The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-28
SPIDERS AND BLUES
PLAY NO SCORE GAME
FIRST FOOTBALL GAME OF SEA,
son FAIRLY WELL. PLAYED.
NO SENSATIONS.
by CHAs. NJ. MONTGOMERY

The lightning shift plays OF Coach
Dobsons young Spiders did not pre-
vail 10 any great extent against the
terding's soldiers in the opening game
OF the season at Broad street park
yesterday afternoon and, after thirty
two minutes Of scrimmaglng, double
passing and line-buckng time was
called with the bail right where il
had started. In the middle OF the field.
and neither team having much OF an
advantage over the other.
Although the Blues did considera-
Bile more ground gaining than did the
Spiders. and the play was frequently
well down in the territory which the
Red and Blue team was defending
they lacked the punch to get over
the line with the oval. Their only
real opportunity for scoring occurred
toward the close of the first quarter
when. after rushing the ball to the
colleges two-yard line, they were
penalizea for holding, aud on the next
play the coliegians took over the pos
session OF the sphereoid At no other
time during the game were they with
In the Spiders ffteen-yard line.
spiders Show Some Glass.
Captain Georges aggregation. for
the fNpEl TIME without I18 led0SEsnlp
Of their captain whose wrenched knee
forced his retirement early In the
contest. at times showed ability to
gain ground. and during the latter
part of the game. especially. ripped
holes in the heavier line. The men as
whole tackled fairly, and the team
showed something or the speed ex-
pected Of them. However. fumhles
In the backfield several times ruined
chances which might have resulted In
a near score al least and frequently
caused the loss of the ball. Their
attack was determined and run be-
hind an interference that forced the
Blues to send extra men against It TO
stop the onrush. All Of the men
carrying the ball did not follow close
enough 20 their leaders, though, and
this often allowed a tackler to dive
through and throw the runner. At
places IN the line the Blues broke
through with apparent ease. and II
was only because of the speed with
which The tbackfield got under way
that there were no more occasions
when the runners were thrown for a
loss.
1t is, OF course, too early in the
season 10 expect to see great va
r!ety In the attack of teams, but the
few formations which the Spiders
used were new to most of those who
witnessed the game. They were new
to the Blues. also, but the training
gained by them IN previous years
made them dubious TO accept the too
evident. and the shift plays resulting
In double passes and cross bucks. but
seldom found the defensive team off
Its guard. The Blues line held in ex.
cellent fashion, and the ground gain
ed around their ends was inflnitesimal
But few plays outside of shifts were
attempted by the Spiders
Blues Use Old Style.
On the other hand the Blues re-
sorted to great extent to the old
style of line plunging and with the aid
of their forwards frequently discov-
cred holes through which to send their
backs. Their greatest gains were
made through tackles on straight line
plays. but they also used a number of
delayed passes with more or less sue
cess.
Both teams resorted to punting as a
last extremity and but three forward
passes were attempted during the en-
tire game. one OF them failing Anal
>arrow did the greater part OF the
punting for the Spiders while young
Charlie Word booted the pigskin nice
y for the Soldiers Both got OF
ff4rr ~, - 4 Qa<S~-~a n 49, ~ 3s9Ss