Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-30
SPIDERS. CLOSE SEASON
I. IN BRILLIANT FASHION
Despite Many Injuries to Players,
Gridfron Warriors Win Highest
Honors on Football Field,
CREDIT DUE TO COACH DoBsoN
Taught Men Rudlmentary and Fine
Points OF Game and Secured Ell.
cheney by Series of Blackboard
Talks-Lose Four Stars Next Year.

with tho season brought to n bril-.
liant conclusion by. the victory gained
over their ancient rivals--the Yellow
Jackets-Saturday. the Spiders look
both at the season just past and ut
College students and supporters have
reason to feel very pround of their
past. and at the same time very hope
ful for the future.
This past season makes tho second
consecutive time that tho local college
team has won first honors in the East
ern Virginia League. and II is the first
time that this feat has been accom-.
plished in the history of the Spider
teams.
Those who have followed With In
terest the athletic fortunes of tho
Spiders In past years are unanimous
IN the belief that the largest principal
factor In the Spiders success has been
the work of Coach Frank Dobson. In
the opinion of observes. the teams that
he has turned out at college have, dem.
onstrated close knowledge of the
game as 1T is played In tho best COL
iesiate circles to far greater degree
than have the teams turned out by
much larger universities and colleges
who have appeared in Richmond
The Spider team of 1914 displayed
more knowledge OF the rudimentary
and fine points OF the game And one
OF the most prominent features Of tho
Spiders play has been the machine
like movement OF their offense
The efficiency OF the Spider machine
was never so ably demonstrated as
in the last William and Mary game,
when the Spiders were without the
NJ
backfield men. In spite of this hnndi :
cap, the plays were worked with no
less effect than In the games In which
the regular machine had all bcen pres
cnt.
Looking over the season from the
start, 1t can be said that the Spiders
suncred more misfortune than any
other team in the league. There has
not been week since the opening thnt
the Spiders have played gamo with
anything like the lineup with which
they had started their practice I'm the
beginning ~ tho week.
Inc local team lost enough men, from
injuries. TO make up an entire new
team OF ability. and. through all these
constant changes, which usually had
10 be made ut tho last moment neither
Coach Dobson or his team Lost cour.
uge.
one feature of the training through
which the Spiders have been put all
season under Coach Dobson, that has
undoubtedly proved big factor in
their mastering of tho intricate offcuso
they used. WAS the regular class room
drill they had every afternoon before
lilo field practice. when the coach
would diagram all the plays on tho
blackboard, and go into the duties OF
each man. Another feature of the
early conditioning practice OF the
SQUAD was the regular physical oul-
lure drill that tho squad was run
through FOR fifteen minutes nj tho
beginning of every practice This
Work had great effect in getting
me team In such physical condition
that they suffered less from fatigue
ana injury during regular games than
any of their opponents
This year Mt college the football
squad has been unusually large. and
all through the season there has boon
regular average of ut least thirty
men Mt practice day after day. For
this reason football has meant more
10 the athletic development OF the COL
leSe than ever before.
The college spirit at tho Baptist In :
stitution is higher than II ever I'm e
peen even in tho memory OF the Oldest
alumnae.
The outlook for next year in foot
ball is not 70 rosy. as far as old mon
are concerned. az theESpiders will lose
some men by Graduation and other
Wise. Captain Ancnrrow, fullbnok:
Ioliard. haltback: John Wicker. cen.
tire; Newton. right end. will be lost by
graduation. The places OF these men
VIII be filled from the second and
scrub teams.