Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-23
WINNING LOST"
FOOTBALL GAMES
Thrilling "Come-Backs" on the Grid
iron-Beaten Teams That Came
OFF Victorious After Psychic
logical Transformation
By EDWARD R. BUSHNELL

ly on merit, physical and mental. Usually
team loses because Il meets a better team.
But there have been some notable excep-
tions, apparent perhaps, rather than real, in
the history OF intercollegiate football Back
OF some OF the greatest upsets on the gridiron
Is n good deal of interesting, unwritten his
tory. Nearly every big university can point
to some contest In which a single incident,
the injection OF a powerful personality into
the crisis, or a psychological miracle of a
different description, enabled the supposedly
inferior team to pluck victory from seeming
ly certain defeat. Such occurrences minister
to football prestige and college spirit, and
from them succeeding generations Of athletes
draw inspiration. You ind them chiefly in
intercollegiate sports. There are at least four
football games, won against the force Of
probabilities which have become historic and
classic.
In some respects the most historic come
back" team in football history was the UNI
versity OF Pennsylvania eleven Of 1902. None
of the $4,000 spectators who saw that team.
weak and despised as II had been all season,
give the powerful Cornell eleven a lead Of
Ito at the end of the first half and then
with a mighty rally in the second half beat
them by q score of 1911, will ever forget the
sights or the sounds which greeted the per-
formance To appreciate the achievement the
situation should be explained. George Wood
ruff, who had put Pennsylvania on the foot
ball map, had resigned as coach, and DR..
Carl Williams was given the task of develop
ing new material The players were green and
not up to the usual Pennsylvania standard
But they had spirit and they never knew
what It was TO quit. The season had been
disastrous. All the important games had
been lost, though most OF them by the margin
of a single touchdown. Cornell, on the other
hand, had had a wonderful season and no
one believed that Pennsylvania had chance.
The first half went Off according TO schedule.
and the score was ITO in Cornelrs favor, with
the prospect that It would be more than
double this at the end
Speech Between the Halves
But here the story begins. Between the
halves the Pennsylvania players sat about in
gloom, facing their fate as best they could.
few minutes before time to return to the
field a message came from the Cornell Dress
ing room from "Bnr' Warner, captain of the
team and brother of Glenn Warner, the pres
ent coach OF the Pittsburgh team. 1t sug-
gested, apparently out of consideration for
Pennsylvania's feelings, that the second half
be shortened ten minutes. This, at least,
would keep down the score.
At first no Pennsylvania man replied. Sud-
denly, Walter Baird a tackle, leaped to his
feet, and although he was not the captain
and did not consult his teammates, per-
emptorily declined the offer. Then jumping
on one of the rubbing tables, he appealed to
the honor and courage of those Pennsylvania
players, and, using Cornells offer as a text.
rallied the players with a speech that ought
to be historic.
'welI show these fellows" he shouted in
conclusion, that Pennsylvania isn't beaten
yet. It's up to US to get together. We can
hold Cornell and we can win this game yet"
The rest is wel-known history. Baird's
spirit was contagious, and when the men re-
turned to the field they went at their work
with a fine frenzy that told the spectators
that some wonderful transformation had
taken place. Getting the ball on the first
kick of, Just under their own goal. Pennsyi-
vania marched straight down the feld for
| a touchdown in twenty minutes Of play. This
| left the score lis, still in Cornell's favor.
| The fury Of Pennsylvania's attack increased
rather than diminished, and the Anal touch
| down came with less than a minute to play.
| 1t made the score tie at Hill. But the goal
had to be kicked. The touchdown was made
near the edge OF the field, and, although the
field was heavy and the ball water soaked,
Captain Gardner kicked the goal and made
the final score 12-11 in Pensyivania's favor.
And the memory Of that game has since won
many a victory for Pennsylvania teams
Introducing ''Ted" Coy
When Yale men wish to rally their foot
| ball teams all they have to do Is to point
back to the Yaie-Princeton game OF 1907.
which Yale won by the score OF 1910 after
| a fight which resembled In many particulars
that of 1902 between Pennsyivania and Cor
nell Princeton had great eleven that year,
and when the first half ended with 100 In
! Princetons favor the Tigers supporters
thought II would be an old-fashioned slaugh-
| ter. But something happened between the
| halves Just what II was no one knows The
Yale men were so wrapped up In their new
plans Of battle that they overstayed the in
termIssion limit by nve minutes and the Of
| fcials had to look them up and ask II they
intended to finish the game.
Il was at this point that Yale introduced
"Ted'' Coy. the son OF a Yale professor. to
football fame. This young blonde giant had
not hitherto been conspicuous. but in the sec
ond half he was unfettered and that day
Yale owed victory TO his individual skill and
strength. BY actual count Coy carried the
ball An average OF every other play. No one
else could gain. But nothing could stop Coy.
II his forwards didn't open the line ne did II
himself. And when he had scored Yale's first
touchdown and the goal was kicked, leaving
the score i0-e IN Princeton'H favor nothing
could hold the Yale attack. Another touch
/ down was needed and SuDeFman Coy was