Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-26
PENN CHARTER
LOOMS STRONG.
IN TITLE CLASH
Coach Merrill Develops
Another Strong Eleven
at Academy
WEAK POINTS PLUGGED

Not much attention was paid to Penn
Charters eleven until 1t surprised the
scholastic football followers by winning
from West Philadelphia High School, one
OF the favorites before this upset for
the lnterscholastic League champion. The
article of ball, however, put up by the
Little Quakers in this contest proves
conc!usively that they loom up as big
as they did in 1914 for the Interacademic
League title.
Last season under the guidance OF
Howard Merritt. an old Yale quarter
back, who took up the athletic director
ship after AL Sharpe resigned to handle
Cornelrs teams, Penn Charter had a
great season, winning the academic
championship. Aside from this the Blue
and Gold went through the season with
out losing a game, a tie with ST. Lukes
being the only result that prevented a
clean sweep -.' I
With six members OF last seasons
team graduated Merritt faced a tremen-
dous task as his material was limited.
Penn Charter has but handful of
students compared with Central, North
east and West Philadelphia High Schools
and many of this number are boys rang
ing from 10 to Is years OF age.
AT the start of the season Penn Char
ter was apparently weak and was held
to tie by Radnor High, another small
institution from the Main Line. Since
that time the team has been developing
rapidly and is likely to repeat in the In
teracademic League Episcopal is appar-
emily the only team with a chance to
beat Merritt's lads.
The Penn Charter team this fall is big
ger than the usual run of p. c. elevens
and this is no doubt largely responsible
for the rapid progress the team has made,
as the new material was much farther ad-
vanced than the general run Of candidates
handed to Merritt
Merritt is one of the best scholastic
coaches and, like his predecessor, Sharpe.
is almost certain to be placed In charge of
college eleven In the near future. He is
one of the most thorough teachers in the
game and the smallest details always re-
ceIve the most attention. After boy has
had two or three years of football under
Merritt he needs little polishing for col
legiate ranks.
Penn Charter at present has a team with
few stars. but 1t is a well balanced and
smooth machine. Heck, the stocky full
back, has been the teams greatest ground
gamer. but Sitley is likely to be the star
of local ranks In the backfield before the
close of the season.
has unusual possibilities He is only IT
years old, but stands feet 10 inches in
height and weighs trihe more than 100
pounds. He has picked up the game
rapidly and Is grand prospect for some
college eleven in the future. AS he has
two more years at Penn Charter. Sitley
will be bigger and stronger by the time
he is ready for college.
For the rest of the season Penn Char
ter will be without the services of Quar-
terback Edison, as he is ineligible to COM
pete In interacademic games Coach Mer-
ritt has shifted Darnell from halfback 20
quarter, with Walsh, Sitley and Heck In
the other backfield positions.
Since Edison was clever handling punts
and running them back and was the best
forward passer on the team, his absence
will be felt However, as Sitter and Heck
are developing rapidly In these depart
ments, Merritt does not believe that Ed
sons ineligibility will prove disastrous
against the inter-academic schools.
The punting Is looked after by Williams, |
the giant guard. and he gets better dis
tance than a large number OF the coll |
leRe kickers. He Is awkward and does
not place his kicks so well as Butler, OF |
Central High. or Feaster, Of West Philly, |
but he is improving, and with two first- |
class ends In Shetzline and Brown to |
cover the kicks, a great deal of ground |
is generally gained by Penn Charter at
the kicking game.
Captain Pennock and Sangree a |
brother of the star halfbaek OF three |
wears ago, are the tackles. while Will |
Jams and Calder have earned the regu-
lar guard positions with Spur at centre |
The latter Is another youngster with
great possibilities. He is big. strong and |
fast. and would make an excellent half