The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-26
Half Of Game Was Played in
Rain and Mud, But Holly
Contested Till Final
Whistle.
LOCALS SCORE EARLY
Two 'Touchdowns Annexed in
First Quarter Wygle
Makes Another Drop
Kick.

Keokuk high school demonstrated
yesterday afternoon before a crowd
OF thousand rabid spectators, that
she could not only lick her old rival, /
Fort Madison on land and under open |.
skies, but also In water, In mud, in
torrents Of rain and under any cir.
cumstance that bounteous nature
could devise.
In the final game Of the year, in
which every one of the local team
starred, Keokuk hung a II to 8 de. (
feat on the visiting crew from Fort
Madison, and in that way had sweet
revenge for previous defeat at the
championship Of Lee county and also
ner, the wins nicely counterbalancing 4
the losses after yesterdays result was
added to the grand total
The largest crowd that has ever
witnessed football game in Keokuk i
saw the contest yesterday and they
witnessed game that was one OF the
fastest and hardest fought that has
ever been pulled of here. So desper-
ate we're the rivals that they chose to !
play through water, rain and mud |
and fought it out to the desperate end !
despite the fact that the field was a |
running lake and night had practically !
descended The latter half Of the con-
test was played under distressing con-
ditions. But 1t was a good clean game
and rivalry was not replaced by
iroughness.
Roofing From Grand stand. |
When the rain came there was .
general rush of the spectators for the
grand stand, which could not hold the
great crowd that was out. Among the |
thousand present were three hundred
rooters from Fort Madison and the
local and visiting rooters fought a
separate battle with their respective
yells in the grand stand, while the
dripping, muddy warriors were fight
ing for fame and honor ON field tina.
was beyond redemption, the big band
livening up affairs with tune or two.
For Keokuk and for Fort Madison.
too, 1t was the game OF the year and
the local team and the local rooters
are now tasting the sweets Of vic
tory. It was a contest that will long
be remem bered In the annals OF K. H. |
S.
The Keokuk team easily demon
strated its superiority over the visit
ing eleven, the two touchdowns that
cinched the game being secured early
in the first quarter. Several times
shortly after that the Keokuk squad
was within fighting distance OF the
Fort Madison goal and could undoubt-
eddy have pushed through for several
other touchdowns, but they felt so
secure in the margin already gained
that drop kicks from the field were |
tried instead. At twenty-five yards, !
Hancock missed field goal by an ace. !
Wygle followed shortly after with a |
goal kicked from the fifteen yard line. |
81
Haneock's Closing Feat.
After the second quarter the scoring |
was over. The rain set in in earnest, !
and neither side could make consist
ent gains on the muddy, watery field. |
Before the man with the ball could get |
away he was grabbed. And there !
was much slipping and sliding and
fumbling. During the whole second |
half there were practically no good
gains until the very last when Han
cock electrified the crowd by taking |
the ball from punt almost under the /
Keokuk goal posts, for the final run of
his high school football career, for u /
fifty yard gain that came near being
a ninety yard touchdown. Just fol-
lowing this the whistle for the end Of
the game blew. This was the most
spectacular run Of the game, consider
ing the condition OF the field and the
whole field of interference. Hany had
to dodge and it added final zest to |
the game that had already contained
thrill after thrill.
Hancock, Wygle and W. Roberts. It
would be hard to make a selection for
the star position from the above three.
Roberts was wonder on his line
pIunges. The big ful1back went
through the opposing line like a shot
through paper and there was no hol1-
ing him back. Hancock made the long
est runs and Wygle did his most sen.
sational punting of his career be-
sides showing the fastest foot he has
this year.
The line held good and practically
every member Of this offensive group
was responsible for some great tack
ling. Fort Madison was not without
its stars, however. Lyons, Finley and
Anderson were always to be counted
on, while the diminutive Shaile, who
replaced Hueser at quarter, showed a
world Of speed and fight Ekins also
rrnted good but not to compare with
Wygle.
The First Quarter
Wygle kicked off for Keokuk to
Fort Madison. Whalen caught the
ball and tried a return kick which
was not allowed when the visitors
were penalized. Finley made five