Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-23
HIDDEN BALI"
TRICK BIRTH IS
TOLDBY TICK
Harvard Paper Prints Story of
Discovery of Famous Old
Play by Auburnites.
UBURN, ALA, Jan. 2S.-Con-

ID
y corning the origin of the foot
ball trick by which the Car
Isle Indian made long and spectac-
MAR run by concealing the football
under his jersey the current issue of
the Harvard Alumni Bulletin refers
edjtorially to the subject and quotes
tbe letter written by w. r. Tiche-
nor. of Atlanta, Ga, which was pub
rshed in the December issue of the
Auburn Alumnus. 1t will be recalled
that Tick (Tichenorl explained
that this play was first executed by
him in a game between Auburn and
Vanderbilt in 1895. In the Harvard
Bulletin Mr.. Tichenor says: This
plav was first used in the Auburn
Vanderbilt game in 1895, which was
pIayed in a sea of mud and a driving
rain, and by the use of this trick I
succeeded in getting away for 60
ward run and a touchdown, which, by
the way, was the only touchdown we
made in the game and the only
touchdown | scored during my foot
ball career.
Inc Origin Oh ILLS pay was dI
accident pure and simple. One night
about the middle of the season Heis-
man. who was coaching at Auburn
at that time: Walter Shafer who was
captain of the team, and myself were
sitting in Skaters room at the Whit
sker discussing football in general
when Heisman said, You know, boys.
had kid to ask me once if it was
against the rules to hide the ball, and
while [ don't see anything against it
don't see how the trick could be
worked
For a minute or two there was
silence, which was broken by Sha-
fer's I've got it. Heis. Why not
stick the ball under Ticks jersey
nHARDLY were the words out of
IL Shafer's mouth before l was
beating it into the next room, where
! pulled on jersey and slipping
football under the front of it, walked
proudly back into the room where
Shafer and Heisman were sitting, and
before we adjourned that night we
had worked out the trick as we af-
terward used it.
After we found out that the ball
could be concealed easily and quick
F, the only thing remaining was to
50 arrange a formation which would
cover up the trick and then to draw
the opponents off so that | could have
4 chance to get away. In those days
1t was not necessary for anybody
but the center to be on the line of
serimmage, so we dropped the guards
back just a little from the line of
Inc bail The tackles were farther
back with the ends playing behind
the tackles. The backs jumped for
ward and received the ball from me
for at that time the man who first
received the ball from the center could
not run forward with it) while the
Anemen and backs formed a COM
pact circle about us so as to cover
up what was taking place inside the
circle Just as quick as the back
could slip the ball under my jersey
would drop to the ground and the
leam would swing out to the open
N as compact a mass as possible,
calling TO the back who had jumped
INTO the circle to come on, while |
would be left on the ground as if
Ehocked out in the play. When the
way was clear / would come to life
very quickly, slip the ball from I'M
eei my jersey and beat it down the
'eId as fast as possible.
I u course, a play of this sort after
it became known would not
work so we decided to change it for
me Georgia game to slip the ball
ulder Harry Smiths jersey instead
~ mine and to let him go out with
.le bunch interfering for him. We
RED 1t this way and Harry was
SNdy with about six men interfering
LOT MN and would have had sure
uouchdoWn, but the referee blew his
."Ihstle and called the play back as
,.Hie had been taken out before we
pul me ball in play. | shall never
lorget the look on Harry Smiths face
~ ne brought the ball back, nor VIII
ever forget the way they piled onto
nv ana pinned me to the ground and
searched for the ball.
p OP WARNER, who was coach
49,, ing Georgia that year after
EglHed this trick off in a Harvard
JiasIhsle game by having the ball
9Imgped under the back of one of the
'H tiISs jerseys on the kickoff
by all of the Eastern papers he
"aS gwen the credit of pulling off
sonething new, but as a matter of
ttacl the play was originated at Au-
Urn Urn and used successfully against
sahderbilt and against Warner-the
mentioned"