Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-28
Cridiron News
ootball Players Enter Upon
Another Hard Week of
Training in Preparation for
Big Games Next Saturday.
BY EDWARD R. BUSHNELL

| SNS " &h1sO IL. d " oaN GLd
| Whether or not Pennsylvania will have
football team OF championship proper
tions or one of only mediocre strength
was not disclosed by Saturdays game
against Gettysburg. That 40 victory was
won by comfortable margin. and pretty
accurately gauges the comparative
strength Of the two teams. At the same
time, when we remember the defenseless-
ness OF Gettysburg last year and THE
smashing victory which the Quakers won
then by the score OF $40, two facts stand
forth with great clearness One is that
this years Gettysburg team knew more
football than It's predecessor ana likewise
that 1t displayed better lighting quail
ity. A second fact not to be overlooked
iS that this years Quaker team is not
nearly so far advanced in its attacking
power as was the 1918 eleven in its first
game
Virtually all OF the faults evident In the
work OF the Red and Blue were due to
lack of practice. an entirely new back
field and lack OF unity between the back
held and the line. These weaknesses
were to be expected and won't cause the
coaches undue alarm. In fact, 40
score for the first game is much more
desirable than one of $50 proportions
Nothing retards the progress of a team
more than overconfidence. and big pre-
liminary scores invariably contribute TO
that The Quakers still have plenty of
time 10 get in shape for their big games
and the schedule has been so graduated
that each Saturday brings a tougher op-
pOnent to Franklin Field.
After all the publicity that has been
given 10 the new rule barring coaches
from the side lines there was a good deal
of surprise in the stands and the press
hoX over tho fact that both sides ignored
the rule. Tho possibility that this rule
might be violated or disregarded was
touched upon in these columns last week
What happened was this. When the
game started the referee saw Coach
O'Bricn. OF Gettysburg. standing on the
edge of the gridiron on his side of the
field On the south side Pat Dwyer. the
Pennsylvania assistant coach and trainer
vas kneeling on the side line. The off,
cials mentioned the new rule and asked
O'Brien what he intended to do. O'Brien
called attention 10 the presence of Dwyer
on the other side of the feld. Dwyer
seemed TO think that he was entitled 70
n position on the side line In his capacity
as trainer, but said ne had no objection
to O'Brien remaining where he was
Neither captain objected and since this
was regarded as a practice game tho
officials didn't interfere. and the two
men remained on the side lines through
cut the game just as though the rule
didn't exist
Attention should be called to the fact
that neither side properly interpreted the
rule Each assumed that the rule dis
tinctly barred coaches from the side line
and seemed TO feel that trainer might
remain there with propriety Listen 10
the rule (rule XIV. sec. y:
"Al who are admitted to the enclosure
must be seated throughout the game. No
person shall be allowed TO walk up and
down on either side OF the field"
By any fair Interpretation Of this rule
neither Dwyer nor OBrien had any right
on the side line. But since the whole
ru!ebook has no official standing, but is
accepted by common consent any rule
may be suspended or changed by the cap
tains Of the two teams. This comment
is not made in criticism OF the infringee
ment OF the rule, for there wasn't the
slightest sign OF coaching by either side,
to prevent the possibility OF which the
rule was made. Both sides regarded this
as merely practice game and wished
TO have their men in position where
they could properly Judge the work OF
practice game It would seem that all the
rules should be strictly enforced and none
waived, even by common consent
There was a great deal OF interest
on the part OF the spectators In the eN-
pertinent OF numbering the players. This
progressive innovation by the Pennsyl-
Yania management was thoroughly aD-
proved by the crowd. and especially the
newspaper men Tho only deserved crltl-
cism that could be made was that the
numbers were entirely too small. The
Quaker MANAGEMENT intends 70 use big
ger numbers for succeeding games and
to have them painted on the jerseys with
white lead which will De permanent and
enable them TO be seen distinctly from
all parts OF the neld
There we're no surprises on other grid
irons. unless Cornell's defeat at the hands
OF Pittsburgh could be so elassed, While
all the other big teams won about as
they pleased. Cornell seems to have been
fairly outplayed BY the Pittsburgh eleven.
Remembering that last year Pittsburgh
beat Cornell 20 TO T. and that this year
the men from the western end OF the
State not only had as strong team as
last year but one with the advantage
OF several weeks more preliminary pFac-
tlce than Cornell, this result should not
have been entirely unexpected.
Il aauanIr Indicates that EaaFnalT