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.

u corning the origin of the foot
\ ball trick by which the Car
asIA indian made long and spectac-
,Iar run by concealing the football
pder his Jersey, the current issue of
he Harvard Alumni Bulletin refers
editorially to the subject and quotes
The letter written by W. r. Tiche-
mar of Atlanta, Ga, which was pub
Eshed in the December issue of the
i Auburn Alumnus 1t will be recalled
/ that Tick (Tichenor> explained
/ that this play was first executed by
/ him in a game between Auburn and
4 Vanderbilt in 1895. In the Harvard
/ Bulletin Mr.. Tichenor says: This
nIay was first used in the Auburn
Vanderbilt game in 1895, which was
nlaved in a sea of mud and a driving
rain and by the use of this trick !
4 succeeded in getting away for 60
yard run and a touchdown, which, by
the way, was the only touchdown we
made in the game and the only
i touchdown | scored during my foot
ball career.
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
"A aker discussing football in general
when Heisman said, You know. boys.
4 had a kid to ask me once if it was
4 against the rules to hide the ball, and
q while | don't see anything against it
4 don't see how the trick could be
4 worked
For a minute or two there was
I silence, which was broken by Sha-
fers I've got it. HE'S. Why not
stick the ball under Ticks jersey?'
i wARDLY were the words out of
II Shafers mouth before | was
heating it into the next room, where
a pulled on a jersey and slipping a
football under the front of it, walked
proudly back into the room where
a shafer and Heisman were sitting, and
before we adjourned that night We
had worked out the trick as we af-
ervard used it.
After we found out that the ball
could be concealed easily and quick
y, 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
a chance to get away. In those days
was not necessary for anybody
nut the center to be on the line of
Scrimmage, SO we dropped the guards
back Just a little from the line of
me bail. The tackles were farther
pack with the ends playing behind
me 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
Ahemen and backs formed a COM
pact circle about us so as to cover
up What was taking place inside the
F'rcle. Just as quick as the back
could Slip the ball under my jersey
would drop to the ground and the
cam would swing out to the open
as compact a mass as possible.
dilhg TO the back who had jumped
mo the circle to come on, while
would be left on the ground as if
anocked out in the play. When the
way was clear ! would come to life
efy quickly, slip the ball from un-
yer my Jersey and beat it down the
Aeld as fast as possible.
J. course, play of this sort after
IL became known would not
work, so we decided to change it for
ue Georgia game to slip the ball
1euer Harry Smiths jersey instead
NINE and to let him go out with
W punch interfering for him We
Iteu II this way and Harry was
@Mdy with about six men interfering
,or 9im and would have had a sure
guchdoWn, but the referee blew his
"nistle and called the play back as
nue mad been taken out before we
~ me ball in play. I shall never
oiSet the look on Harry Smiths face
ne brought the hall back, nor will
ever forget the way they piled onto
s ana pinned me to the ground and
searched for the ball
OP WARNER, who was coach
nm. ing Georgia that year, after
PPuiled this trick off in a Harvard
faInsle game by having the ball
npped under the back of one of the
' u6 Jerseys on the kick off.
hy all of the Eastern papers he
os gwen the credit of pulling off
fo-ile .nlng new, but as a matter of
~, the play was originated at Au-
- ana used successfully against
altluerpllt and against Warner-the
sC year he began to coach as above
mentioned"