New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-28
So It Looks, at Least Without
Thought for Results in
Games Played.
QUAKERS A FIGHTING LOT
Strong, Too, in Backs, but the
Team from Ithaca Seems
to Have an Advantage
in the Line.
By Herbert.

II seems almost like shooting al lhe
moon TO predict that the Cornell eleven
will defeat Pennsylvania on Franklin
Field, Philadelphia, this afternoon in their
yearly football struggle. and yet L have
feeling which amounts almost to convic-
ton that the time has come for the men
from Ithaca 10 break the long string OF
reyerses which has made Thanksgiving
Day IN the past anything but one Of foot
ball Thanksgiving.
The Quakers are a fighting lot II is
doubtful whether any team this year IS
built OF such stern stuff or better equipped
with that spirit and determinatton TO over
come all odds. But in spite OF these
qualifications the defence has not been up
10 the standard in any game this year,
whereas tho line, which, as said so many
times. Is the keynote Of football construc-
ton. is not strong enough 10 furnish the
proper protection for the backs, az good
as they are.
Way back in 1901 Cornell defeated
PENNSYLVANIA on Franklin Field. In 1905
a tie game was played, but otherwise the
Ouakers have trampled all over the Itha'
cans since 500. winning seventeen OF the
nineteen games played on the records OF
this season Cornell also suffers In com
, rarison. as only three contests have been
won out 81 nine played, whereas Penn
sylvania has won ak ont Of ten games, the
four defeats coming IN midseason, when
the eleven was In a bad slump. As II
happens. however all this has little or no
bearing on tho battle this afternoon. and
for various reasons
In the first place. Cornell has been eN-
perImenting and trying TO establish a new
Sharpe the former Yale player Every
thing practically has been sacrificed n
building on a strong foundation and 10
beating Pennsylvania. Furthermore, the
team has been handicapped by minor I'm
juries OF an incapacitating nature, so that
II was impossible TO put the flll strength
on the field in more than two games. Re
suits then, are OF minor importance In
considering the battle this afternoon. One
must go deeper than the surface, and. un-
less am sadly misled. the Cornell team
will prove itself and its teachings ere the
sun goes down.
Or. Sharpe has been heard 10 say that
the Cornell forwards are stronger than the
Pennsylvania forwards. and 7 am OF the
same opinion. The Dartmouth eleven was
powerful this wear and close 10 a finished
football machine, and yet 7 saw the Cor
nell team. with three or four substitutes
I'm the line. fight of tho fast charging
Dartmouth backs for eleven consecutive
downs inside the 6-yard line, which may
he explained by the fact that Cornell was
twice penalized during this sequence Of
plays.
saw other indications or inherent
power and ability. and with the natural
Improvement which must have come since
that time under the most careful coaching
there is reason for hopefulness. II not for
confidence, on the part Of the undergradu-
ates. Much, OF course, will depend upon
the mental attitude Of the players. AS
said before, they will be opposed by the
greatest lot OF lighters seen in many a
day and there can be no Sinking do
Cornell teams go down TO Pennsylvania
year after year beaten before they take
the field. In fact, think that overconf-
dence has cost more than one game. There
should be no overconfldence this year,
however. in spite OF Dr. Sharpe's remark
earlier in the season that he had never
met such confirmed optimists"
Pennsylvania has developed a strong at
tack, largely the open kind. but the de-
| fence has been anything but compact. as
! clearly indicated by the number OF points
scored by opponents. The question. then
revolves itself about the Cornell defence
which is strong enough against a straight
rushing game. but which may be preg-
nable TO wide end runs and forward
passes, unless the open field tackling has
been improved to a marked degree. am
told that a change for the better has
come in this respect, and. II so. there If
grave question II the Quakers can score
against the defence which AL Sharpe and
Dan Reed have built up.
While the Cornell forwards look strong.
er and more experienced than those oil
Pennsylvania, particularly on the ends
where Butch" Eyrch and O'Hearn are
almost sure TO shine. the Quaker backs
! appear TO stand out over those from
Ithaca Captain Mercer Is one OF the
| greatest fulbacks I'm the history OF foot.
| ball. while Harrington Minds and Mar.
| shall would qualify for any team IN the
| country Their efficiency. however. wil
J he nullifed IL the Cornell forwards charge