dalton,
Weems and Shaw,of last years Navy
eleven.
In Saturdays game against New
York University, the middies showed
a greater degree of team work, the
offense was fast and powerful, the
defense was almost impregnable,
and there was less tendency of the
players to tumble. The latter fault
has hitherto been very conspicuous.
The middies' attack went off with
dash that has not before been shown
this season. They soon found that
they could gain ground quite readily
by line-smashing tactics, with few
end runs sandwiched in between, and
it was not necessary for tnem to re-
sort to the modern game, nor to un-
cover any of the fancy plays in which
they had been thoroughly drilled in
the past week primarily to uncork in
their setto with the soldier lads.
The varsity players showed strength
only in spots. Their defense on the
whole was lamentably weak against
the heavy assault led by the sailor
lads, although they did on two occa-
sions rally in the shadow of their goal
posts and take possession of the
ball on downs. And while the Navy
attack was showing itself to great
advantage, the defense of the team
held up strongly. the visitors finding
it absolutely impossible to gain
ground consistently. Their chief
ground-gaining play was a short for
ward pass directly over the line.
They employed it with success on sew
eral occasions, but in twice as many
instances it went into a dismal fail
ure, while two of the passes were in.
teIcepted by Navy man.
The middies tried the forward pass
bat three times, and one of them re.
suited In their sixth and last touch.
down in the final quarter of the game.
The toss was made by Nichols from
New Yo:k's 40-yard mark, and was
received by Austin Oh the 20-yarC
line, the latter player sprinting ths
remaining distance for touchdown
And most encouraging Of it all wa:
that none of the substitutions weak
ened the team to any perceptible ex
tent. Captain Rodes, having recov
cred from twisted ankle sustained il
the game against North Carolina Ag
gies last Saturday. played most o.
the game. He carried the ball in bet
ter style than ever before, bat Mich
oils, who took his place late in tbs
game. Drove his teammate in some
what better style.
Howe, Perry, Gilchrist. Raiston ant
Kennedy played particularly strong
defensive games. McRsayy was tn,
real tower of strength in the lin,
smashing tactics. with Harrison alss
reliable, while Leonard and Rodel
essayed the end runs. The middle,
3wed to advantage throughout tn.
game. They scored three touch
downs in each half.
The weakness of New York's offens,
is better evidenced by the fact thai
not once during the game did the,
get within Nays 4O-yard line, al
though the better punting of Leonar,
helped to some extent in forcing til
fighting in the visitors zone. Meth