Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-24
HIDDEN BALI"
TRICK BIRTH IS
TOLD BY TICK
Harvard Paper Prints Story of
Discovery Of Famous Old
Play by Auburnites.

a UBURN, ALA, Jan. 2S,-Con-
a 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
edltorially to the subject and quotes
the letter written by W. r. Tiche-
nor of Atlanta, Ga, which was pub
Lshed in the December issue of the
Auburn Alumnus. 1t will be recalled
that Tick" (Tichenor) 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
play was first used in the Auburn
Vanderbilt game in 1895. which was
played in sea of mud and driving
rain, and by the use of this trick
succeeded in getting away for 60
yard run and touchdown, which, by
the way. was the only touchdown we
made in the game and the only
touchdown | scored during my foot
hall career.
The origin of this play was an
accident pure and simple. One night
about the middle of the season Heis-
man who was coaching at Auburn
a. that time; Walter Shafer, who was
captain of the team, and myself were
sitting in Skaters room at the Whit
Rker discussing football in general
when Heisman said, You know. boys,
] had a kid to ask me once if it was
against the rules to hide the ball, and
t..
] don't see how the trick could be
worked
For 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?'
HHARDLY were the words out OF
II Skaters mouth before I was
beating it into the next room, where
pulled on a jersey and slipping a
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
rad worked out the trick as we af
terward used it.
After we found out that the ball
could be concealed easily and quick !
ly, the only thing remaining was to
so arrange a formation which would
cover up the trick and then to draw
the opponents off so that | could have
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 little from the line of
the bail The tackles We're farther
back with the ends playing behind
the tackles. The backs jumped for
ward and received the ball from me
TOR 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
Team would swing out to the open
IN as compact a mass as possible. I
,alhng to the back who had jumped |
INTO the circle to come on. while |
would be left on the ground as If |
knocked out in the play. When the |
way was clear / would come to life |
very quickly. slip the ball from I'M
ger my jersey and beat it down the |
AeId as fast as possible.
II )F course, play of this sort after
II DeCdfne known WOulu not
work, so we decided to change it for
tne Georgia game to slip the ball
under Harry Smiths jersey instead
on mine and to let him go out with !
me blnch interfering for him. We
lrled 1t this way and Harry was
away with about six men interfering
!or him and would have had a sure
touchdown, but the referee blew his |
whistle and called the play back as
llne had been taken out before we
Put the ball in play l shall never
forget the look on Harry Smiths face
as ne brought the ball back, nor will |
! ever forget the way they piled onto |
ne and pinned me to the ground and |
searched for the ball.
"poP WARNER, who was coach
-, ing Georgia that year, after !
gguLed this trick off in a Harvard |
IIsrhsie game by having the ball |
Snpped under the back of one of the
'udlAns jerseys on the kickoff.
ny all of the Eastern papers he |
was given the credit of pulling off |
ssonething new, but as a matter of |
iaet the play was originated at Au
SUurh and used successfully against |
sdnderbilt and against Warner-the |
,rst year he began to coach as above |
mentioned"