Evening star., 1913-12-04
ALL THREE TEAMS
SEEK THE TITLE
Virginia, Georgetown and A. &
N. Claim Foot Ball Cham
pionship of South.
MUCH BASKET BALL
HERE THIS WINTER
Five Colleges Will Support Quints,
While Many Others Will Be
in Action.
By II. G. BYRD.

Ihree institutions are claiming the foot
ball championship Of the South Atlantic
section for the season just ended. They
are the North Carolina Agricultural and
Mechanical College. the University Of
Virginia and Georgetown University.
Each Of these colleges has real claim
on the title, and If either is selected above
the other it is going to be seriously ques-
toned by the remaining two.
Virginia is basing it's hold on the title
on the fact that it lost the Georgetown
game on what, it claims, was more or
less of fluke and beat a team which
won from North Carolina Agricultural
and Mechanical College. 1t holds that il
it could defeat by a decisive score an
eleven which won from the Raleigh team,
then it should be given a higher rating.
There is much logic in that, and Vir-
ginia's claim cannot be lightly passed by.
A. & NJ says that 1t lost to V. Nj. l. by
a small score at a time when its players
were in poor condition and when 1t was
not capable Of putting up its best game
In other words it holds that had 1t had
its best team on the field il would have
won easily. It points to the fact that
Georgetown was beaten by two touch
downs, while Virginia lost to the Blue
and Gray; Georgetown says that It lost
its team did not develop fully until 1t had
to play the two most important contests
on its schedule. which it won.
Without going into detail concerning
the scores Of the games played by the
teams mentioned. it seems that each has
right to consideration. Claims can be
made and apparently substantiated by
each, but it is probable that real cham
pion will not be chosen-that is, one that
will be satisfactory to all.
Anent the talk now going on in rowing
circles relative to the change In the
coaching system at Yale, 1t is interesting
to note that the English system comes in
for criticism by Rice coach of the CO.
lumbia crews for the past few years
Rice is one of the best men teaching a
crew how to pull Its oars, and his opin-
ion on the style adopted at Yale is worthy
of consideration Here is what he has
to say:
1.-The English method of rowing has
to be taught from boyhood. We don't
have the time for that here In England
it usually takes two years to get on the
fixed seat, whereas here they put them
on sliding seat right away. With the
case Of Yale, for instance. II is necessary
to get a bunch Of freshmen rowing in
May with the English stroke. In Eng
land they don't get a chance to race for
two or three years.
1T is possible with this long system
of training to produce crew having the
English stroke that will do good work.
I have seen some good crews in England.
The Leander crew, which was composed
OF crack oarsmen, some of them Oxford
men, must have been a wonder to row
the Henley course in the record time of
minutes and 80 seconds.
AT Princeton this fall I saw the Yale
crew in action. They seemed to bend too
much and didn't get the work outboard.
The Yale crew were big. husky men, but
did not seem able to apply the power at
the proper time. They weren't used to
the rig
There should certainly be plenty OF
basket ball here this winter. With five
colleges, two or three independent leagues
and several scholastic institutions sup
porting the game. no lack Of activity
should be felt Besides the natural in
terest in the scholastic league, there will
be many teams here of the best caliber.
Yale heads the list of the big northern
institutions that are to be represented
but many others will play on a local
floor. Georgetown. Catholic University
and George Washington are reported to
have very strong squads. and the compe-
tition they will furnish with outside teams
should be Of very attractive variety.
There Is hardly any doubt that Charley
Wetzell and Foley will again play the
back positions for Georgetown, There
were not two better guards in the south
last season. and their work should be
even superior this year to what 1t was
then. They played exceptionally well
together. working in unison at all times.
Another fact that should aid George
town considerably is that it has a good
leader. Whenever Foley was in charge
on the floor last year he proved him
self very capable in that department, and
now that he will be hustling the play
all the time the Blue and Gray should be |
even more effective.
Jack Hurley, who played a guard posi- |
ton for the Aloysius club in the city
league last season, will hold down q like
place on the George Washington quint |
He has been practicing in that position |
for the last two weeks and has been |
showing fine form. He should be among |
the best collegiate guards In the south.